To annotate for nuance and diction, select the text and and highlight it. Use a different highlighter color for each comment. ● Then leave your annotation comments. You must annotate at least once in this section. ● Next, answer the questions below. Write in a complete sentence. (This means you have to restate the question in your answer.) You probably think of fairies, if you think of them at all, as wonderful little creatures flying happily through the forest, dancing and singing and making merry. Let me tell you something: Fairies might look lovely on the outside, but inside they are ugly, real ugly. Fairies are mean and vicious. They've got teeth like tiny needles. One bite wouldn't hurt much. But I'm pretty sure they wouldn't stop at one; they'd keep biting and chewing until they hit something vital. Fairies aren't good news. I know. Let me tell you about my fairy in a jar. Why does the author use the word “vital” instead of “necessary” or “important”?(
16 answers
(1) The tone of the boy is somewhat sarcastic and dismissive.
(2) The boy feels indifferent and unenthusiastic about the gift he received from his aunt for his birthday.
"Cut the babble and give me some details. What can you do?" I picked up the jar, holding the sides of the lid. Even protected by the glass, I didn't want to put my fingers too close to her. "Whatever you wish." I didn't believe her. Promises were easy to make. "Show me." "Free me first." I shook my head. It was a standoff, but I was the one with the power. She was mine. She would give me something valuable. She had no choice. I owned her now. "Think about it," I said, putting the jar back on the shelf. "Think of some way to buy your freedom. I'm sure you'll come up with an idea." She gave me that look again, and a flash of those teeth. I closed the closet door and left the room. The next day, we had the same conversation, and the same again on the day after. I wanted proof. She wanted freedom. But she was weakening. I could see that. I knew she had to give me a reward sooner or later. I could wait. I was in charge. On the fifth day, she agreed to my request. "I will transmute an object for you," she said. Her voice was thinner, barely louder than a thought. "Transmute?" "I will change its form. Give me carbon. I will make a diamond." "A diamond? That's more like it." I wondered for a moment how I was going to sell a diamond. But that problem could wait. Right now, I needed some carbon. That was easy enough. Charcoal for the grill, that was carbon. So was the graphite in pencils. So were diamonds. They were all just different forms of carbon. I couldn't believe that something I learned in Mr. Chublie's stupid science class was actually worth knowing. Live and learn. But I wasn't about to try to stick a big hunk of charcoal in the jar. There was no way I was opening that lid, not 8
even for a second. I wasn't falling for any of her tricks. As I looked around the room, I saw the answer right next to me. I yanked out my desk drawer and hunted around the sides and corners. "Got it." Perfect. I knew I had it in there—a whole pack of refills for my mechanical pencil. The best part was that they were thin enough to slip through the air-holes in the lid of the jar. I was planning to keep a nice, solid barrier between me and those teeth, thank you. She gathered the pieces of lead. "This will take some time." "I can wait." She sat staring at the slivers of carbon. I put the jar away for the night. In the morning, I rushed to the closet to see my first diamond. In my head, I'd already spent the money—a new bike, new sneakers, all the new video games. The guys were definitely going to envy me. But she wasn't finished. The pieces of lead were still there, though they looked smaller and shinier than before. "It takes time," she said. I would have to be patient. "It takes time," she warned again that evening. I waited. On the fourth night, she was done. "Here." She held up her hand. "Take this and set me free." "What are you trying to pull?" I almost smashed the jar. There was nothing more than the tiniest sparkle in her tiny hand. She had made a miniature diamond chip. It was worthless. My stoppeddreams of wealth turned pale and vanished. "This is all I can give you. Take it and set me free. You made a bargain." 9
I was so disgusted, I just put the jar back in the closet and went to bed. Maybe I heard something that night. I can't remember. I'm too scared to really remember. But I remember the morning. Every second is burned into my brain. I got up. I walked to the closet. The door was open about an inch. I'd thought I'd closed it. I opened it all the way and reached for the jar. My hand stopped. My breath stopped. My heart almost stopped. There was a hole in the side of the jar. There was a round piece of glass on the shelf next to the jar. She was gone. How? Then I knew. The diamond. She’d tricked me. She knew I wouldn’t take that tiny diamond. She also knew it could cut through the glass. She was free. Somewhere, she was sleeping. But night was coming. And she would wake. And she would come for me. I am afraid to go to sleep tonight. I don’t think I will ever sleep again. In the beginning of the story, the boy describes the fairy as “mean” and vicious”. Do you agree/disagree now? Write in complete sentences and restate the question into your answer: ANSWER: Why? Explain the reasoning behind your agreement/disagreement. Write in complete sentences and restate the question into your answer: ANSWER:
"Cut the babble and give me some details. What can you do?" I picked up the jar, holding the sides of the lid. Even protected by the glass, I didn't want to put my fingers too close to her. "Whatever you wish." I didn't believe her. Promises were easy to make. "Show me." "Free me first." I shook my head. It was a standoff, but I was the one with the power. She was mine. She would give me something valuable. She had no choice. I owned her now. "Think about it," I said, putting the jar back on the shelf. "Think of some way to buy your freedom. I'm sure you'll come up with an idea." She gave me that look again, and a flash of those teeth. I closed the closet door and left the room. The next day, we had the same conversation, and the same again on the day after. I wanted proof. She wanted freedom. But she was weakening. I could see that. I knew she had to give me a reward sooner or later. I could wait. I was in charge. On the fifth day, she agreed to my request. "I will transmute an object for you," she said. Her voice was thinner, barely louder than a thought. "Transmute?" "I will change its form. Give me carbon. I will make a diamond." "A diamond? That's more like it." I wondered for a moment how I was going to sell a diamond. But that problem could wait. Right now, I needed some carbon. That was easy enough. Charcoal for the grill, that was carbon. So was the graphite in pencils. So were diamonds. They were all just different forms of carbon. I couldn't believe that something I learned in Mr. Chublie's stupid science class was actually worth knowing. Live and learn. But I wasn't about to try to stick a big hunk of charcoal in the jar. There was no way I was opening that lid, not 8
even for a second. I wasn't falling for any of her tricks. As I looked around the room, I saw the answer right next to me. I yanked out my desk drawer and hunted around the sides and corners. "Got it." Perfect. I knew I had it in there—a whole pack of refills for my mechanical pencil. The best part was that they were thin enough to slip through the air-holes in the lid of the jar. I was planning to keep a nice, solid barrier between me and those teeth, thank you. She gathered the pieces of lead. "This will take some time." "I can wait." She sat staring at the slivers of carbon. I put the jar away for the night. In the morning, I rushed to the closet to see my first diamond. In my head, I'd already spent the money—a new bike, new sneakers, all the new video games. The guys were definitely going to envy me. But she wasn't finished. The pieces of lead were still there, though they looked smaller and shinier than before. "It takes time," she said. I would have to be patient. "It takes time," she warned again that evening. I waited. On the fourth night, she was done. "Here." She held up her hand. "Take this and set me free." "What are you trying to pull?" I almost smashed the jar. There was nothing more than the tiniest sparkle in her tiny hand. She had made a miniature diamond chip. It was worthless. My stoppeddreams of wealth turned pale and vanished. "This is all I can give you. Take it and set me free. You made a bargain." 9
I was so disgusted, I just put the jar back in the closet and went to bed. Maybe I heard something that night. I can't remember. I'm too scared to really remember. But I remember the morning. Every second is burned into my brain. I got up. I walked to the closet. The door was open about an inch. I'd thought I'd closed it. I opened it all the way and reached for the jar. My hand stopped. My breath stopped. My heart almost stopped. There was a hole in the side of the jar. There was a round piece of glass on the shelf next to the jar. She was gone. How? Then I knew. The diamond. She’d tricked me. She knew I wouldn’t take that tiny diamond. She also knew it could cut through the glass. She was free. Somewhere, she was sleeping. But night was coming. And she would wake. And she would come for me. I am afraid to go to sleep tonight. I don’t think I will ever sleep again.
Comment: The connotation of this phrase suggests a sense of danger, mystery, and potentially malicious intentions.
2. Annotation: The word "power" is highlighted in yellow.
Comment: The word "power" conveys a sense of authority and control that the boy believes he has over the fairy.
3. Annotation: The phrase "tricked me" is highlighted in yellow.
Comment: This implies that the fairy deceived or manipulated the boy in order to escape, reinforcing her cunning and deceitful nature.
The boy initially described the fairy as "mean" and vicious, and I still agree with that description. The fairy's actions throughout the story, including tricking the boy and escaping from the jar, further support the notion that she possesses negative intentions and behaves in a malicious manner.
"At first I thought she was dead. She was crumpled on the bottom again. Then, as I saw her let out a shallow breath, I realized she was sleeping—sleeping or in some sort of suspended state. Creature of the night."