Complete The Essay Summary Form
New Directions” ESSAY SUMMARY FORM
Title: New Direcetions
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(correctly spelled and punctuated)
Author: Maya Angelou
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(correctly spelled and punctuated)
Notes on the author: (Look up at least three significant facts about the
author which you will most likely remember.)
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Find when and where the story was published:
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List three points the author makes in the text.
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Write two pieces of evidence the author provides for support.
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Write one conclusion or claim you can make from this text.
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List three things you learned from reading this text.
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List two things you found interesting in the text.
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Write one question you still have about what you read.
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Vocabulary: List and define all unfamiliar vocabulary words and/or terms
from this reading.
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Additional Notes:
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From the Maya Angelou interview (video), identify three
characteristics, qualities and/or similarities between the character
“Annie Johnson” and the “phenomenal woman” Maya Angelou.
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2.
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USING THE RACE CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE STRATEGY from your
Foundation Notes, write two grammatically correct, cohesive
and coherent sentences to 16 questions below.
UNDERSTANDING DETAILS
1. What path is Annie Johnson following that she dislikes? How does she
change this path?
2. Describe Annie physically and mentally in your words. Use as much
detail as possible.
3. Why does Annie carry stones in two five-gallon pails for three miles?
What is she trying to accomplish?
4. In what was does Annie’s business grow? How does Annie’s personality
make this growth possible?
READING CRITICALLY
5. Why do you think Annie succeeds in her business? What are the main
ingredients of her success?
6. In what was are the details at the beginning of this narrative essay
typical of the year 1903?
7. What does Angelou mean when she says, “Each of us has the right and
the responsibility to assess the roads which lie ahead, and those over which
we have traveled” (paragraph 11)? In what way is this message basic to an
understanding of the essay?
8. Explain the title of the essay. Cite specific details from the essay in your
explanation.
DISCOVERING RHETORICAL STRATEGIES
9. Angelou writes this narrative essay in a fairly formal style, using multi-
syllable words (concede rather than yield or let) and the characters’ titles
with their names (Ms. Annie Johnson instead of Annie Johnson). Why do you
think Angelou present her essay in this way Describe the tone she maintains
throughout the essay.
10. The author uses the metaphor of taking a “new road” to describe Annie
Johnson’s decision. Is this metaphor effective, in your opinion? Why or why
not?
11. Over what period of time do you think this story took place? How does
the author show her readers that time is passing in this narrative essay?
12. Angelou often ends her essays with lessons that she wanted the readers
to understand. How does her lesson in the last paragraph of this narrative
essay affect the story? Does the story itself go with the lesson? How did you
respond to having the author tell you what to think at the end of the story?
THINKING CRITICALLY
13. Why does Angelou describe Annie Johnson’s ethnicity as “burdensome”?
14. What specific details does the author include to indicate how hard Annie
worked for success?
15. How do these particular details affect Angelou’s essay?
16. Have you ever “changed direction” in your life? How did it compare to
Angelou’s change? Was the change good for you? Why or why not?
