What Does It Really Mean To Be Round?

W/ Author of Fat Is Not A Fairy Tale Jane Yolen

Jane Yolen explains that fit and skinny princesses also have their bad sides. By Matteo Fortier

Jane Yolen was born in 1939 February 11th in New York, she was a gold star kid and graduated 7th in her class, she was married to David W. Stemple and now have 3 children and 6 grandchildren. Jane Yolen loves being a writer and considers herself a poet and a journalist/nonfiction writer and has written over 300 books! In this interview we will be discussing about one of her well know poems: Fat is Not a Fairy Tale Why did you use Princesses as an example? Do you think it worked? I have used princesses because princesses are always perfect just because of them being fit and skinny when really even princesses cant always be perfect and that is because they are fit and skinny! Everything has a good and bad side and being a fat princess also has good sides (and bad sides) but this means that being fat in general means its not a bad thing nor is it too much of a good thing. Same goes with skinny people or fit people. We are all equal. Do you think everything that is not round is bad? No I think that everybody is equal, because every physical feature has a good and bad side to it. Being fit may mean your healthy but as it says in the poem anorexic, wasp-waisted, flinging herself down the stairs there are also bad sides to being fit and skinny. And I know being fat is bad but then again in the poem where the beauty has a pillowed breast, and fingers plump as sausage. There are good sides to it! That is why everything is equal. What would b b your message be in one statement? I am thinking of an ideal future (fairy tale) where everything that is round or fat is good including princesses. I have used repetition to show that Im thinking of a fairy tale which would be my ideal future where princesses are fat because everything round is good. But then I also used a twist where in the end I actually explain it indirectly so people may seem more confused and curious behind the meaning. How have you showed your message? Why? I have showed it using stanzas, repetition, and imagery. I have used 3 stanzas so my message can short and effective. I have used repetition to make sure that the message has been sent and I have made it so the first two stanzas are similar and the last one becomes a twist. I have used repetition in all stanzas and have started all of them with I am thinking of a fairy tale,. I have used imagery by using vocabulary that really shows shape and to make it more effective I have used princesses which adults and children can relate to easily.

CRITERION A: Content
12

CRITERION B: Organization
You rarely employ the organizational organizational structures2 of an interview. Your interview is disorganized, unclear, and/or incoherent. You employ the critical apparatus3 inappropriately or not at all. You sometimes employ the organizational structures2 of an interview. Your interview shows the beginnings of organization but lacks coherence. You employ the critical apparatus3 with limited success. You usually employ the organizational structures2 of an interview. Your interview is generally organized, clear, and coherent. You generally employ the critical apparatus3 correctly You consistently employ the organizational structures2 of an interview. Your interview is usually wellorganized, clear, and coherent, and the ideas build on each other. You employ the critical apparatus3 correctly. You make sophisticated use of the organizational structures2 of an interview. Your interview is consistently wellorganized, clear, and coherent, and the ideas build on each other in a sophisticated manner. You integrate the critical apparatus3 correctly and effectively.

CRITERION C: Language
You show little or no evidence of a register and style appropriate for an interview. You have very frequent errors in grammar, punctuation and spelling that persistently hinder communication. You show some evidence of a register and style appropriate for an interview. You have frequent errors in grammar, punctuation or spelling that hinders communication. You often use a register and style appropriate for an interview. Grammar, punctuation and spelling are generally accurate. Occasional errors sometimes hinder communication. You consistently use a register and style appropriate for an interview. Grammar, punctuation and spelling are accurate. Occasional errors rarely hinder communication. You demonstrate a mastery of a register and style appropriate for an interview. Grammar, punctuation and spelling are accurate. Very infrequent errors do not hinder communication.

You demonstrate a very limited understanding of the poems meaning, organization and mood as well as how this is achieved. You give few or no examples and details to support your thinking. You are missing poetic terminology1.

34

You demonstrate a limited understanding of the poems meaning, organization and mood as well as how this is achieved. You give some examples and details, but they are insufficient to support your thinking. Your use of poetic terminology1 is sometimes accurate and appropriate.

56

You demonstrate a sufficient understanding of the poems meaning, organization and mood as well as how this is achieved. You give adequate examples and details, and they are sufficient to support your thinking Your use of poetic terminology1 is usually accurate and appropriate.

78

You demonstrate a good understanding of the poems meaning, organization and mood as well as how this is achieved. You give substantial examples and details to support your thinking (you include the words/phrases from the poem). Relevant poetic terminology1 is used accurately and appropriately. You demonstrate a perceptive understanding of the poems meaning, organization and mood as well as how this is achieved. You consistently use illustrative details an examples to support your thinking (include the words/phrases from the poem) You show a sophisticated command of relevant poetic terminology1.

910

Level

You have written an interesting interview discussing the poem Fat is Not a Fairytale by Jane Yolen. In the interview, you have demonstrated a fair understanding of the message of the poem, that people should be equal. You did a very nice job of using the structure of an interview and your writing is clear and easy to understand.
Comments:

To improve, you needed to dig deeper into the message of the poem. Beyond just equality, Yolen is sending a much stronger message about what it means to be fat and what she envisions for fat princesses. You needed to discuss this further and to include examples from the poem to support your ideas.