Jazz

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Jazz Song Writing”

After considering the role of jazz music in the novel, students will create their own jazz song lyrics inspired by historical research and the characters.

The author uses jazz music as a motif throughout the novel to create sensory imagery in the setting and to underscore character traits. Compose the lyrics of a jazz song based on your historical research and your understanding of the characters of the novel. Your lyrics should represent the character arc of one main or important character over the course of the text.

Choose your character and note important scenes from the novel that show a character arc. How does this character change from the novel’s beginning to its end? What character actions demonstrate this change? What words spoken by the character prove change?

• Research music of the Harlem Renaissance. It may be helpful to read song lyrics or poetry from this movement to get a sense of tone, mood, word choice, imagery, and connotation.
• Compose song lyrics for at least 4 short verses or 3 short verses and a refrain that include sensory details, location details, feelings, historical events, and other pertinent details to help convey information about the character’s arc.
• Use metaphors, symbolism, and other poetry and language devices.
• It may be helpful to choose an existing jazz song for your lyrics to fit.
• Turn in both your lyrics and your notes for this activity.

When your song lyrics are finished, select 2 strong, well-written lines that best encapsulate the character’s arc. Contribute these lines to a shared file for classmates to see and react to. Share an excerpt of your lyrics aloud with the class as well.

Teaching Suggestion: Requiring students to write their lyrics in a specific meter will increase the activity’s rigor, complexity, and critical thinking potential. It may be beneficial to listen to a selection of 1920s jazz songs before completing the activity.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students who benefit from accommodations with abstract thinking tasks may find it helpful to list any symbols associated with their character and discuss each symbol’s potential representative meaning with a partner or small group. Students who would benefit from an opportunity to compose music might write a brief original jazz composition to accompany their lyrics.

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. The novel’s physical settings influence the characters in different ways. For this essay, choose one character on whom to focus.

• How does the physical setting influence this character? (topic sentence)
• Accounting for different settings, choose examples of scenes or events from the novel that demonstrate the effect of setting on the character. Analyze and discuss at least 3 specific ways that the setting(s) impact(s) the character.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, evaluate the impact of the settings on overall development or change in the character.

2. Several characters in Jazz struggle with the absence of mothers.

• Overall, what message is conveyed by the absence of mothers in the novel? (topic sentence)
• Choose at least 3 characters from the novel who are affected by the absence of a mother. Analyze and discuss the ways in which this person struggles without a mother, whether they seek other surrogate mothers, and whether they change by the end of the book.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, connect your ideas about this topic to the book’s broader concern with Relationships and Trauma.

3. Many characters in Jazz are depicted as multifaceted.

• How might Joe be considered a three-dimensional character? (topic sentence)
• Analyze and discuss details from at least 3 places in the story that demonstrate the different sides of Joe’s character.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, summarize the lesson for readers conveyed through Joe’s character.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. Birds and birdcages are important motifs in Jazz. What symbolic meaning do they hold? For example, what do the parrot and the parrot’s spoken words represent? Could another pet be substituted, or are parrots and birds particularly fitting for a specific reason? In a 3- or 5-paragraph essay, explore the purpose and function of birds and birdcages in the novel. Use textual evidence to support your ideas and cite any quoted evidence in the format your instructor recommends.

2. Violence is described matter-of-factly throughout the novel. What metaphors or images of violence does the novel use? How do characters use violence to communicate or solve their problems? In a 3- or 5-paragraph essay, explain the author’s overall purpose in treating violent events with a matter-of-fact tone. In your discussion, connect to the novel’s theme of Violence as an Act of Love. Use textual evidence to support your ideas and cite any quoted evidence in the format your instructor recommends.

Multiple Choice and Long Answer Questions create ideal opportunities for whole-text review, exams, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. Which description best befits the mood of the first meeting between Golden and Henry LesTroy?

A) Combative

B) Soothing

C) Melancholic

D) Desolate

2. Which statement best describes the Traces’ relationship at the end of the novel?

A) While they try to reconcile after Joe’s affair, they ultimately split up.

B) They stay together, but they are deeply unhappy.

C) Their love is rejuvenated and youthful again.

D) Nothing is resolved, and the state of their marriage is left uncertain.

3. Why does Violet go silent?

A) She experiences a physical illness.

B) She wants to stop saying illogical things.

C) She is giving Joe the silent treatment.

D) She took religious vows.

4. Which statement does NOT connect to Violet’s plans to improve her marriage?

A) She tries to fall in love with Joe again.

B) She cheats in revenge.

C) She wants to get to know Joe’s lover.

D) She wants to kill Joe.

5. How does Felice’s memory of the shooting differ from Dorcas’s own description?

A) Felice says she saw Joe, but Dorcas thinks he was unseen.

B) Dorcas says she was trying to say Joe’s name, but Felice says she had a message for Joe about an apple.

C) Dorcas does not know who killed her, but Felice knows it was Joe.

D) Dorcas remembers that she was dancing with Acton, while Felice remembers that Dorcas was talking with her.

6. Which phrase represents the most accurate description of the narrator?

A) A city resident describing and reacting to their community

B) A god-like director of events

C) A Black grandmother recounting her family history

D) The child of Joe and Violet Trace

7. Which quotation represents the best evidence that Golden is a hypocrite?

A) “When he picks up the reins he cannot help noticing that his feelings about the horse are of security and affection. It occurs to him that there is something odd about that: the pride he takes in his horse; the nausea the woman provoked.” (Chapter 6)

B) “As he urges the horse on, he is gentle for fear the ruts and the muddy road will cause her to fall forward or brush him in some way.” (Chapter 6)

C) “Gingerly he retrieves his coat and covers the woman with the strange-smelling dress.” (Chapter 6)

D) “He looks at her and, holding on to the brim of his hat, moves quickly to get back into the carriage.” (Chapter 6)

8. How did Wild get her nickname?

A) The town’s boys nicknamed her that to mock her.

B) Her parents thought she reminded them of wildflowers.

C) She named herself.

D) LesTroy was inspired by her spirit when giving birth.

9. What do Dorcas and Golden have in common?

A) They are both orphans.

B) They are related to each other.

C) They enjoy dancing.

D) They are light skinned.

10. Which statement best describes Joe’s state of mind when he searched for Dorcas?

A) Joe was focused and determined.

B) Joe was distraught and still crying.

C) Joe was relieved.

D) Joe was angry and jealous.

11. Which characters are examples of foils?

A) Violet and True Belle

B) LesTroy and Vera Louise

C) Felice and Dorcas

D) Acton and Dorcas

12. Which symbol supports the novel’s feelings about the Great Migration?

A) Birds

B) Food

C) Clothes

D) Deer

13. What animal connects Wild and Dorcas?

A) Bird

B) Fox

C) Deer

D) Rabbit

14. Why does Dorcas break up with Joe?

A) Dorcas finds out that she is pregnant and must leave town.

B) Dorcas wants to pursue Acton and be able to talk about relationships.

C) Alice finds out about them and makes her.

D) Dorcas is angry that he stopped bringing gifts.

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating text details to support your response.

1. What do Alice and Violet have in common?

2. What does Violet learn that allows her to reconcile with Joe? How does she reveal change, and what inspires it?