“Never Fitting In” by Nereida Roman & “I’m Nobody” by Emily Dickinson

1. “Never Fitting In” by Nereida Roman & “I’m Nobody” by Emily Dickinson Study Guide Answers

2. 1. Why doesn’t the author fit in? • The author doesn’t feel she fits in because she’s labeled a tomboy and does not do things that most girls do. • Evidence: • “I’ve been the kind of person that never fits in right, but the thing that has bothered me the most is being called a “tomboy.” • “To me all sports are for everybody. But people never think of it from my point of view.” Are there any other examples from the text?

3. 2. Why did the author quit the basketball team? • The author quit the basketball team because she felt she was never accepted by her team, and she was only passed the ball once the entire season. • Evidence: • “I was really bothered at first. I was so bothered that I quit the team…..”

4. 3. What does the author mean when she says that “to me all sports are for everybody”? The author means that any sport is something that anyone can participate in whether he/she is a boy OR a girl. Evidence: “ I don’t think that there is anything wrong with a girl playing football, basketball, or any other sport.”

5. 4. Why does the author think she turned out to be a tomboy? The author thinks she turned out to be a tomboy because she grew up around six boys, and she was the only girl besides her mother. Her mother treated all of the kids like equals, so we can assume that the mother did not put emphasis on activities that are deemed for girls. Evidence: My mother raised me, my two brothers, and the other four boys as equals, I played every sport you can think of when I was younger, and I still do now.”

6. 5. Do you think the author’s mother thinks she should “act like a girl”? (pg 187) Based on what we have read about how Nereida grew up, we can infer that “acting like a girl” isn’t important to her mother. Her mother treated Nereida equally with the boys. If she wanted Nereida “act like a girl” she could have and most likely would have treated her differently. (i.e. making her do dance instead of sports, wearing dresses instead of other clothes, etc.)

7. 6. What is the author’s tone, or attitude toward being a tomboy? • Possible answers: • Irritation- Nereida could be feeling irritated because she thinks people should mind their business and not worry what she does with her time. (playing sports, NOT worrying about boys) • Frustration- Nereida could be frustrated that society has put such limitations on how boys and girls “should” act. She could be frustrated that she is being judged for doing what she loves JUST because she’s a girl. • Resignation- Nereida may feel there is nothing more she can do to change the opinions and actions of others, so she just accepts the treatment she receives as part of her everyday life instead of fighting for equal treatment.

8. 7.What does the author mean by calling herself “nobody”? When the author calls herself “nobody” she isn’t putting herself down or saying she isn’t worth anything. To her, being “nobody” is someone who leads a private life, a life that she enjoys living.

9. 8. How is being “somebody” like being a “frog”? The author compares being “somebody” to being a frog because just like a frog is out in the open for all to see, a “somebody” has his or her life out in the open for all to know about. Dickinson may like being “nobody” possibly because if people don’t know about her or her life, they can’t pass judgment on her.