By: Julius Lester Powerpoint by: Michelle W. 6 th Period – 5 th six weeks

1. To Be A Slave By: Julius Lester Powerpoint by: Michelle W. 6th Period – 5th six weeks

2. Context Clues • Prophesy- to prefigure; foreshow • “All this caused my master and my fellow slaves to look upon me as a fellow and prophesy the good things I should do when I became a man.” • Gambol- run or jump about playfully • “The God who makes the pup gambol, the kitten play, and the birds sing, and the fish leap, was the author in me of many a lighthearted hour.” • Fluted- make flutes or grooves in • “It was a large white mansion, with fluted columns and a broad porch; massive trees spread their limbs over a circular driveway which led up to the house.” • Promiscuously- demonstrating or implying an undiscriminating or unselective approach; indiscriminate or casual • “The overseer then led off to the field with his horn in one hand and his whip in the other, we following-men, women, and children, promiscuously- and a wretched looking troop we were.” • Clod- a lump of earth or clay • “And keep it up, putting in words, and kicking the clods in step.”

3. Text Purpose: I think the author wrote it to explain to us exactly what the slaves dealt with and what they would go through to put a stop to it. Text Structure: The structure was cause and effect because the author used the slaves words, from how they were treated to freedom, to move the story along.

4. Text Representation MOTHERBOTHGABE 1. Taughther kids a lesson 1. Caused by disobeying masters 1. Was against whipping slaves 2.From past experiences 2. Didn’t whip anybody 3. Actual blood 3. Only berry wine 4. Made scars 4. Nobody was hurt Author’s Perspective/ Point of View SUBJECTAUTHOR’S FEELINGSTEXT EVIDENCE Slaves, their treatment, I think he feels that, of course, The news that they were free and their freedom. slavery never should have happened, was the fulfillment of the dream that he could never have imagined they had taken to bed each night being treated (or treating someone) and risen with each morning. like an animal.

5. Main Idea and Supporting Details • Beginning (page 56): • Slaves would walk, chained together, in a long line with everything they have slung over their shoulder. • Middle (page 80): • Many slaves questioned what their religion will have for them and if they will get to heaven because of their disobedience to their masters. • End (page 136-137): • The slaves freedom was something they all had dreamed of their entire lives, many couldn’t believe it.

6. WHAT THE BOOK SAYS Situation: babies thrown overboard Character Actions: Mothers jumping in after them to save them Situation: Master asked slave to sing a new song for someone. (slave agreed if not punished) Character Actions: Slave sand his newest song about his master being bucked off of a mule. CONCLUSIONS DRAWN Many people, especially mothers, get hurt or die. Master got very mad at the slave and was embarrassed in front of his friend but promised not to punish the slave. Draw Inferences

7. Comparing Story Variants TO BE A SLAVE • Stories told by slaves themselves • Only interviews and author BOTH • Civil War • Abraham Lincoln HOW SLAVERY REALLY ENDED • More details (full story) • Doesn’t describe the slaves daily lives

8. Fact/Opinion FACTSPAGECOMMENTS 1. Once on board, the slaves 22 I think he included it to help the were taken below the deck reader get an image of how bad and chained together in what the conditions were back then for was called the slave galley. the slaves being shipped to an even worse environment. 2. They had no formal education, 30 To show how held back and but they had education of limited slaves were because of day-to-day living, of observing the people that owned them. people and nature, for their lives depended on such knowledge. 3. Yet once the slaves left the field, 73 The slaves were never finished their work was far from finished. no matter how much work they got done that day.

9. Because of their dark 85 How discrimination went skin color, thin curly hair, so far as to call them thick lips and broad noses cuss words and classify noses, they were them as “creatures”, not regarded as oddities, even human beings. as “creatures” that could be ridiculed. Through the songs, they 114 That the slaves couldn’t made fun of the slave owners. care less about any bad thing that happens to their masters, so they sang about it. Fact/Opinion (continued)

10. Reading Response Item (p. 29): A foreman slaps a slave and the slave hits him with a shovel and runs. I really liked it because it gave the slave pride in himself (and probably some guilt) and showed how much they’d do to gain freedom. Item (p. 114-115): Master asked his slave to sing and the slave agreed if he’d promise not to whip him. He then sang a song about his master getting bucked off a mule. I found this funny because he got away with singing bad things about his master when he could’ve easily sang about something happy. Item (p. 137): Slave boy didn’t believe his master when told he was free, so the boy asked others around him for proof. I liked this because it showed just how incredible and overwhelming it was for them to FINALLY be free.