The Writing on the Wall Camille Dungy
"The Writing on the Wall” is an informational text that tells the real story of
Chinese immigrants who entered the United States through the immigration
station, "Angel Island," in San Francisco Bay. The author tells the story of the
immigrants through the central idea of the poems they wrote on the walls of
the detention center. She hints at the idea in the title and introduces it in the first
paragraph. Then, the author develops the idea by providing supporting details.
There are several types of supporting details that an author can use, such as:
facts, statistics, examples, descriptions, reasons, and expert opinions.
DIRECTIONS: Answer the questions about the development of the central idea
in “The Writing on the Wall.” Include specific sentences, quotes, or images
that support your answers.

The harlem renaissance dawned in an era of pervasive racism and segregation. although legally "free," many african americans were still bound by ideas that had their roots in the slavery of earlier centuries. identity and freedom are important ideas presented in many of the poems from the harlem renaissance. furthermore, the values of identity and freedom are not unique to particular times and places. as hughes expresses in "dream variations," all humans want to be able to develop their identities in freedom. what role does freedom play in the poems you read in this unit? what is required of a society to enable each individual to be true to his or her identity and be free to live by that identity? write about at least three of the poems, describing how the poet uses imagery to depict freedom and identity, the lack of it, or the desire for it.