After the funeral, Josh makes another attempt to reconcile with JB when JB gives him his fathers championship ring by saying, We Da Man. The author leaves us with the sense that the brothers will find their way back to each other. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. What health problem does Chuck suffer from? Ruth Bishop said that poetry "has a kind of magic and can help the reader see ordinary things in new ways." Devon Kibbey: How did you decide that you were going to write the story from Joshs perspective? She and Coach try to control Dad. are down by seven. Its completely fiction. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Kwame believes that poetry can change the world and he uses it to inspire and empower young people around the world. He says it all started with one synonym for "beautiful," in this passage from The Crossover: "Oh my goodness, what a word, Amy," said Alexander. 0000013043 00000 n Get this assignment written for you by Expert Writers in this subject. Now lets go get some doughnuts (pg 92). His life seems broken now, and he feels as though he doesn't fit anywhere. In some ways, Joshs parents defy these stereotypes as Dad stays home with the boys and his mom is an educated, smart assistant principal. The tension between Josh and Jordan escalates, and they both do regrettable things. This offers some hope that his eventual return will be accepted by all. 4.7. Generally, this type of poem focuses on personal moments or feelings or image laden scenes (Tunnell et al. Instant PDF downloads. becauseI'm watching Jordan pass notesto Miss Sweet Tea. Josh's concern that Dad won't be around to parent him shows again that he's still very much a kid and isn't ready to grow up yet. 0000001668 00000 n He and his own brother are estranged, and he does not want JB and Josh to be like that. Climax: Dad dies during the championship game Antagonist: Hypertension and death; change Point of View: First-person Extra Credit for The Crossover JB is on fire and blazes from baseline to baseline. The Crossover Characters Next Josh Josh Josh is the twelve-year-old protagonist of the novel. Other of his many books (hes written 35!) She and Dad did not teach him to be churlish, and she does not know why hes been like this. Recently, he lead a delegation of twenty writers and activists to Ghana where they delivered books, built a library and provided literacy professional development to teachers. 0000009118 00000 n Joshs Dad gives him the nickname Filthy McNasty. There are sirens. Alexis calls and Josh answers; she says hello and asks for JB. Matthew Goulette: Is this story based on your life or someone you know? Joshs Dad gives him the nickname Filthy McNasty after the name of a famous jazz song (and also because he was generally dirty). He asks Jordan to help him and hang out with him again. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs 0000007293 00000 n This again shows how Dad prioritizes basketball over his health. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. Though Josh loves JB and being a twin, he also craves read analysis of Josh Dad Josh and JB's dad. Here is a poem from The Crossover: Dear Jordan without u i am empty, the goal with no net, seems my life was broken shattered, like puzzle pieces on the court. 16 0 obj <> endobj xref 16 46 0000000016 00000 n "FOURTH QUARTER" to "Free Throws" Summary and Analysis, "Bad News" to "Before" Summary and Analysis. Josh's choice to apply this word to three very different areas of his life brings all of what he's currently worried about--JB, basketball, and Dad--together, illustrating again how language allows Josh to effectively construct his identity and his life. / together (159). He wonders if she actually plays. Hi Abby, Once again you have given detailed examination of the authors use of language. 0000028950 00000 n Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. Copyright 2014 by Kwame Alexander. Write an essay for ONE of the following topics: Essay Topic 1. }t>PPbDd# [:~d>L\GA!jlTbwK0mc.k^s0Ox\,b+vG[/awOz*7;+g'z;Z6Q:HL= mRJ+FWc-} WzH0 f"z77^z@5+BG'2WHQ~Iw}G4x}4GvP{6@hOpZk-'I}%G_k@+Kd tJxqcZw/;j 9/D> =f'(tfu@ g8 (^}Q:Kk3j&Re]=(\jcJska-47-ZCH59K5yD+3$W6eSFTi^1h8GPcGvXxiTH}"P;@6sumtuL FUEmp%L_Xtj-XN(6\a'DS>_Uby2L+WnVm7e `67NL"M}lMlX1Z "Xk'joePIh|Z/vB0eAu9Hl cpF^&=?!+y\S^kLS_X71m m'sJ`U"6="-=8{Ud 0000014949 00000 n (LogOut/ Josh takes his problem to Dad and says that. His Dad has a heart attack and slips into a coma. As an example, he says that if, them from the restaurant. Josh goes about his routine, trying hard to repair what had been broken between JB and him. denly giving just brief visual descriptions and using lots of ellipses? When Josh tells the reader about Mom's dislike of standards and giving JB the vocabulary words, Josh demonstrates his growing maturity and that he cares for others. And Im so thankful. What does her reacti What thoughts and emotions does Josh express in "Dear Jordan"? Josh's concern and desire to go to Dad's doctor's appointment show that he's continuing to grow up and become more interested in other people aside from himself. The Reggie Lewis Wildcats have reached the playoffs thanks to the work of Jordan Bell. This is the beginning of a big change in Josh and JBs relationship. Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop makes the point that in multicultural literature, a characters humanity should come through. As Josh begins to think of himself as a member of a choir and finds the ability to cheer for JB, he also begins to recognize that the rest of the team is made up of players who are also very good and deserving of recognition. Its life changing. 1. Article #1 in the Daily News (December 14). The inside of Mom and Dad's bedroom closet. The Crossover study guide contains a biography of Kwame Alexander, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. New Jersey: Pearson. This belief helps me to experience family dynamics and conflicts both similar and different to my own. We see a strong marriage through the eyes of Josh; a relationship so strong he often alludes to the fact that he knows his parents are having sex; and though this appears to gross him out we can read between the lines to see his relief that all is good. Josh explains that every night after dinner, Dad insists that he and. A cleave poem about twin brothers and basketball. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Design a site like this with WordPress.com, to seamlessly bring different poetry elements, forms of poetry and genres of writing together to help the reader. Her looks not her personality is what first catches JBs attention. When JB is brushing his teeth, Josh steals into their room and lays his outlines down on JBs pillow. Its written in two columns and the author says it can actually be read several different ways: top to bottom, left to right or diagonally. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. From the doorway, a stricken Mom says he should go sit down for dinner. I also see many students who are similar to Josh lean on their relationships with their sport coaches for stability. Though Josh never says so outright, this moment also suggests that he may have inherited or learned his love of English from Dad as well. Kwame Alexander: Wouldnt it be cool to write a sequel where theyre playing high school basketball, and they go to college and get drafted into the NBA? Vondie passes the ball to Josh and Josh passes to. I think Josh was the first character I wrote. 0000007875 00000 n I think basketball and is father are reflections of each other. 0000008243 00000 n 0000009882 00000 n When the game starts, Josh looks up to his parents, but theyre not there. Sometimes / you have to / lean back / a little / and / fade away / to get / the best / shot (191). After dinner, Dad takes Josh and. Mom tells JB that Josh has apologized for his mistake, but JB states that he saw the look in Joshs eye and it was not a mistake. JB only went toone. In Mom, since you asked the author uses repetition to illustrate Joshs venting of everything that is causing his inner turmoil and anger. 0000057497 00000 n Complete your free account to request a guide. She was a VPR contributor from 2006 to 2020. %PDF-1.6 % He's alone because, game. is blocked, which results in that part of the heart muscle suffering damage or dying. The fact that Josh is listening offers hope that, given what he's seen, he'll take Mom's side and take better care of himself in the future. comes for dinner, she asks for seconds of Mom's veggie lasagna. And it is about the father when he was 12-years-old. Josh struggles to answer and says he's sorry and didn't mean to hurt, Mom insists that's not acceptable and reminds Josh that he'll need to apologize to, doesn't understand how his behavior became so churlish. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Vermont Public's News CoverageGovernment & Politics | The Vermont Economy | Criminal Justice & Public Safety | Arts & Culture | Education | Health | Energy & Environment | Food & Agriculture | Series & Specials, Investigations | Brave Little State | Vermont Edition | New England News Collaborative (NENC) | VPR Archive. So I knew that the book would be told from the vantage point of a boy. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. ", not being at the funeral, which makes Josh confirm that she knows it's him, not, kisses him and gives him a piece of sweet potato pie. . This story, about twelve year old Josh and his twin Jordan, is a joyful and dynamic celebration of language. Males are mostly depicted in the role of sports hero; strong, popular and at the center of society. When Dad shifts the conversation to make it about losing his cool rather than his poor health, it shows that he's still trying to ignore his hypertension and wants to keep it a secret from his sons. Coach gives the team a pep talk. Eighth grader Amy McGee's letter starts out this way: The apology poem that author Kwame Alexander wrote from Josh to JB in The Crossover is called "Dear Jordan." They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Because the only thing that matters is swish.Because our backboard is splintered. Dad apologizes to his family for losing his cool as. Devon, good question. Kwame Alexander "Dear Jordan" from THE CROSSOVER by Kwame Alexander. -Graham S. The timeline below shows where the character JB appears in, Dad insisted that the music was "fast and free" just like Josh and his brother, he does all the time--even if there's no chance of winning. Mom's reminder that behavior like this could land Josh in jail one day again points to the state of race relations in the US--as a black man, Josh is more likely than a white peer to end up in jail for a crime. It began with this 12-year-old-boy, who came to be known as Filthy McNasty. What, isn't that what you wanted, Filthy? . From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. His life is broken like puzzle pieces and he can no longer fit. The Crossover has been winning top prizes and awards in childrens literature. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. v4Hc\ vNWzH`V8tWmQo1tpx5$k;#N#iZ4u&p4$l-&cH hmPw&][H6+^a4e 4)%iixYhRqvQ(9hSha?(_? We advise our products to be used with proper referencing. 0000012380 00000 n He smiles at Mom, gives, happy. Joshs earlier sense that everything was going well in his life and something bad was certain to happen soon has now revealed itself to have been very prescient. As his relationship unravels with his brother, he finds himself at odds more and more with his parents. On page 185, Coach shares with Josh that he got into a fight with his brother in high school and now they are estranged. Before. Rather than just letting the boys go to bed, Mom makes them read. Josh, 15 On the surface level, this quote refers to Josh's hairhis beloved dreadlocks that he feels differentiate him from others and give him power and charisma on the court. Its fiction but certainly there are parts of my life that I remembered and drew from. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. I would say there are some gender stereotypes present in the book. This is a life lesson that many young readers have a strong reaction to and would welcome the opportunity to discuss in a safe environment to voice their anger, fear and outrage. It would have been great to see more of Alexiss perspective in the story to clarify. Josh is making moves and dribbling; Dad gets the ball, winks, dips, and sweats. Disclaimer: We are a custom writing service that provides customized for assistance purposes only. It refers to a basketball move (described in the . Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Come on, tell me. Discover award-winning poet Grace Nichols. Though Miss Sweet Tea didn't intend to pull the boys apart, she now feels compelled to do so since her loyalty lies with JB and not at all with Josh. (LogOut/ endstream endobj startxref Or what is his goal? He writes for children of all ages. He even uses the word churlish to describe himself. Kyle DelBianco: Why did you choose to write the book in poetry form? I believe this book is a strong representation of cultural authenticity. As the family drives to the game, Josh sits in the back with, who has them.

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