Jenna Crocker

Name: _________________________________________________
TONE- Excited, proud, confident

Thumbprint
by Eve Merriam

Focus Key
What does the speaker love about the singularity - HIGHLIGHT items that answer the
of their thumbprint?
focus
- 4 Questions/ Answers (TEXT BOX)
- 4 Images/ Drawings
- 4 Connections (COMMENT)

Directions: Actively read “Thumbprint” independently. Remember to look for figurative

language, mood, tone, rhyme scheme, and theme.

In the heel of my thumb

are whorls, whirls, wheels What is a whorl? A type of pattern on a thumbprint.
in a unique design:
mine alone.
What a treasure to own!
My own flesh, my own feelings.
No other, however grand or base,
can ever contain the same.
My signature,
thumbing the pages of my time. What does this mean?- With her own hands she can discover things from history
My universe key,
my singularity.

Impress, implant,
I am myself,
of all my atom parts I am the sum.
And out of my blood and my brain
I make my own interior weather, What does 'interior weather' mean?- Her mood
My own sun and rain.
Imprint my mark upon the world,
What does this line mean?- No matter who she is in the future she is going to be
Whatever I shall become.
remembered.
Directions: Complete the following questions in complete sentences. Cite evidence from the poem to
support your answer.

1. What is the “treasure” of which the speaker is proud? Cite evidence from the poem to support
your answer.
The "treasure" is simply referring to individuality, like that of a fingerprint.This is proved with, "My
own flesh, my own feelings. No other, however grand or base, can ever contain the same.".

2. To the speaker, what does her thumbprint represent? Cite evidence from the poem to support your
answer.
To the speaker, her thumbprint represents singularity, or something that sets her apart. In the text this is shown with,
"in a unique design: mine alone.".

3. Identify two examples of alliteration in this poem.

a. Example 1 - Whorls, whirls, wheels.

b. Example 2 - Impress, implant

4. Give an example of a metaphor the poet uses to describe her thumbprint, and explain what it
means.
"What a treasure to own!" is one of the metaphors the speaker uses to describe her thumbprint. She uses this metaphor to
show how wonderful she thinks it is, and how much a simple thing like a thumbprint is worth.

5. What is the tone of this poem? Cite evidence from the poem to support your answer.
The tone of this poem is proud and confident. I know this because in the text it said, "Imprint my mark upon the world,
Whatever I shall become."

6. What is the theme of this poem? How does it apply to you?

The theme of this poem is to be yourself, and be proud of your unique qualities. This applies to me because, in middle
school and high school, it's easy to become a clone of what's "trending" this theme serves as a reminder not to do that.

7. What do you consider unique about yourself? How might your unique qualities lead you to make
a mark on the world?

Something I consider unique about myself is my ability to do well in several things. This quality may help make a mark
on the world because I cannot be confined to just one thing.