Literature, 8th Grade Assignments

 

1. Montag thinks again of Millie. What does this tell us about his true feelings for her? Was she happy? What does he think is happening to Millie? (p. 148-153)
2. What wisdoms did Granger’s grandfather share with his grandson? (p. 148-151)
3. The war is quick. Explain. Describe. (p. 151-155)
4. What is Granger’s rather poetic and hopeful message on pages 156-157?
5. What are the men going to do now? (p. 156-158)

1. What happens when the Hound reaches Faber’s house? (p. 131) How does Montag see this?
2. How is Montag almost caught? (p. 131-132)
3. What does Montag do to cover his tracks? (p. 133)
4. How does Montag feel about the river? (p. 133-135)
5. He thinks of Millie. Why? What does he think? How does he feel? (p. 135)
6. As Montag adjusts to being away from the city, what does he remember from his childhood? (p. 135-136)
7. He thinks he sees the Hound, but what is it? (p. 137)
8. Montag’s senses seem to be reawakening as he goes farther into the river and deeper into the countryside. What does he feel, see, smell, hear and taste? (p. 133-138)
9. He thinks again of Clarisse. Explain. (p. 138)
10. Do you think Montag safely got away from the helicopters and the Hound?

Read and answer the following. One question will be asked in class.

 

1. Does “war” have the same meaning in this world as in our world? (p. 119, 125) Explain & analyze.
2. Crossing the road is a bit of an ordeal for Montag for several reasons. Explain. (p. 119-123)
3. What did Montag do at Fireman Black’s house? (p. 123-125)
4. What is the irony in the phrases “hobo camps” and “Harvard degrees” on page 126? Analyze.
5. Another Mechanical Hound has been brought to hunt Montag. What precautions will he have to take now? What does he tell Faber to do? (p. 126-130)

Read and answer the following

 

1. Why do people come out of their houses when the firemen arrive? What words does Bradbury use to describe these scenes?
2. Beatty says that Montag “wanted to fly near the sun” and “burnt his damn wings.”  This refers to the myth of Daedalus and Icarus. Research the myth. What’s the story?
3. What terrible action does Montag take? What specifically triggered this action?
4. “Beatty wanted to die.” Given all you know about Beatty, why would he wish to die?
5. Montag needs to figure out where to go & what to do. What is the rough plan he’s forming?

Read and answer the following. One question will be asked in class

 

1. Montag regrets the error or mistake of losing his temper with the women. Why? (p. 99-101, 106)
2. What does Faber tell Montag? (p. 99-104)
3. What does Beatty say to Montag? (p. 101-106)
4. The firehouse receives a call. Where do they go? (p. 105-106)
5. Who do you think called in this address?

1. Why have Mrs. Phelps and Mrs. Bowles come to Montag’s house? (p. 89-90)
2. Given their talk, what is important to Mrs. Phelps, Mrs. Bowles and Mildred? (p. 89-95)
3. What kind of mother does Mrs. Bowles seem to be? (p. 92-93)
4. Who continually warns Montag to keep his cool? (p. 90-98)
5. Why do you think Mrs. Phelps is crying after hearing Montag read the poem “Dover Beach”?

• Answer in complete sentences the following questions
• One will be asked in class

 

Why did Clarisse’s uncle believe society had done away with front porches? (p. 60)
2. How do people apparently take out their frustrations and emotions with “beetles”? (p. 61)
3. How does Mildred react when she sees what Montag has been hiding? (p. 62-63)
4. Do you think Montag is able to get Millie to understand him? (p. 63-64) Will she help him?
5. Who do you think was at the door? (p. 64-65) What did they want?
Pages 67-76 Day 7
1. Explain and analyze Mildred’s resistance as Montag reads and talks to her. (p. 67-73)
2. What does Montag hope these books can do for him? (p. 67-70)
3. Faber. Who is he? How does Montag know him? Describe. (p. 8, 31, 70-72)
4. Describe Montag’s experience on the subway air train. (p. 73-76)
5. What does Montag want to do with the words in the Bible he has & why? (p. 74) Why can’t he do it?

 

 

1. Research the words the woman speaks. Who said these? When? What happened to him? (p. 33, 37)
2. What is different about this call & this house? (p. 34-37)
3. What are the “small, soft sounds” Montag is making? Why? (p. 38-39)
4. Analyze Montag & Mildred’s marriage. (p. 38-45) How does she spend her time? Why can’t Montag relate to her?
5. What has supposedly happened to Clarisse? What do you think happened? (p. 44-45)

Pages 21-32 Day 3

1. What is the Mechanical Hound? Describe it & give your interpretation. (p. 21-25)
2. What does Montag suspect someone at the firehouse has done? He thinks of the ventilator grill for a third time (p. 8, 17, 24). What do you think he has hidden there?
3. What is this future world’s school system, according to Clarisse’s description? (p. 27)
4. What do people (besides Clarisse) do with their free time in this world? (p. 17, 18, 27, 28, 29)
5. “Firemen of America, 1790, Benjamin Franklin.” Speculate. What does it all mean? (p. 32)

Read and answer the following questions

 

1. What do the two men wearing coveralls and smoking cigarettes do? (p. 12-13) If two similar men came to a home today, what might their purpose be?
2. What happened to Mildred the night before? Why isn’t Montag able to talk to her about it? (p. 11-17)
3. Based on the time he got home & the time he prepares to leave, what are Montag’s hours? (p. 14 & 17)
4. How is Mildred spending her afternoon and evening? (p. 17-18)
5. What observations has Clarisse made of Montag? (p. 21)

 

Day 1: Pages 1-12 
1. How does Montag feel about burning and his job? (p. 1-2)
2. What does he burn? (p. 1-2)
3. What feeling does Montag have after getting off the train? (p. 2-3)
4. Describe the girl. Give her name, too. (p. 3-7)
5. What might the salamander and the phoenix represent? (p. 4) Hint: you can quickly look up symbolic meanings of both at monsters.monstrous.com
6. How old is Montag? (p. 5)
7. Millay, Whitman, Faulkner. (p. 6) Look them up. Edna St. Vincent Millay. Walt Whitman. William Faulkner. What were their professions? Where and when did they live and work? What clues might this give us about the setting of the story?
8. What do you think is hidden behind the ventilator grill? (p. 8)
9. What impression does the girl have on Montag? (p. 8-9)
10. What does he kick? (p. 10-11)

Please read the chapter and be prepared to answer one of the following questions in class.

1. Describe in detail what happens when Jack and Ralph’s tribes come together in direct conflict.
2. What two major symbols are destroyed in this section of the novel?
3. What has happened to Ralph by the end of the chapter? How is this an ironic twist from the beginning of the novel?

1. Describe Ralph and Piggy’s reaction to Simon’s death. How does each character deal with what has happened?
2. By this point in the novel, what has happened to the balance of power on the island? Which character is now in control over the island?
3. Describe what is happening at Castle Rock. What type of leadership is Jack displaying? How does this play into the overall theme of the novel?
4. What is stolen from Piggy at the end of the chapter? How is this act of thievery symbolic?

 

1. What are the purpose and effect of Jack's generosity with the meat he and the hunters obtained? What do you think his decision to give meat to even Ralph and Piggy is meant to show?
2. Why does Jack command the boys to dance and chant, and why is this an effective leadership tactic? What psychological effect does dancing and chanting have on the boys? Think back to the effect that putting on makeup had on them in Chapter 4.
3. What is the “beast” that the boys kill? How is this event ironic and especially tragic (not only for the “beast,” but for everyone on the island)? How is it symbolically significant?
4. Why do you think Golding decided to have the “figure” fly over the boys on the beach and into the sea? Why do you think he had Simon‟s body get washed away, and what does this represent in a psychological sense?

 

1. What does Ralph say that angers Jack? How does Jack express his anger? How does Jack respond to his failure to get support from the group, and what does this response suggest about the boys‟ future?
2. How does Piggy show “intellectual daring”? Why is this so significant to the boys?
3. Why do you think the biguns wait until the other boys are occupied to leave instead of supporting Jack‟s challenge during the meeting?
4. What unusual thing happens to Ralph after Jack leaves and after he realizes most of the biguns have left? What is the significance of his reaction?
5. What suggestion does Simon make, and why do you think he makes it? What does he mean when he says, “What else is there to do?” What are the consequences of the group‟s decision not to follow Simon‟s suggestion?
6. What do Jack and the biguns first decide to “do” about the beast, and what does this say about human nature? Think back to question # 2.
7. What foolish decision does Jack make during the hunt, and why is it foolish?
8. What happens to Simon after the hunters leave his clearing? What is the “lord of the flies”? What does it represent? How does it talk to Simon—what does its speech really indicate?

• Please include the following locations on your map
  • Hobbiton/Shire
  • Trolls Lair or TrollShaws
  • Rivendell
  • Misty Mountains
  • Carrock
  • Beorns Hall
  • Mirkwood
  • Forest Gate
  • Elvin Kings Hall
  • Forest River
  • Enchanted River
  • Long Lake
  • Esgaroth/Lake Town
  • River Running
  • Dale
  • Lonely Mountain
• Please also include the river east of Misty Mountains
  • You do not have to label it
• The path of Bilbo and company needs to be shown
• Two paragraphs 5-7 sentences in length
  • 1st paragraph about one theme in the story
  • 2nd paragraph about a symbol used in the story

1. What is the “beast from air”? How is it appropriate that the boys mistake it for a beast—what connection does it have with the novel‟s themes, and what does it symbolize?
2. What does Sam and Eric‟s description of the beast tell us about human psychology?
3. How does Ralph overcome Jack‟s challenge during the discussion about what to do about the beast?
4. What significant thoughts does Simon have about the beast while the boys are walking to the “castle”?
5. Why do you think Ralph doesn‟t really expect to encounter the beast?
6. How do most of the boys react to their discovery of the “castle”? What foreshadowing takes place at the end of the chapter?

• Read chapter 5
• Write 3-5 questions, ideas, connections from text
• Discussion questions for review
  • 1. What change has come over Ralph as a result of the signal fire incident? How have his values changed?
    2. What points does Ralph make at the meeting? What general point does he make that he wants people to discuss? Why are these points so significant?
    3. What does Jack say in response to Ralph‟s comments? Why do you think Ralph is shocked?
    4. What does Piggy mean by his claim that “life is scientific”? What does he mean when he suggests that “there isn‟t no fear, either[…]unless we get frightened of people”?
    5. What does Percival say when Jack asks him where the beast lives? Why do you think he says this?
    6. What does Simon say about the beast, and what do you think he means? How does everyone else react to what he says?
    7. Why are the rules so important to Ralph? What are the consequences of breaking them?
    8. Why does Piggy say that Ralph should blow the conch to call everyone back, and why does Ralph decide not to?

• Read chapter 3
• Write down 3 questions, or interesting ideas about this chapter
• Be prepared to discuss the following questions
  • 1. Discuss the change in Jack‟s personality that is described at the beginning of the chapter. What is Jack‟s highest priority, and what does this tell us about him?
    2. How are the all of the boys except Ralph and Simon (and Jack) behaving? What is Golding telling us about human nature? What important qualities do Ralph, Simon, and Piggy have that the other boys seem to lack?
    3. What is making it difficult for Ralph and Jack to communicate and get along? Where do you think their differences will lead?
    4. Why do you think Jack and the littluns (and others, probably) have fears about a “beastie,” but Ralph, Simon, and Piggy don‟t? What theme does this suggest?
    5. What does this chapter reveal about Simon‟s personality, and what importance do you think this will have later in the novel? (How do you think the other boys will react to Simon?)

 

• Read to Chapter 2
• Five thoughtful questions
  • You will be turning these in, do not use stickie notes

Read chapter 14

 

One question will be asked in class.

 

1. Why didn't Tim try to get anyone to help him rescue Sam?
2. Did you notice any "foreshadowing" about the deaths of Father and Sam in the story?
3. What do you think is going through Tim's mind as he watches Sam being executed?
4. How did you feel as you read about Sam's execution? What was going through your mind?
5. Why didn't Mother go to the execution?
6. Why didn't Mother try and stop Tim from trying to break Sam out of prison?

Read CH 13

 

One question from 12 and one question from 13 will be asked on Monday

 

CH 13 Questions

 

1. Why didn't Tim try harder to get to see Colonel Parsons?
2. Why didn't Mother show more emotion when she found out that Sam was going to die?
3. Why did Sam seem to be resigned to the fact that he would die? Why doesn't he have more fight in him?
4. Why doesn't Betsy Read try and see Sam?
5. If you were Tim and had to see General Putnam, what would you tell the general about the situation to
convince him to release Sam?
6. When Tim was visiting Sam, why didn't Sam ask about his Mother or how things were going at the tavern
without Father?
7. Why does Mother act so calm when she hears that Sam is going to be executed?

Read CH 12

 

One question will be asked tomorrow

 

1. What do you think Tim's feelings are about the war now?
2. What side do you think Tim would be on if he had to choose?
3. In what ways has Tim changed?
4. Why do you think the authors have decided to tell the story through Tim's eyes? Why not tell the story
though Sam's eyes?
5. Why do you think the authors chose the title, My Brother Sam is Dead rather than a different title? Does the
title give away too much of the story to the reader?
6. Why does Tim blame Sam for Father's death?
7. Father was on the prison ship when he forgave Sam. Why did Father forgive Sam so late in the story?

8. Why do you think the British kept Jerry Sanford?

One will be asked in class tomorrow 

 

1. Sam has a conversation with his mother about which duty is more important - family or country. Which do
you think is more important? What would you do if you were Sam?
2. Why do you think the authors wait until this chapter to show how aggressive Mother can be?
3. Why won't Mother let Tim ring the bell to call the soldiers?
4. How does the mother's personality change as the war goes on?
5. At this point in the story, do you think Tim would be a soldier if he could?
6. Tim says, "I didn't feel like his little brother so much any more. I felt more like his equal." What does Tim
mean by this?
7. Why does Tim feel this way?
8. What made him change his mind from earlier in the chapter when he stated he was a Tory?
9. Why do you think the author shows Tim on both sides of the war within the same chapter?

Read chapter 9

One of the following will be asked in class 

 

1. What makes Tim start worrying about Father's safety? Does he immediately know something is wrong?
2. Tim sees the ambush site in the snow and instantly knows the Cowboys have attacked Father. What does
the reader notice about the way Tim is thinking as he senses there may be trouble with Father?
3. Tim has to decide what to do when he realizes that Father is in trouble. He considers what Sam would do
(track Father down and rescue him) and what Father would do (get the oxen and goods back home). Why
do you think Tim decided to choose the second solution rather than the first?
4. Tell about a time when you had to make a very difficult choice in your own life. What did you have to
consider to make your decision. Was it the right choice?
5. Tim starts to think about what he will tell the Cowboys if they come upon him and the wagon. How are
Tim's actions changing in this chapter?
6. Tim runs into the Cowboys. He asks them, "Are you the escort?" He then says, "Am I ever glad to see
you . . . I thought there'd be more of you, though." What is the author trying to show us about Tim?
7. Does the reader begin to feel any differently about Tim in this chapter?

 

1. Tim tells his cousin that he'd probably fight for the British. What would Tim do if he ran into Sam in battle,
and they were on opposite sides?
2. If Tim is so concerned about the way, why doesn't he at least try and talk to his father about it?
3. What do you think Father would say if Tim told him he was a Patriot?
4. What side do "you" think Tim is on? Do you think Tim is changing his mind at all?
5. If you were in Tim's position, would you be a Loyalist or a Rebel?
6. Do you think Mr. Meeker feels differently about Tim than he does about Sam?
7. Why didn't Father buy a new rifle when he sold the cattle and the hogs? Sam had his only rifle. Why didn't
Father replace it, especially when he knew the Cowboys could ambush them?

 

CH 6

1. Why does Mr. Heron allow Tim to deliver the message when Mr. Meeker told him directly that Tim was not
allowed to do so?
2. Why does Tim decide to deliver the message for Mr. Heron even though he knows his father has said he
couldn't?
3. Why doesn't it make sense that Mr. Heron would know where Sam and the other American officers are?
4. Why does Tim talk about lying to his father and the fact that it's a sin? (page 76) Why do you think the
authors refer to the lying as being a sin rather than just say it's wrong to lie?
5. Is Mr. Heron a Loyalist?

 

CH 7

1. Why didn't Mr. Heron ask Tim about the letter after the incident?
2. Why was Father arguing with the Cowboys if he knew he could get hurt?
3. Was Tim afraid to go to Verplancks Point with his father?
4. When Mother said she was going to write back to Sam, she told Father her decision was final. Why did
Father stop arguing with Mother at this point in the story?
5. Do you think that Sam will come back, and if so, when?
6. Why does Father get angry at the way Sam is living his life?
7. Why does Father think it's different for Sam to leave at age 16 or 17 when Father left his own home when he
was 16 himself?
8. If you were in Tim's position, which side would you want to win the war?
9. Why doesn't the mother have a bigger part in the story? Why is she always in the background?

Read chapter 4-5

 

Two questions will be asked

 

CH 4

 

1. Who are the Continentals, and why do they come to Redding?
2. Why were the Rebel soldiers threatening Mr. Meeker?
3. Why can't Sam go to the tavern to defend his father when he is attacked by the Rebel soldiers?
4. Would Tim have shot Sam if Sam hadn't overpowered him when Tim tried to get the Brown Bess back?
5. What do Tim and Mr. Meeker feel when Sam turns around and waves from the stone fence?

 

CH 5

1. For Tim, what is the worst part of the war?
2. Why is the errand for Mr. Heron so important?
3. At this point in the book, how are the people of Redding affected by the war? What were the major
differences between the way the people in Redding viewed the war and the way the people in Lexington and
Concord viewed it?
4. In this chapter, how does Tim feel about his older brother Sam. Does Tim support what Sam is doing?
5. At this point in the story, what side do you think Tim would choose - Patriot or Tory?
6. Why doesn't Father want Tim to deliver the message for Mr. Heron? Is there anything Father knows that
Tim doesn't?

 

 

Why did Tim's father have to keep the Tory newspaper, The Rivington Gazette, hidden?

How did the war affect the people in Redding, CT, in the summer of 1775?

Why do you think the authors devoted half a page to describing nature on page 45?
What were the major differences between Sam and Tim?
Why do you think the authors had Tim narrate the story instead of a different character?

Read chapters 16-17

 

Answer the following ODD Questions

 

Chapter XVI
76. How does Jonas learn of love?
77. Why are grandparents a new idea for Jonas?
78. What does the society lose without grandparents? What do they gain?
79. What provokes Jonas’ first lie to his parents?

Chapter XVII
80. How is the day in Chapter 17 a study in contrasts?
81. Why does Jonas stop taking his daily pills?
82. How is Gabe proceeding?

Read chapters 13-15

 

Answer the following odd questions

 

Chapter XIII
64. What new meaning do the following words --ordinary, color, and choice-- have for Jonas?
65. How would the elders react to the same three words?
66. What does The Giver share of his personal family life?
67. How does the book’s society deal with adults with grown children? What does such an arrangement lose?

 

Chapter XIIII
68. How does Jonas react when The Giver gives him the memory of breaking a leg in sledding? How does Jonas’ understanding and growing wisdom increase after he experiences that pain?
69. What wisdom does hunger provide?
70. What is the mood at the end of the talk between Jonas and The Giver? Why?
71. How does Jonas calm Gabriel?
72. Why does Jonas decide not to confess giving a memory away?
73. Why does Mother shake her head about the release of the twin and Father’s responsibility for it?

Chapter XV
74. Why do you think that this chapter is so short?
75. Why does The Giver say, “Forgive me”?

Read chapter 12

 

Answer following odd

 

59. What is Jonas’ first lie?
60. Why doesn’t Jonas tell his friends about his training?
61. What is Jonas seeing in Fiona’s hair and the apple and the sled?
62. Why don’t the people in the book perceive colors?
63. What is Jonas’ opinion of giving up colors? How do you feel about the matter?

Read chapter 7-8

 

Answer following odd questions

 

Chapter VII
36. How does the Ceremony of Twelve start?
37. What do the numbers mean for each person?
38. Why is number Nineteen skipped in the Assignments?
39. What do you think Jonas’ Assignment will be?

Chapter VIII
40. Why do Jonas and the audience feel ill at ease at the start of Chapter 8?
41. What is announced as Jonas’ Assignment? What is the job?
42. What qualities does the Chief Elder explain Jonas will need?
43. How will Jonas’ life change as he trains to be Receiver of Memory? Make some predictions.

Read chapters 5-6 and answer the following ODD questions

 

Chapter V
27. What is the morning ritual?
28. Why must Jonas start taking a pill every day?
29. How are you feeling about the society in the book?
30. What have you found so far that the book’s society represses?

 

Chapter VI
31. What values does the book’s society embrace and encourage?
32. What is interdependence? Give an example of interdependence from your own experiences.
33. What is the difference in the book between loss and release? Why do you think that the author points out the distinction? On what page is the distinction made?
34. How does the author build the interest in Jonas’ Ceremony of Twelve?
35. Who makes the important decisions in the book’s society?

 

 

Chapter III
12. What about the society is revealed by the reaction to eye color?
13. What is a Birthmother?
14. Why is Mother so appalled when Lilly suggests she’d like to be a Birthmother?
15. How was Jonas disciplined for taking an apple home?
16. Why had the apple intrigued Jonas?

17. What does the nondescript shade of the tunics and the apple tell you about the people and society in the book?
18. Start an attribute web to describe Jonas. (Place Jonas’ name in the center and characteristics that he has around him in a web form. You may wish to show the way that he acts, feels, looks, his family structure, etc.)
19. Compare Jonas in his world to typical eleven-year olds that you may know. (You may use a T-Chart or other graphic organizer to show your information).
20. What seems odd about the community in the book? What seems desirable about the way things are done?
21. Begin to fill in a story map. (A story map consists of a graphic organizer with terms such as setting, problem, goal, point of view, resolution, etc)
22. Sort out the plusses and minuses for the facets below of the book community:
 Raising children together in age groups
 Birthmothers
 Loudspeaker
 Evening telling of feelings
 Ceremonies
 Ceremony of Twelve

 

Chapter IV
23. What seems to be the purpose of the volunteer hours?
24. Why doesn’t Jonas seem to have a niche?
25. What is the nakedness rule?
26. What are the Releasing Room and the releasing ceremony?

Chapter I

1. How does the author get the reader into the book?
2. From whose point of view is the story told?
3. What have you learned about the society?
4. How is Jonas’ family similar to your family and different from your family? (Use a double T-Chart)
5. What do you know about “release” in the book’s society? What are your feelings about release?
6. How is the care of children different in Jonas’ world from your world?