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There once was a eggplant named Oscar. While all the other 

fruits and vegetables lived inside the refrigerator, Oscar lived 

by himself in a bowl on the kitchen counter. 

Oscar could often hear the other fruits and vegetables laughing 

as they played games on their Iphones (especially Fruit Ninja).

He wished he could join in with them, but there were two 

problems. First, he was stuck on this bowl in the kitchen. 

Second, he didn't like games...he liked poetry!

One morning, he woke up to find someone else on the 

kitchen table. It was a banana.

"Hello, Banana," said Oscar. "What's your name?"

But the banana didn't answer. It just looked at him.

Maybe he didn't hear me, thought Oscar. "HELLO 

BANANA, WHAT IS YOUR NAME?"

Still, the banana did not respond.   This is irritating, thought 

Oscar. Finally someone to read poetry with, but he doesn't 

even speak!

When Oscar was about to give up, the banana said, very quietly, 

"my name is Frank." "Hi, Frank! exclaimed Oscar, "would you 

like to hear some poetry I have prepared for you?"

Frank stared at Oscar blankly. "Well, sure but I am not good at 

understanding poetry...I am going to need some help!"

"No problem!" shouted Oscar. "I know this awesome strategy 

called TPFASTT and it will help!"

"TP? FASTT? You are going to toilet paper fast? I'm already 

confused..." said Frank, sadly.

"No, it is an acronym for other words...come on, I will show 

you!" noted Oscar.

Make this chart in 

a Google Doc, only 

leave the chart 

blank so you can 

answer

the questions for

each letter and 

write an example

from the poem 

next to it!

"Next," said Oscar, "we must take a look at a poem and 

then we can TPFASTT it to understand it better." "Here is 

one by Langston Hughes, it is called "Harlem"."

Harlem by Langston   Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up

like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore -

and then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over-

like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags

like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

"Okay, so it is about some guys dream in New York being put off for 

awhile, right? Isn't that what "deferred" means? Being put off?" said Frank, 

sarcastically.

"Totally! But how did you know that? You said you didn't know poetry?" 

said Oscar. 

"Well, I guess it was a lucky guess...but I still want to know how to 

TPFASTT it!" asserted Frank.

"Okay, well after you have filled out the "Title" part of the chart and read 

the poem,   you then fill out the next part of the chart - the "P" which stands 

for Paraphrasing," described Oscar. "Paraphrasing is just restating the main 

idea of the poem in your own words...look at the cool chart below and fill it 

out on your paper!"

"Well, figurative language makes up all the devices an 

author uses to write creatively; for instance: simile, 

metaphor, alliteration, imagery, etc.," clarified Oscar. 

"Oh, okay, I remember those from school," said Frank. 

Frank then re-read the poem and noticed a TON of similes. 

Can you find the similes? Re-read the poem again and 

locate the similes, note them in your chart like below. 

"Now Frank, this is where the chart 

gets a little tricky,"   explained 

Oscar. "You have to determine the 

author's attitude in the poem (his 

tone of voice) and where the tone of 

voice shifts in the poem."

Go ahead and fill out the "A" 

and "S" of your chart by 

answering the questions and 

citing examples from the poem 

to back up your answers to the 

questions. 

Turn to the next page to see

if your answers are correct.

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