The Banana Tree
Personification
Find 3 examples of personification in “The Banana Tree.” Explain what is meant by the example.
Example of personification | Explanation |
Example A: Lightning danced across the sky. | Lightning cannot dance because it isn’t human. The sentence emphasizes how the lightning looked while it was moving across the sky. |
Example B: The car complained as the key was roughly turned in its ignition. | This implies the noise made by the car when the keys were inserted.
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“The invisible hand of the wind tugged, pushed, and forcefully restrained him.”
“The wind tossed him, like washing on the line, against his tree.”
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This shows Gustus’s sufferings to rescue the banana tree and buy shoes so that he can also go to places like his other age-mates. It is well known that wind is non–living and lacks hands that can forcefully push and restrain someone from doing an activity. Despite being restrained from moving, he still managed to crawl on his belly into the earth-floor kitchen. Upon coming back with the rope, he again suffers. The wind is again given human-like characteristics of tossing. This shows how Gustus struggled before eventually reaching the banana tree. |
“My noble string!” he cried. “My noble string! I know you would stan’up to it, I know you would.
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He gives the banana tree person-like place features because the banana tree acts like his best friend. Gustus risks his life to walk through the deadly weather to find his banana tree, which is also his only hope. He addresses the tree as if it was listening. The tree does not have ears to hear and listen. Gustus only hopes to get shoes is on the banana tree. |
‘My good tree,” he bawled, “hol’ you fruit….keep it to your heart like a mudder savin’ her baby! Don’t let the wicked wind t’row you to the ground;…even if it t’row me to the ground, I will not leave you.”
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This shows Gustus’s determination to save his banana tree. Gustus puts all his effort into saving the banana tree. He is knocked to the ground by a heavy rush of wind, but he does not give up. He scrambles to his feet and attempts to replace the fallen prop, even though his efforts seem futile. |
Constructed Response Questions
Answer the following questions using the R.A.C.E. Strategy. Be sure to EXPLAIN your answer, citing evidence from the short story.
Is Mr. Bass a good or a bad father? Why or why not?
Mr. Bass is a bad father. He treats his son Gustus inhumanely, as depicted on page 175. “He’s the only one in the family without a pair of shoes! Because he’s a big boy, he don’t need anything an’ must do all the work. He misses outings because he does not have shoes. Mr. Bass throws his son with his heavy boots, which breaks Gustus’s shoulders. Mr. Bass is too inhuman to his biological child because the son is older. Instead of comforting the son and buying him shoes, he goes ahead to attempt beating his son, only to be prevented by the onlookers that he decides to throw the heavy boots at his son, which makes him (Gustus) break his shoulders.
Do you agree with what Gustus did in going back for his tree? Why or why not?
Yes, I agree with Gustus’s did to go back for his tree. Gustus is neglected by his father, claiming that he is a grown-up. This is evident in paragraph one, page 175, “Wht’s the good of Pappy asking all those questions when he treats him so bad? He;s the only one in the family without a pair of shoes! Because he’s a big boy, he don’t need anyt’ng an’ must do all the work.” Gustus’s lack of a pair of shoes makes him miss outings that his other schoolmates attend and cannot also stay in school to play cricket because he has a lot of work to do at home. His determination to buy shoes to go out with his age-mates makes him walk through the dangerous winds and come for his banana before hurricanes destroy it. His father could not support him like his other children, making him act desperately, getting bruises but not giving up the struggle. He’s going back for the banana tree is.