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UNIT 2, Part 1 The Power of Memory Click the mouse button or press the space bar to continue

Unit 2, Part 1 MAIN MENU The Power of Memory (pages 360–398) Click a selection title to go to the corresponding selection menu.

SELECTION MENU Selection Menu (pages 360–372) Before You Read Reading the Selection After You Read Vocabulary Workshop

BEFORE YOU READ Meet Mark Stevens and Annalyn Swan Click the picture to learn about the author.

BEFORE YOU READ Connecting to the Biography The following biography excerpt relates an immigrant’s first impressions upon arrival in the United States. De Kooning spoke no English and arrived with only the desire to create a better life for himself. He eventually became one of the foremost painters in the United States. Before you read, think about the questions on the next page.

BEFORE YOU READ Building Background Willem de Kooning was born in the Netherlands in 1904. He eventually became a leader in an artistic movement called Abstract Expressionism. Abstract artists make no attempt to recreate the world as it really exists. The major abstract movements at work in the early twentieth century included Expressionism, Cubism, Futurism, and Fauvism. All of these movements emphasized the gap between art and natural appearances.

BEFORE YOU READ Setting a Purpose for Reading The Power of Memory As you read this selection from De Kooning: An American Master, notice how Stevens and Swan emphasize de Kooning’s recollections of his arrival in the United States.

BEFORE YOU READ Setting a Purpose for Reading Author’s Purpose The author’s purpose is the author’s reason for writing a literary work. Understanding the author’s purpose enables you to grasp why the author presents certain events and characters as he or she does.

BEFORE YOU READ Setting a Purpose for Reading Author’s Purpose As you read, try to determine what Stevens and Swan hope to accomplish by sharing de Kooning’s first impressions of America with the reader.

BEFORE YOU READ Making Generalizations About Events When you base conclusions about a text on specific examples, ideas, or anecdotes, you are making generalizations, observations that may relate universal themes and ideas to a text.

BEFORE YOU READ Making Generalizations About Events As you read, make generalizations about the events in this biography by asking yourself: Why are these events occurring as they are? How do they relate to my background information? What do they say about the people involved?

BEFORE YOU READ Making Generalizations About Events Reading Tip: Taking NotesAs you read, record specific examples in the text and then generalize.

BEFORE YOU READ obligatoryadj. required or necessary (p. 362) The student went to class regularly because the teacher said attendance was obligatory. artisann. a skilled craftsman (p. 364) Fine details reveal the cabinetmaker as an artisan. Click a vocabulary term to listen to the definition.

BEFORE YOU READ believ. to misrepresent; to give a false impression of (p. 366) The warm loving light in the small child’s eyes belied her refusal to hug her mother. torrential adj. flowing rapidly and abundantly (p. 366) Walking in the torrential rain left us completely soaked. Click a vocabulary term to listen to the definition.

READING THE SELECTION The Power of MemoryThink about the following as you read. The authors intertwine anecdotes, description, and quotations to piece together a narrative of de Kooning’s life. How does their use of de Kooning’s recollections help the reader understand the man?

READING THE SELECTION Answer:They offer the reader a glimpse into the man’s hopes, dreams, and desires.

READING THE SELECTION The Power of MemoryRead the text highlighted in tan on page 362. Why was de Kooning disappointed when he first saw America? Answer:He expected to see things that were exciting and new—not a place that was like home.

READING THE SELECTION Reading Strategy Making Generalizations About EventsRead the text highlighted in blue on page 363. Why do de Kooning and his friend avoid the more traditional points of entry into the United States? Answer:They were entering illegally, and wanted to avoid discovery.

READING THE SELECTION Literary Element Author’s PurposeRead the first text highlighted in purple on page 363. What does this observation reveal about the place de Kooning has come from? What does it help you understand about de Kooning?

READING THE SELECTION Literary Element Answer:In Holland, life is slower. The United States is much faster paced. De Kooning is used to paying close attention to details and quality of life.

READING THE SELECTION Literary Element Author’s PurposeRead the second text highlighted in purple on page 363. Why do the authors describe Hoboken, New Jersey, at length and in such detail? Answer:They are illustrating the time and the setting, and explaining why so many Dutch immigrants like de Kooning settled there.

READING THE SELECTION Reading Strategy Making Generalizations About Events Read the first text highlighted in blue on page 364. What does de Kooning have in common with many people that visit a foreign country?

READING THE SELECTION Reading Strategy Answer:He is ambivalent about his relocation to America. He embraces his new identity with an American name. However, he feels more comfortable around things that remind him of home.

READING THE SELECTION The Power of Memory Read the text highlighted in tan on page 364. In what ways did clothing become meaningful to de Kooning as he began his life in America? Answer: By wearing fine clothing, de Kooning demonstrated his success and newfound American identity. Clothing became a kind of currency to de Kooning, who calculated his earnings in clothes he could purchase.

READING THE SELECTION Reading Strategy Making Generalizations About Events Read the second text highlighted in blue on page 364. What general conclusions can you draw from this exchange?

READING THE SELECTION Reading Strategy Answer:Immigrants are often confronted with significant language barriers in their new homes. They may be unable to fully express themselves. Their lack of knowledge can make them self-conscious and less willing to interact.

READING THE SELECTION Reading Strategy Making Generalizations About Events Read the third text highlighted in blue on page 364. What insights into Holland and America did de Kooning gain from working as a house painter in Hoboken?

READING THE SELECTION Reading Strategy Answer:In the American painters’ “willingness to slap new paint over old,” de Kooning was able to perceive the general American preference for speed and innovation over the Dutch concern for craftsmanship and preservation.

READING THE SELECTION Viewing the Art Look at the painting on page 365.What scene in this biography does the painting reflect? Answer:It reflects de Kooning’s abandonment of working-class Hoboken for Greenwich Village, where an art world existed.

READING THE SELECTION The Power of Memory Read the text highlighted in tan on page 366. How does the memory of Holland affect de Kooning’s experience of New York City? Answer:De Kooning’s memory of the multiplicity of cultures around the seaport of Rotterdam made him feel comfortable in New York, a city with a diverse and vibrant population.

READING THE SELECTION Literary Element Author’s PurposeRead the first text highlighted in purple on page 367. What insights into de Kooning’s artistic sensibilities do the authors suggest by including these observations?

READING THE SELECTION Literary Element Answer:The authors introduce the idea that de Kooning’s eventual success as a “pop” artist developed out of his early exposure to the glitz, decadence, and freedom of 1920s New York.

READING THE SELECTION Literary Element Author’s PurposeRead the second text highlighted in purple on page 367. Why do you think de Kooning is ready for a change? Answer:Although de Kooning has found a trade for himself, he does not work among artists and intellectuals as he did in Holland. This artistic milieu is important enough to him to make a change.

READING THE SELECTION Viewing the Art Look at the painting on page 368.What does this painting help viewers understand about Coney Island’s appeal? Answer:The seaside setting for swimming, the colorful structures, the Ferris wheel

READING THE SELECTION Reading Strategy Making Generalizations About Events Read the text highlighted in blue on page 369. What does this story illustrate about the experiences of many immigrants to America? Answer:Immigrants may be surprised that they cannot rely on their old ways of doing things in order to succeed.

READING THE SELECTION The Power of Memory Read the text highlighted in tan on page 369. What do you think changed for de Kooning? Answer:He realizes that being free to express himself might be worth some sacrifices.

READING THE SELECTION Viewing the Art Look at the painting on page 369.What does the painting suggest about de Kooning’s disposition? In your opinion, what elements of this painting most vividly demonstrate de Kooning’s originality? Answer:The bold hues and sweeping brushstrokes indicate a spontaneous and free-spirited mood.

AFTER YOU READ Responding and Thinking Critically Respond • What did you consider most interesting or surprising about de Kooning’s experiences? Explain. Answer:Answers will vary.

AFTER YOU READ Responding and Thinking Critically Recall and Interpret • (a) What was missing from de Kooning’s first glimpse of the United States? (b) How did his first impressions affect him? Answer:(a) The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island (b) He was disappointed.

AFTER YOU READ Responding and Thinking Critically Recall and Interpret • (a) What differences did de Kooning notice between life in Holland and life in the United States? (b) What impact did these differences have on de Kooning?

AFTER YOU READ Responding and Thinking Critically Recall and Interpret Answer:(a) While people in the United States did not take as much time with their crafts as in Holland, they were freer to express themselves. (b) The freedom to express himself allowed him to develop as an acclaimed artist.

AFTER YOU READ Responding and Thinking Critically Recall and Interpret • (a) What reasons do Stevens and Swan cite for de Kooning’s departure from Hoboken? (b) Why might the move have helped his career as an artist? Explain.

AFTER YOU READ Responding and Thinking Critically Recall and Interpret Answer:(a) He no longer needed or wanted to be among his countrymen. (b) It introduced him to a community of artists.

AFTER YOU READ Responding and Thinking Critically Analyze and Evaluate • De Kooning eventually becomes an influential and innovative abstract painter. Do you believe that the biographers’ description of de Kooning’s arrival in the United States helps you understand his eventual success? Explain. Answer:Answers will vary.

AFTER YOU READ Responding and Thinking Critically Analyze and Evaluate • To be successful, a biographer must provide facts about a person’s life and must also capture the essence of that person. Do you believe that Stevens and Swan accomplish this goal? Explain. Answer:Answers will vary.

AFTER YOU READ Responding and Thinking Critically Analyze and Evaluate • At first, de Kooning viewed success in the United States in terms of income. Later, his views of success shifted. Analyze de Kooning’s transition and determine what brought about the change in his attitude.

AFTER YOU READ Responding and Thinking Critically Analyze and Evaluate Answer:De Kooning loved the idea of being free to express himself. The only way to pursue this type of success was to delve into the American art world.

AFTER YOU READ Responding and Thinking Critically Connect The Power of Memory • From the comparisons between Holland and the United States, do you believe that de Kooning would have achieved the same artistic success had he remained in Holland? Explain. Answer:Answers will vary.

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