Linecatcher: Your Role

“Linecatchers are people who celebrate the images, sounds, and ponderings caused by words on pages. They read, they ponder, and they read things aloud to watch the reactions of their friends and families.”

If you have been chosen as “Linecatcher” in your book group, then you have certain responsibilities. While you are reading, you are to keep an eye open for lines that you like. For example, when reading “Oranges” by Gary Soto, perhaps you liked the lines “I took the nickel from/ My pocket, then an orange,/And set them quietly on/ The counter.” It is not, however, enough to simply record the lines that you like. You need to explain why.

If you recall, we discussed out favorite song. Often, when we listen to the radio, a CD, or our MP3 player, we are listening to our favorite songs. But what makes them our favorite? What about the song do you really like? You need to define and explain your opinions as a linecatcher. It is not enough to say: “I enjoyed this line because it was good.”

You need to articulate/explain your answers. For example, you might say: “I enjoyed this line because it made me think of a time when…,” or “I liked this line because I could envision the scene in my mind (then explain what you see).”