Magdalena Looking

Name: ______AEII “Magdalena Looking”

Activate Prior Knowledge:

Name an activity you love to participate in and then describe how you would feel if you were no longer able to do it?

Fiction Elements:

1. Describe the setting of the story.

2. What is your first impression of the character or Magdalena?

3. Describe Magdalena’s favorite place in the city. Predict why she enjoys this spot.

4. What point of view is used in the story? How do you know?

5. Why do you think Magdalena’s parents do not encourage her to paint?

6. List the conflicts Magdalena is having.

7. What does Magdalena have to do to have her father paint her?

8. Include a quote from the story that illustrates how Magdalena feels when she sees her painting.

9. Do you believe Magdalena has the talent to paint the pain out of her life? Explain. 10. Do you think the resolution of the story is positive or negative? Why?

11. What is one theme of this story?

Extended Answer:

1. In seventeenth-century Europe, it was difficult for women to become artists. They were thought not to be talented enough. In truth, however, many women had the talent to be fine artists. Do you believe it is more Magdalena’s fault or her father’s that she does not learn to paint? Are there any careers today that men or women are excluded from due to societal mores?

2. In nonfiction works, authors use facts for many purposes. Sometimes, they use facts to instruct or inform, other times to persuade or illustrate a particular idea. How does Vreeland use facts in “Magdalena Looking”? What facts are included? Is the story more fiction or nonfiction? Explain.