"the white umbrella" by gish jen
ABOUT GISH JEN
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Pre-Reading Activity
What does it mean to be embarrassed?
•To be embarrassed means to feel shame or upset because you did something that you wish you hadn't. An example would be going to the principal's office.
Have you ever been embarrassed by something a family member did? Or embarrassed a family member by something you did?
•I was embarrassed when my friend was over and my mom was talking to me about something I done earlier. My friend was hearing the entire conversation. My mom was all serious and strict and it was SO embarrassing getting trouble in front of my friend. She couldn't wait to consult me after my friend left. My friend was just trying not to laugh.
•To be embarrassed means to feel shame or upset because you did something that you wish you hadn't. An example would be going to the principal's office.
Have you ever been embarrassed by something a family member did? Or embarrassed a family member by something you did?
•I was embarrassed when my friend was over and my mom was talking to me about something I done earlier. My friend was hearing the entire conversation. My mom was all serious and strict and it was SO embarrassing getting trouble in front of my friend. She couldn't wait to consult me after my friend left. My friend was just trying not to laugh.
Vocabulary
Mechanism: the way something works
"We took it to the beach last summer and got sand in the mechanism" (Page 2).
Radiant: shining
"Mrs. Roberts, radiant with pride, swept her daughter out of the room as if she were royalty, born to the piano bench" (Page 3).
Resumed: continued
"As she resumed abuse of the piano, I stared at the umbrella" (Page 4).
Revelation: discovery
"Even Mona seemed to find the revelation disappointing" (Page 9).
Maneuver: move/adjust
"Remembering what I had said to Miss Crosman, I tried to maneuver the umbrella under my leg so she wouldn't feel it" (Page 10).
Diverted: distracted
"I was relieved to have attention diverted from the umbrella" (Page 11).
Intently: seriously
"She turned around, looked at me intently, then out her hand to my forehead" (Page 11).
"We took it to the beach last summer and got sand in the mechanism" (Page 2).
Radiant: shining
"Mrs. Roberts, radiant with pride, swept her daughter out of the room as if she were royalty, born to the piano bench" (Page 3).
Resumed: continued
"As she resumed abuse of the piano, I stared at the umbrella" (Page 4).
Revelation: discovery
"Even Mona seemed to find the revelation disappointing" (Page 9).
Maneuver: move/adjust
"Remembering what I had said to Miss Crosman, I tried to maneuver the umbrella under my leg so she wouldn't feel it" (Page 10).
Diverted: distracted
"I was relieved to have attention diverted from the umbrella" (Page 11).
Intently: seriously
"She turned around, looked at me intently, then out her hand to my forehead" (Page 11).
Keeping a Secret
When keeping a secret, the right thing to do is based on how serious or not serious the secret is. In the short story "The White Umbrella" by Gish Jen, the narrator tells many lies to prevent Miss Crosman or anyone from knowing that her mother works. She is embarrassed that her mother is probably the only one. This story should not have had as many lies included because in order to keep a secret, all that has to be done is keeping your mouth closed about it. The right time to tell a secret is if it can hurt of affect you or someone else, at this point an adult should be told.