A+House+of+Tailors

 //A House of Tailors// Emily Polihrom, Ji Sun Ham and Jennifer Bernardes

Chapters 1-9 || Discussion Leader || Summarizer || Connector || Chapters 10-18 || Word Watcher || Illustrator || Discussion Leader || Chapters 19-27 || Word Watcher || Discussion Leader || Literary Luminary ||
 * **Literature Circle Roles** ||
 * =  ||= Emily ||= Ji Sun ||= Jen ||
 * 4/06/11
 * 4/13/11
 * 4/20/11

A portrait of a woman working at a sewing machine circa 1853. Although the story takes places in the 1870s, I imagine Dina's family did not own a new sewing machine. Next to it is an ad from Harper's Bazar from 1870. A pair of images of the process of admittance into the U.S. at Castle Garden from 1850-1890. Ellis Island officially started admitting immigrants in 1892. Dina was picked up by her uncle from the ferry that arrived in Manhattan and they walked to her new home in Brooklyn. Finally, a [|map of Brooklyn] from 1870 for us to refer to if any specific landmarks or streets are mentioned.
 * __Chapters 1-9__ **
 * Connections by: Jen **

__Chapters 1-9 __ **Summarizer: by Ji Sun **

Dina Kirk, who is a young girl from Breisach Germany, was born nto a family of tailors and was destined to sew. Despite of her true talents in sewing, Dina loathes sewing and desires to escape to the new land, America. Although her sister, Katharina, was supposed to go to America where her uncle lives, by the mistake of Dina, crossing the border of France while Germany was at war with France, caused her to leave the country instead of her sister. With many hopes, Dina arrives in Brooklyn, New York; however, Brooklyn was not like how she imagined. Not only Uncle's house was the top floor of the building, but also, it was filled with fabrics and sewing machine that Dina had escaped from. However, she quickly realizes that she cannot stay at uncle's house without making money and decides to work to make money for her ticket to go back to Germany.

__Chapters 10-18__
 * Word Watcher: by Emily**

Grim (53): not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty. Gleam (54): an appearance of reflected light. Suffocate (57): smother: deprive of oxygen and prevent from breathing. Treadle (57): pedal: a lever that is operated with the foot. Trembling (61): move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways. Harbored (61): keep in one's possession. Tilling (67): cultivation of the land in order to raise crops. Feat (71): a notable achievement. Immigrants (77): the introduction of new people into a habitat or population. Waggled (83): move from side to side. Grime (86): <span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">dirty: make soiled, filthy, or dirty. Tyrant (97): <span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">any person who exercises power in a cruel way.

__Chapters 19-27__
 * Literary Luminary by: Jen** (Reposted in a Discussion Thread if anyone wants to respond/reflect on these.)

I have selected the following excerpts of the final chapters because they stood out to me in their symbolism and because they show Dina's growth and maturation. They provide somewhat final answers to some questions we have be asking throughout the story, specifically regarding Dina's quest for "home".

In the first quote, Dina is reflecting on a dream which expresses her inner turmoil at the thought of returning to Germany.

In the second quote, Dina has reached inner peace knowing that she will stay in Brooklyn because it is where she is needed and wants to be but that she will always miss Breisach. At this point, she hasn't yet read Katharina's letter announcing that she and her husband will be joining Dina in America.

The third excerpt does more than just show the reconciliation and validation of Dina's role in the family with the Uncle. His referral to Mama's //ifs// allows Dina to come full circle - once an impulsive, seemingly irresponsible girl, she constantly heard //if// statements as reprimands. For the Uncle to use one to place her in such high esteem, she can see herself as valued and responsible; no longer that immature, unwanted niece, Dina has shown herself to be valiant, loyal and hardworking.

I wondered if I would ever stop missing Mama. "//If//," the Uncle said. "She was always saying that. //If you hadn't forgotten the bread...//  "I'll say just this," the Uncle went on. "If you hadn't come..." He stopped then, and I could see he couldn't talk.  But what he had said was enough. More than enough.  "Thank you," I whispered. ||
 * Chapter 24 || My dreams were strange, dream of the bakery shop burning in a fire and Johann bent over a key, dreams of Maria asking me for another doll. 'Go home,' someone said. And I kept whispering, 'Where is it? I don't know where it is.' ||
 * Chapter 27 || I looked out at the city and thought about wrapping my arms around it. I was beginning to love Brooklyn, with its heat and its cold, its dust and its dirt. I thought of Breisach, that beautiful festive town with its river and its cathedral, and knew I'd always be homesick for it. That was the price I'd have to pay, the same price everyone who came to this country might have to pay. At least I thought that was what Johann had meant: we would always have a longing to go back, and a longing to stay. ||
 * Chapter 27 || "I wanted to tell you," he [the Uncle] said, and hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "I remember something about my sister, your mother."

__Chapters 10-18__ __**Chapters 19-27 Word Watcher by: Emily Polihrom**__
 * Illustration by Ji Sun**

<span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; color: #404040; line-height: 19px;">Doze (99): snooze: sleep lightly or for a short period of timeTremble (100): Blossoms (105): bloom: produce or yield flowers. Chapped (105): used of skin roughened as a result of cold or exposure Petticoat (106): undergarment worn under a skirt Crimson (107): another word for red Grasp (108): hold firmly Brimming (118): filled to capacity Detach (120): cause to become detached or separated Scorch (127): sear: make very hot and dry Pleats (136): a type of fold formed by doubling fabric Embroidered (139): decorate with needlework, add details to