Synopsis:  In “Twilight Dawn” by Belinda Anderson, the narrator, an elderly woman who enjoys creating special quilts for friends and neighbors, gives her customers something to remind them of friends long gone and times passed, while holding on to a piece of her own (35).

Universal Concepts

1. Letting go is the hardest thing.

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2. It took me a long, long time to learn that holding on hurts worse than letting go.

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3. People need these quilts.  With every pull on the thread, I try to stitch them a little hope.

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Title:  Hauling Evelyn
Author:  Belinda Anderson
Genre:  short story

Synopsis:  In “Hauling Evelyn” by Belinda Anderson, Susanna, an anxious and bitter mother of three, ignores the pleas of her friends as she hauls the ashes of her deceased sister in the trunk of her car, uncertain of how to let them go.

Universal Concepts

Key Text

1. My sister’s been calling the shots all my life, and if I’m not careful, this will just give her an excuse to tighten her grip. 

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2. It’s hot, the mountains are green, but you can just feel in the air that everything is about to change. 

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Literary Devices

Foreshadowing:  the use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in the plot.

Provide an example of foreshadowing from “Hauling Evelyn.”
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      

Characterization:  the process by which a writer reveals a character’s personality.  Explain how Belinda Anderson uses characterization for the following characters:

Twilight Dawn:                                                                                         
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      

Susanna:                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      

Atmosphere (Mood):  the mood or feeling created in a piece of writing. Obviously, the atmosphere is different for both stories.  List a few words that describe the atmosphere of both:

“Twilight Dawn”:                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      

“Hauling Evelyn”: