If you haven't gotten your American Dream assignment on turnitin.com, be sure to get that done tonight!  (Okay through 11:59 p.m.) 
And hard copies WERE DUE in class today.  If you are still in printing limbo, make sure you get what you need from your home computer to print before school tomorrow. 

TODAY IN CLASS
Students received copies of Anne Bradstreet's poem "The Author to Her Book."  We discussed the title, and what an author might have to "say" to her book, particularly with respect to possible attitudes the writer might have towards the quality of his/her product.  We also went over three pronouns used throughout the poem:
thou = singular YOU (subject form)
thee = singular YOU (object form)
thy = YOUR (possessive)

Then students worked in small groups on a hand-out of questions to help with the understanding of the poem.  If you were absent, you'll need to do this on your own, since group-work time was today.

Here is the text of the poem:

The Author to Her Book

Anne Bradstreet, 1612 - 1672

Thou ill-formed offspring of my feeble brain,
Who after birth didst by my side remain,
Till snatched from thence by friends, less wise than true,
Who thee abroad, exposed to public view,
Made thee in rags, halting to th’ press to trudge,
Where errors were not lessened (all may judge).
At thy return my blushing was not small,
My rambling brat (in print) should mother call,
I cast thee by as one unfit for light,
The visage was so irksome in my sight;
Yet being mine own, at length affection would
Thy blemishes amend, if so I could.
I washed thy face, but more defects I saw,
And rubbing off a spot still made a flaw.
I stretched thy joints to make thee even feet,
Yet still thou run’st more hobbling than is meet;
In better dress to trim thee was my mind,
But nought save homespun cloth i’ th’ house I find.
In this array ‘mongst vulgars may’st thou roam.
In critic’s hands beware thou dost not come,
And take thy way where yet thou art not known;
If for thy father asked, say thou hadst none;
And for thy mother, she alas is poor,
Which caused her thus to send thee out of door.

Use the text of the poem to answer the following questions.  Short notation style responses are okay--you don't need to write complete sentences that restate the question. (You can print this out yourself, or answer on separate paper if you don't have a printer.)

Questions to accompany "The Author to Her Book"

FOR TOMORROW
If you were in class today and completed the question sheet, then there's no homework for
Wednesday.