In this activity, you’ll read and annotate an excerpt from Under the Mesquite to show a deeper understanding of the text. You’ll note powerful diction and then go on to describe the mood and voice of the speaker. Part A Read this excerpt from the fiction text Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall. Annotate the text for powerful diction that reveals the meaning, voice, and mood. Include three annotations. Type your annotations into the following dialectical journal. Under the Mesquite
by Guadalupe Garcia McCall (excerpt)

uprooted

When I peeked out the windows
in our new house
across the Rio Grande,
the lawns looked well behaved
and boring. The grass grew obediently
beside the clean sidewalks
along the paved streets,
each green blade standing upright
like a tiny soldier.
At first what I missed most
were los girasoles,
my tall, unruly friends
with their bright yellow petals
and dark brown faces
always looking up
at the wide blue sky.
When Mami came looking for me
in the afternoons,
I used to suppress my giggles
as I hid behind
those wild sunflowers.