Introducing the Story

Literary Focus: Conflict

Reading Skills: Making Inferences

Marigoldsby Eugenia W. Collier

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Marigoldsby Eugenia W. Collier

“. . . one cannot have both compassion and innocence.”

from “Marigolds” by Eugenia W. Collier

MarigoldsIntroducing the Story

The narrator of this story lives in a small town in Maryland during the Great Depression. Because her family has always been poor, Lizabeth is unaware of new family hardships. She cannot explain why her neighbor’s lovely flowers should anger her so.

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MarigoldsIntroducing the Story

Conflict is the struggle at the heart of a story.

• External conflict—characters struggle with something outside themselves (other characters, society, or nature).

• Internal conflict—characters struggle with opposing needs, desires, or emotions.

MarigoldsLiterary Focus: Conflict

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Conflict is most intense when characters face both internal and external struggles. In this story, Lizabeth

• takes part in an external confrontation with Miss Lottie

• struggles with contradictory desires that she doesn’t fully understand

MarigoldsLiterary Focus: Conflict

A character’s motivation helps explain the conflicts that occur.

• When you read, think about why characters behave as they do.

• As you consider the reasons for their actions, you are trying to determine their motivation.

MarigoldsReading Skills: Making Inferences

Often writers don’t make direct explanations about a character’s motives. The reader makes inferences, or educated guesses.

Clues from the text:What characters say and don’t say.

How characters act.

Prior knowledge: What you know about people and how they behave.

Inference about a character’s motivation.

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MarigoldsReading Skills: Making Inferences

While you read this story, look for clues that may help you infer the motives of the characters.

• Look for reasons behind the children’s behavior as individuals and in groups.

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• Don’t forget to consider deeper motives behind the neighbor’s garden work.

MarigoldsReading Skills: Making Inferences