The White Umbrella by Gish Jen Learning Objectives Understand and appreciate a short story Understand and appreciate

te the literary element of theme Utilize the reading skill of making predictions about outcomes in plot and changes in character Pre-reading: Inferring/Predicting
What is the significance of the color white? To whom does the umbrella belong? Why is the story titled after an object? What can you predict about the setting based on the fact that an umbrella is used?

When I was twelve, my mother went to work without telling my little sister or me. Not that we need the second income. The lilt of her accent drifted from the kitchen up to the top of the stairs, where Mona and Who is Mona? How I were listening. do you know? No, said my father, in a whisper. Not like the Lee family. The Lees were the only other Chinese family in town. I What do remembered how sorry my parents had felt for Mrs. Lee when she started you infer working as a waitress the year before; and so when my mother began coming about the home late, I didnt say anything and tried to keep Mona from saying anything narrators either. family? But why shouldnt I? she argued. Lots of peoples mothers work. Those are American people, I said. A promise all So what do you think we are? I can do the pledge of allegiance Americans with my eyes closed. Nevertheless, she tried to be careful not to offend our mother; and make: if my mother wasnt home by 5:30, we would start cooking by ourselves, "I pledge to make sure dinner would be on time. Mona would wash the allegiance to the vegetables and put on the rice; I would chop. flag of the United
Write a summary of the EXPOSITION of the story that contains answers to the questions below: Who are the main characters? When does the story take place? Where does the story take place? What is the main idea of this section of the story?
States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Her voice sounds musical

For weeks we wondered what kind of work she was doing. I imagined that she was selling perfume, or testing cake recipes for the local newspaper. Or maybe she was working for the florist (person who sells flowers). Now that she had learned to drive, she might be delivering boxes of roses to people. I dont think so, said Mona as we walked to our piano lesson What inference after school. She wouldve hit something by now. do you make A gust of wind littered the street with leaves. about their Maybe we should hurry up, she went on, looking at the sky. mothers Its going to pour. driving skills? But were too early. Her lesson didnt begin until 4:00, mine until 4:30, so we usually tried to walk as slowly as we could. And anyway, What are cumulus those arent the kind of clouds that rain. Those are cumulus clouds. clouds? What do We arrived out of breath and wet. they look like? Oh you poor, poor dears, said old Miss Crosman. Why dont you call me the next time the weather is like this? If your mother wont drive you, I can pick you up. No, thats okay, I answered. Mona wrung her hair out on Miss Crossmans rug. We just couldnt get the roof our car to close, is all. We took it to the beach last summer and got sand in the mechanism. I had to make my lie sound convincing. Its never been the same. Its a convertible. Well, make yourselves at home. She exchanged looks with Eugenie Roberts, whose lesson we were interrupting. Eugenie smiled good-naturedly. The towels are in the closet across from the bathroom. Huddling at the end of Miss Crosmans nine-foot leather couch, Mona and I watched Eugenie play. She was a grade ahead of me and, according to school rumor, had a boyfriend in high school. I believed it. She had auburn hair, blue eyes, and, I noted with envy, a pure white folding umbrella. I cant see, whispered Mona. So clean your glasses. My glasses are clean. Youre in the way. When Miss Crosman I looked at her. They look dirty to me. says Eugenies Thats because your glasses are dirty. playing is stupendous, is she Eugenie came bouncing to the end of her piece. pleased or is she Oh! Just stupendous! Miss Crosman hugged her, then looked up disappointed? What as Eugenies mother walked in. Stupendous! she said again. Oh! Mrs. context clues help Roberts! Your daughter has a gift, a real gift. Its an honor to teach her. you understand the Mrs. Roberts, radiant with pride, swept her daughter out of the room meaning? as if she were royalty. Watching the way Eugenie carried herself, I sat up and concentrated so hard on sucking in my stomach that I did not realize until the Robertses were gone that Eugenie had left her umbrella. As Mona began to play, I jumped up and ran to the window, meaning to call to them only Why does the to see their brake lights flash then fade at the stop sign at the corner. As if to narrator allow them passage, the rain had let up; a quivering sun lit their way. compare the The umbrella glowed like a scepter on the blue carpet while Mona, umbrella to a slumping over the keyboard, played so badly that her music sounded like scepter? cats fighting. At the end of the piece, Miss Crosman asked her to stand up.

Stay right there, she said, then came back a minute later with a towel to cover the bench. You must be cold, she continued. Shall I call your mother and have her bring over some dry clothes? No, answered Mona. She wont come because she Shes too busy, I broke in from the back of the room. I see. Miss Crosman sighed and shook her head a little. Your glasses are filthy, honey, she said to Mona. Shall I clean them for you? Sisterly embarrassment seized me. Why hadnt Mona wiped her lenses when I told her to? As she started playing again, I stared at the umbrella. I wanted to open it, twirl it around by its slender silver handle; I wanted to dangle it from my wrist on the way to school the way the other girls did. I wondered what Miss Crosman would say if I offered to bring it to Eugenie at school tomorrow. She would be impressed with my consideration for others; Eugenie would be pleased to have it back; and I would have possession of the umbrella for an entire night. I looked at it again, toying with the idea of asking for one for Christmas. I knew, however, how my mother would react. Things, she would say. Whats the matter with a raincoat? All you want is things, just like an American. Why does her mother say just like an American?

Make a connection: Do you get Christmas gifts? What was a gift that you really wanted but did not get?

Create a sensory image of how the narrator sees herself with the umbrella

Sitting down for my lesson, I was careful to keep the towel under me and sit up straight. Ill bet you cant see a thing either, said Miss Crosman, reaching for my glasses. And you can relax, you poor dearThis isnt a boot camp. A place where When Miss Crosman finally allowed me to start playing, I played extra people are well, as well as I possibly could. See, I told her with my fingers, you dont have trained under to feel sorry for me. difficult That was wonderful, said Miss Crosman. Oh! Just wonderful. circumstances An entire constellation rose in my heart. And guess what, I announced proudly. I have a surprise for you. Then I played a second piece for her, a much more difficult one that she had not assigned. Oh! That was stupendous, she said without hugging me. Stupendous! You are a genius, young lady. If you had started when you were younger, youd be playing like Eugenie Roberts by now! I looked at the keyboard, wishing that I had still a third, even more difficult piece to play for her. I wanted to tell her that I was the school spelling bee champion, that I wasnt ticklish, that I could do karate. My mother is a concert pianist, I said. She looked at me for a long moment, then finally, without saying anything, hugged me. I didnt say anything about bringing the umbrella to Eugenie at school.
Mrs Crosman doesnt hug the narrator when she played the second, difficult piece of music. Yet she hugs her when the narrator tells her that her mother is a concert pianist. What can be inferred from Mrs Crosmans actions?

CHARACTERIZATION What is your opinion of the narrator? What do infer about her personality from her thoughts and actions, as well as the things she says to Mrs Crosman and Mona?

The steps were dry when Mona and I sat down to wait for my mother. Do you want to wait inside? Miss Crosman looked anxiously at the sky. No, I said. Our mother will be here any minute. In a while, said Mona. Any minute, I said again, even though my mother had been at least twenty minutes late every week since she had started working. According to the church clock across the street we had been waiting twenty-five minutes when Miss Crosman came out again. Shall I give you a ride home? No, I said. Our mother is coming any minute. Shall I call her and remind her youre here? Maybe she forgot about you. I dont think she forgot, said Mona. Shall I give her a call anyway? Just to be safe? I bet she already left, I said. How could she forget about us? Miss Crosman went in to call. Theres no answer, she said, coming back out. See, shes on her way, I said. Are you sure you wouldnt like to come in? No, said Mona. Yes, I said. I pointed at my sister. She meant yes too. She meant no, she wouldnt like to go in. Miss Crosman looked at her watch. Its 5:30 now, ladies. My pot roast will be coming out in fifteen minutes. Maybe youd like to come in and have some then? My mothers almost here, I said. Shes on her way. We watched and watched the street. I tried to imagine what my mother was doing; I tried to imagine her writing messages in the sky, even though I knew she was afraid of planes. I watched as the branches of Miss Crosmans big willow tree started to sway; they had all been trimmed to exactly the same height off the ground, so they looked beautiful, like hair in the wind. It started to rain. Miss Crosman is coming out again, said Mona. Dont let her talk you into going inside, I whispered. Why not? Because that would mean Mom really isnt coming any minute. But she isnt, said Mona. Shes working. Shhh! Miss Crosmans going to hear you. Shes working! Shes working! Shes working! I put my hand over her mouth, but she licked it, and so I was wiping my hand on my wet dress when the front door opened. Were getting even wetter, said Mona right away. Wetter and wetter. Shall we all go in? Miss Crosman pulled Mona to her feet. Before you young ladies catch pneumonia? Youve been out here an hour already. Were freezing. Mona looked up at Miss Crosman. Do you have any hot chocolate? Were going to catch pneumonia. Im not going in, I said. My mothers coming any minute. Slang for a persons Come on, said Mona. Use your noggin.
head

Any minute. Come on, Mona, Miss Crosman opened the door. Shall we get you inside first? See you in the hospital, said Mona as she went in. See you in the hospital with pneumonia. I stared out into the empty street. The rain was prickling me all over; I was cold; I wanted to go inside. I wanted to be able to let myself go inside. If Miss Crosman came out again, I decided, I would go in. She came out with a blanket and the white umbrella. I could not believe that I was actually holding the umbrella, opening it. It sprang up by itself as if it were alive, as if that were what it wanted to do as if it belonged in my hands, above my head. I stared up at the network of silver spokes, then spun the umbrella around and around and around. It was so clean and white that it seemed to glow. Its beautiful, I said. Miss Crosman sat down next to me, on one end of the blanket. I moved the umbrella over so that it covered that too. I could feel the rain on my left shoulder and shivered. She put her arm around me. You poor, poor dear. I knew that I was in store for another bolt of sympathy, and braced myself by staring up into the umbrella. You know, I very much wanted to have children when I was younger, she continued. You did? She stared at me a minute. Her face looked dry and crusty, like day-old frosting. I did. But then I never got married. I twirled the umbrella around again. This is the most beautiful umbrella I have ever seen, I said. Ever, in my whole life. Do you have an umbrella? No. But my mothers going to get me one just like this for Christmas. Is she? I tell you what. You dont have to wait until Christmas. You can have this one. But this one belongs to Eugenie Roberts, I protested. I have to give it back to her tomorrow in school. Who told you it belongs to Eugenie? Its not Eugenies. Its mine. And now Im giving it to you, so its yours. Its mine? I didnt know what to say. Mine? Suddenly I was jumping up and down in the rain. Its beautiful! Oh! Its beautiful! I laughed. Miss Crosman laughed too, even though she was getting all wet. Thank you, Miss Crosman. Thank you very much. Thanks a zillion. Its beautiful. Its stupendous! Youre quite welcome, she said. Thank you, I said again, but that didnt seem like enough. Suddenly I knew just what she wanted to hear. I wish you were my mother. Right away I felt bad.

You shouldnt say that, she said, but her face was opening into a huge smile as my mothers car carefully turned the corner. I quickly collapsed the umbrella and put it up my skirt, holding onto it from the outside, through the material. Mona! I shouted into the house. Mona! Hurry up! Moms here! I told you she was coming! Then I ran away from Miss Crosman, down to the curb. Mona came tearing up to my side as my mother neared the house. We both backed up a few feet so that in case she went onto the curb, she wouldnt run us over. But why didnt you go inside with Mona? my mother asked on the way home. She had taken off her own coat to put over me and had the heat on high. She wasnt using her noggin, said Mona, next to me in the back seat. I should call next time, said my mother. I just dont like to say where I am. That was when she finally told us that she was working as a checkout clerk in the A&P. She was supposed to be on the day shift, but the other employees were unreliable, and her boss had promised her a promotion if she would stay until the evening shift filled in. For a moment no one said anything. Even Mona seemed to find the revelation disappointing. A promotion already! she said, finally. I listened to the windshield wipers. Youre so quiet. My mother looked at me in the rear view mirror. Whats the matter? I wish you would quit, I said after a moment. She sighed. The Chinese have a saying: one beam cannot hold the roof up. But Eugenie Robertss father supports their family. She sighed once more. Eugenie Robertss father is Eugenie Robertss father, she said. As we entered the downtown area, Mona started leaning hard against me every time the car turned right, trying to push me over. Remembering what I had said to Miss Crosman, I tried to maneuver the umbrella under my leg so she wouldnt feel it. Whats under your skirt? Mona wanted to know as we came to a traffic light. My mother, watching us in the rear view mirror again, rolled slowly to a stop. Whats the matter? she asked. Theres something under her skirt, said Mona, pulling at me. Under her skirt. Meanwhile, a man crossing the street started to yell at us. Who do you think you are, lady? he said. Youre blocking the whole crosswalk. We all froze. Other people walking by stopped to watch. Didnt you hear me? he went on, starting to thump on the hood with his fist. Dont you speak English? My mother began to back up, but the car behind us honked. Luckily, the light turned green right after that. She sighed in relief. What were you saying, Mona? she asked.

We wouldnt have hit the car behind us that hard if he hadnt been How is it moving too but as it was, our car bucked violently, throwing us all first back possible for and then forward. their car to hit Uh oh, said Mona when we stopped. Another accident. the one behind them? I was relieved to have attention diverted from the umbrella. Then I noticed my mothers head, tilted back onto the seat. Her eyes were closed. Mom! I screamed. Mom! Wake up! She opened her eyes. Please dont yell, she said. Enough people are going to yell already. I thought you were dead, I said, starting to cry. I thought you were dead. She turned around; looking at me intently, then put her hand to my forehead. Sick, she confirmed. Some kind of sick is giving you crazy ideas. As the man from the car behind us started tapping on the window, I moved the umbrella away from my leg. Then Mona and my mother were getting out of the car. I got out after them; and while everyone else was inspecting the damage wed done, I threw the umbrella down a sewer. Author
Full name: Lillian Jen Born in 1955 in New York, U.S.A

Supplementary material Prezi: http://prezi.com/r6wgykpkpw1h/the-white-umbrella-by-gish-jen/

Complete all the exercises in the READING section of your English notebook.
1. PLOT SUMMARY: Cloze exercise. Use the wordbank to complete the summary.
In The White Umbrella, the narrator is insecure and (1)______ of her working mother. However, in the end of the story she comes to realize how (2)______ her mom really is to her. She shows her (3)_____ when she refuses to accept any pity from Miss Crossman, her (4)_______ teacher. The narrator rejects Miss Crossman's offer to give a ride to the narrator and her sister Mona from their house to her piano studio. Then, when it is her turn to play the piano, the narrator plays as good as she can to (5)______ her teacher. She also refuses to go inside when it is (6)______, hoping that her mom will come and pick her up, so she won't receive more pity from Miss Crossman. These all show her insecurity with herself and her mom, and also her self-consciousness. The narrator then shows her (7)______ of confidence again when she lies that her family owns a (8)_______, and also when she lies to Miss Crossman that her mom is a concert pianist. However, when she tells Miss Crossman, "I wish you were my mother," after Miss Crossman has given her the white umbrella, the narrator immediately feels (9)________ and feels that the umbrella now (10)________ her rejection of

her mom. When the narrator's mom finally comes to pick up her and Mona, the narrator hides her umbrella beneath the skirt. On the way home, they have an (11)________. Her mom's eyes close, and the narrator thinks her mom is (12)________. She screams, yet finds out her mother was just closing her eyes in frustration. This is when she realizes her mother's importance. So when her mother gets out to confronts all the other (13)_______, the regretful narrator throws her new white umbrella down the (14)_______.

accident guilty piano

ashamed important raining

convertible impress sewer

dead insecurity symbolizes

driver lack

2. Literary Terms Recognition: 2.1. Metaphor a. Explain these metaphors. Guide: What is being compared? A gust of wind littered the street with leaves. The leaves are compared to _____________. An entire constellation rose in my heart. Her happiness is compared to ________________. Create a sensory image of one of the metaphors. 2.2. Symbolism Symbolism is important in "The White Umbrella" because the umbrella itself represents more to the narrator than just an object that will protect her from the rain. What larger, more significant idea do you think the umbrella represents in Jens story? Write a 5-sentence paragraph explaining your answer. 3. CHARACTERIZATION: STEAL method What have you learnt about these characters? Draw a table like this in your notebook. Mona Miss Crosman The narrator

What evidence can be taken from the text to support what your inferences about these characters? Evidence = quote or paraphrase + page number Mona Miss Crosman The narrator

Big Question: Why does the narrator lie? 4. THEME: this is the big idea about life and human nature that the author wants readers to understand In the story, "The White Umbrella" by Gish Jen, which of these would you say are the THEMES of the story? a. Every action we take has a consequence. b. Think before you take action or speak out. c. Always be true to yourself. d. Appreciate what you have. e. Lying doesnt make life easier; lying makes life worse. Quote parts of the story that support your choices.