Art of Language Lesson 06: CONNECTING

Lesson 06: CONNECTING

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WORDS

E: wayfarer

H: clamor or clamour

W: almonry

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CONNECTING in “The Door in the Wall”

Today, we’ll discuss how the author of “The Door in the Wall,” Marguerite de Angeli, CONNECTS words and sentences and paragraphs together. I want you to notice how one idea flows to another.

Tomorrow, I’m going to sit down with each of you individually and we’ll discuss your France Reflections. TODAY’S lesson about connecting will be something we discuss about your reflections tomorrow.

This excerpt is taken from “The Door in the Wall.” Please read it, then follow the directions below.

 

“May came in with a burst of bloom in hedge and field. There was hawthorn both pink and white, and primroses and buttercups carpeted the fields with yellow. In every garden wallflowers blossomed in bright color and filled the air with perfume.

For days Robin was cared for as if he were a little child. Brother Luke brought him food, kept him washed, and changed his clothes, but he was too much occupied with other things to stay with Robin for very long at a time. The bells clamoured as loudly as ever, but now the sound was associated with the regular procession of the monks going to devotions. Robin grew to like it.

He began to sleep well on the hard cot and to feel at home in the little cell. He could see nothing but the sky through the small wind hole, for it was high in the stone wall and only in the early morning allowed a ray of sunshine to come in. Against another all stood a prayer stool and desk combined, with a smaller one beside it. On the wall hung a little cupboard which held Brother Luke’s few personal belongings and his breviary.

Robin couldn’t see into the corridor, and at first couldn’t identify all the sounds he heard. He liked the “s-s-sh-shing” sound of feet on stone, as the monks passed to and fro. Sometimes, when they passed in procession, chanting, he joined in the singing, for most of the plain songs were known to him. Sometimes there were long silences, when he heard nothing but the mewing of the cat Millicent, or the squeaking of a mouse she had caught.

There were hundreds of people within the hospice, but they were separated by thick walls and long passages. The outer court was far away at the other side of the monastery. There, visiting pilgrims, knights at arms, merchants, and minstrels gathered, each awaiting the attention of the Prior. Because there were few inns, the monasteries were open for the entertainment of wayfarers, rich and poor alike. Besides that portion reserved for travelers there was an almonry overflowing with the poor of London, seeking food and clothing. St. Mark’s was a busy place. But most of the activity was far away from Robin. He was much alone, and time seemed long.

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QUESTIONS

The excerpt is pasted again below, with numbers before the beginning of each paragraph. Answer each of these questions for EACH PARAGRAPH:

1 – Summarize the paragraph with a few words – but no more than one sentence – and write that summary in your notebook.

2 – Write down a nice detail or nice phrase or nice description or nice emotion from the paragraph.

3 – How does this paragraph FLOW out of the PREVIOUS paragraph? (You won’t have an answer to this question for paragraph 01.)

4 – How does this paragraph SET UP the NEXT paragraph? (You won’t have an answer to this question for paragraph 05.)

 

(01) May came in with a burst of bloom in hedge and field. There was hawthorn both pink and white, and primroses and buttercups carpeted the fields with yellow. In every garden wallflowers blossomed in bright color and filled the air with perfume.

(02) For days Robin was cared for as if he were a little child. Brother Luke brought him food, kept him washed, and changed his clothes, but he was too much occupied with other things to stay with Robin for very long at a time. The bells clamoured as loudly as ever, but now the sound was associated with the regular procession of the monks going to devotions. Robin grew to like it.

(03) He began to sleep well on the hard cot and to feel at home in the little cell. He could see nothing but the sky through the small wind hole, for it was high in the stone wall and only in the early morning allowed a ray of sunshine to come in. Against another all stood a prayer stool and desk combined, with a smaller one beside it. On the wall hung a little cupboard which held Brother Luke’s few personal belongings and his breviary.

(04) Robin couldn’t see into the corridor, and at first couldn’t identify all the sounds he heard. He liked the “s-s-sh-shing” sound of feet on stone, as the monks passed to and fro. Sometimes, when they passed in procession, chanting, he joined in the singing, for most of the plain songs were known to him. Sometimes there were long silences, when he heard nothing but the mewing of the cat Millicent, or the squeaking of a mouse she had caught.

(05) There were hundreds of people within the hospice, but they were separated by thick walls and long passages. The outer court was far away at the other side of the monastery. There, visiting pilgrims, knights at arms, merchants, and minstrels gathered, each awaiting the attention of the Prior. Because there were few inns, the monasteries were open for the entertainment of wayfarers, rich and poor alike. Besides that portion reserved for travelers there was an almonry overflowing with the poor of London, seeking food and clothing. St. Mark’s was a busy place. But most of the activity was far away from Robin. He was much alone, and time seemed long.

 

FINAL QUESTION: What is the main idea of this full excerpt? What one ore two things is the author communicating in these paragraphs?