A Walk To The Jetty

WORD CHOICE
A WALK TO THE JETTY

FROM “ANNIE JOHN” BY JAMAICA KINCAID
A WALK TO THE JETTY
Who you are is a mystery no one can

answer, not even you.
-Jamaica Kinkaid
WHY THIS TEXT
• Make valid inferences from text.

• Explore the impact of word choice.
• Draw inferences about characters and events
ANALYZE WORD CHOICE
LINES 1 - 13
◼ The author’s use of language in a fictional text creates a distinctive voice for the
narrator. Annie John’s way of speaking reveals her personality, feelings, and
opinions. Her syntax, or arrangement of words in sentences, is appropriate for an
intelligent, well-educated teenager.
◼ Read lines 1 – 10. In what ways do the sentence structures and the choice of words
sound like a teenage girl telling about her own life.
ANALYZE WORD CHOICE
LINES 1 - 13
◼ Annie’s words often reflect her tone, or attitude, toward her situation and the people
around her.
◼ Read the sentence in lines 11 – 13. What is Annie’s attitude toward her life in
Antigua?
SUPPORT INFERENCES
LINES 23 - 39
◼ Important ideas about characters and events are not always stated directly in a
fictional text. Readers must draw inferences, or logical conclusions based on details
in the text. Valid inferences must be supported by strong and specific textual
evidence.
◼ Read lines 23 – 39. What inferences can you draw about Annie’s childhood and about
her current feelings? Cite evidence in the paragraph to support your inference.
ANALYZE WORD CHOICE
LINES 52 - 62
◼ When an author repeats a word or phrase several times, he or she may be emphasizing
an idea or pointing out similarities between different things.
◼ Read lines 52 – 62. Identify the repeated phrase. Explain what overall meaning is
conveyed by this repetition and what it reveals about Annie’s attitude toward her life.
SUPPORT INFERENCES
LINES 95 - 131
◼ You can use details in the text to draw inferences about the characters in a novel,
including what the characters are like, how they feel, and what is important to them.
◼ Re-read Annie’s description of the start of her last day in her parents’ home (lines 95-
131. What inferences can you draw about Annie’s parents, especially her mother?
Support your inferences with textual evidence.
SUPPORT INFERENCES
LINES 139 – 149)
◼ The dialogue in a novel often reveals information about the relationships between
characters.
◼ What can you infer about Annie’s relationship with her mother from their
conversation in lines 139 – 149?
ANALYZE WORD CHOICE
LINES 169 – 176)
◼ A simile is a figure of speech that compares two fundamentally dissimilar things. An

author uses a simile to describe something in a fresh, often surprising way.
◼ Identify the simile in lines 169 – 176. What two things are compared, and what does
this comparison reveal about Annie?
ANALYZE WORD CHOICE
LINES 200 - 203
◼ A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two dissimilar things without using
the words like or as. Authors use metaphors to create fresh, imaginative descriptions.
◼ Read the sentence in lines 200 – 203 and identify the metaphor. Explain why Annie
makes this comparison and what it means in the context of her present situation.
ANALYZE STORY ELEMENTS: CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
LINES 204 - 230
◼ The character of Annie’s mother is developed mainly through Annie’s descriptions of

her. As the narrator, Annie presents selected memories of her mother’s actions.
Readers do not get a complete or unbiased picture of the mother’s character, but they
can draw their own conclusions about her based on what Annie shares.
◼ Read Annie’s account of her first independent shopping trip in lines 204 – 230. What
details reveal the character of Annie’s mother? How has the relationship between
mother and daughter changed over time?
SUPPORT INFERENCES
LINES 232 - 239
◼ Annie’s feelings about her mother are complex and sometimes contradictory. Some
of her memories show her closeness to her mother, while others suggest conflict
between them.
◼ Read the memory Annie shares in lines 232 – 239. What can readers infer about
Annie’s relationship with her mother from this story? Cite specific evidence for your
inferences.
ANALYZE WORD CHOICE
LINES 254 - 287
◼ The authors choose words carefully so that their writing will convey their intended
meaning. An author might choose to use concrete details and sensory language or
words that appeal to readers’ senses. An author might choose to use abstract words
that name ideas and concepts.
◼ Read lines 260 – 287. Does Kincaid use mostly concrete or abstract language in this
passage? Cite specific words and phrases to support your answers.
ANALYZE STORY ELEMENTS: CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
LINES 287 - 303
◼ The author develops the character of Annie’s mother through the details in Annie’s
stories about her.
◼ Read lines 287 – 303. What does this passage reveal about Annie’s mother? What
traits do Annie and her mother share? Cite specific details in the text.
SUPPORT INFERENCES
LINES 304 - 315
◼ You must often make inferences about why characters react to situations the way they
do. You should draw upon your understanding of a character’s personality and
feelings, as well as your own knowledge about people in the real world.
◼ Read lines 304 – 315. Why does Annie experience her “old fear” about the jetty in
this situation? Cite evidence from the story to support your answers.
ANALYZE WORD CHOICE
LINES 331 - 368
◼ Parallelism is the repetition of a grammatical structure to show that two or more

things are similar or equally important. An example is “I was leaving them/it
forever” in lines 332 – 333.
◼ Find at least two more examples of parallelism in lines 331 – 368 and explain the
effect of each instance.
ANALYZE STORY ELEMENTS: SETTING
LINES 359 - 368
◼ Descriptions of a novel’s setting can provide insights into a character’s feelings.
◼ Read lines 359 – 368. What do all these details about the setting reveal about Annie’s
feelings?
ANALYZE STORY ELEMENTS: PACING
LINES 378 - 384
◼ A well written story has appropriate pacing throughout. In other words, scenes with
a lot of action or intense emotion move along quickly, while sections that feature
description or reflection move more slowly.
◼ Read lines 378 – 384. Is the pacing of this scene fast or slow? How does the author
create this pace for readers?
ANALYZE WORD CHOICE
LINES 389 - 404
◼ Authors choose words with particular connotations, or associated feelings, to convey

the precise meaning and tone that they intend. For example, “She stormed into the
room” conveys a different meaning than “She walked into the room” because stormed
has connotations of anger.
◼ Read lines 389 – 404, in which Annie says goodbye to her mother. Note words with
strong connotations. What do these word choices reveal about Annie’s relationship
with her mother?
ANALYZE WORD CHOICE
LINES 413 - 414
◼ Authors use sensory language to create vivid descriptions. These descriptions may
also reveal the narrator’s thoughts and feelings.
◼ Read Annie’s description of lying down in her cabin after waving goodbye to her
parents (lines 413 – 414). What sensations are readers invited to share with Annie?
How do these sensations match her emotions at this moment?
INDIVIDUAL PRACTICE
DUE FRIDAY
◼ Short Response:
◼ Support Inferences p. 43.
◼ Analyze Word Choice p. 43.
◼ Analyze the Text p. 44; 1-8.
◼ Critical Vocabulary p. 45.
◼ Vocabulary Strategy: Etymology p. 45.

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WORD CHOICE

A WALK TO THE JETTY

Who you are is a mystery no one can

• Make valid inferences from text.

◼ A simile is a figure of speech that compares two fundamentally dissimilar things. An

◼ The character of Annie’s mother is developed mainly through Annie’s descriptions of

◼ Parallelism is the repetition of a grammatical structure to show that two or more

◼ Descriptions of a novel’s setting can provide insights into a character’s feelings.

◼ Authors choose words with particular connotations, or associated feelings, to convey

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