Interpretive Questions: Answer all questions in complete sentences, using quotes as support.
1.) Why does Tucker try to kill Anvil?
Tucker tries to kill Anvil because Anvil is a bully and steals the apples, "I didn't know what he meant by that but the tree was mine and now there perched Anvil, callously munching one of my thirteen apples and stowing the rest inside his ragged shirt until it bulged out in ugly lumps" (Page 159).
2.) What does Tucker mean when he says he has to take a beating from Anvil “because this went beyond any matter of courage or shame”? (p. 157)
Tucker means when he says he has to take a beating from Anvil “ because this went beyond any matter of courage or shame” because he knows he's never going to win, "But I still had to let it be that way because this went beyond any matter of courage or shame” (Page 157).
3.) Why does Tucker sometimes try to reach out to Anvil?
Tucker sometimes tries to reach out to Anvil because he feels bad that his dad is not the nicest and they don't have a lot of money and he's trying to be nice to Anvil, "Let's go up to the barn and play" (Page 162).
4.) Why does Tucker say, “It seemed very important to know what it was that Anvil wanted to, and never could, teach me and the world”? (p. 163)
Tucker says, “It seemed very important to know what it was that Anvil wanted to, and never could, teach me and the world” because if Anvil has a point to treating Tucker this way, there has to be a reason and Tucker doesn't know the reason, "It seemed very important to know what it was that Anvil wanted to, and never could, teach me and the world” (Page 163).
5.) At the end of the story, why does Tucker try to give Anvil the apples?
At the end of the story, Tucker tries to give Anvil the apples because he feels guilty that he had a plot to murder Anvil, "You tried to kill me" (Page 166).
6.) Why does Anvil bully Tucker?
Anvil bullies Tucker because he is jealous of everything that Tucker has and Anvil does not really have that much, "I ain't got nothin'" (Page 166).
7.) Why does Anvil force Tucker to call his father “Old Man” instead of “Father”? (p. 160)
Anvil forces Tucker to call his father "Old Man" instead of "Father" because his father is never around nor does he treat him like he actually matters, "Say Old Man" (Page 160).
8.) Why does Anvil repeatedly tell Tucker to stop “blubberin”? (p. 161-162)
Anvil repeatedly tells Tucker to stop "blubberin" because he thinks a sign of weakness and Anvil's dad probably tells him to man up and not cry, "Stop blubberin" (Page 161).
9.) Why does Anvil go home with Tucker but throw rocks at him all the way there?
Anvil goes home with Tucker but throws rocks at him all the way there because he's trying to teach Tucker to stand up for himself, "So after school Anvil went along with me—and threw rocks at me all the way home" (Page 162).
10.) Why doesn’t Anvil come after Tucker when Tucker tries to kill him with the hayfork?
Anvil doesn't come after Tucker when Tucker tries to kill him with the hayfork because he doesn't really want to hurt Tucker, "He got to his feet and alowly walked out of the door" (Page 166).
Vocabulary in Context:
1.) Nurture (p. 159)
Quote: "The tree is yours in fee simple to bargain, sell, and convey, or to keep and nurture and eventually hand down to your heirs or assigns forever unto eternity" (Page 159).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the word nurture means to take care of
Synonym: love, provide
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The sister helped the mother nurture her new baby brother.
2.) Callously (p. 159)
Quote: "I didn't know what he meant by that but the tree was mine and now there perched Anvil, callously munching one of my thirteen apples and stowing the rest inside his ragged shirt until it bulged out in ugly lumps" (Page 159).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the word callously means without a care
Synonym: insensitive, unsympathetic
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): She callously stood there as the baby whimpered.
3.) Practically (p. 159)
Quote: "I planned--practically—his extinction as he stood there before me commanding me to cease the blubbering out of my heart" (Page 162).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the word practically means
Synonym: basically, simply
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I practically won the game because i made the last shot.
4.) Extinction (p. 159)
Quote: "I planned—practically—his extinction as he stood there before me commanding me to cease the blubbering out of my heart" (Page 162).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the word extinction means to no longer exist
Synonym: dead, inapplicable
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The extinction of certain species of elephants is very common.
5.) Inadvertently (p. 165)
Quote: "He simply painted the big white circle on the barn floor, had the fork hauled back up to the top, and fastened the trigger around the rung of a stationary ladder eight feet off the floor, where no one could inadvertently pull it" (Page 165).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the meaning of inadvertently is to be careless
Synonym: thoughtless, inattentive
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I inadvertently skateboarded down Canoga Avenue.
6.) Vindictive (p. 165)
Quote: "I gave Anvil one last vindictive look and sprang up the stationary ladder and swung out on the trip rope of the unpredictable hay fork with all my puny might" (Page 165).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the meaning of vindictive is to seek revenge
Synonym: unforgiving, spiteful
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): She saw the vindictive look in his eye and knew something happened.
7.) Sullen (p. 166)
Quote: "After a few sullen, bewildered moments he reached into his shirt and began hauling out my apples one by one" (Page 166).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the meaning of sullen is gloomy
Synonym: cross, moody
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I stared at him with a sullen look.
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when a character does something out of pride or a character does something out of shame. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
1.) Why does Tucker try to kill Anvil?
Tucker tries to kill Anvil because Anvil is a bully and steals the apples, "I didn't know what he meant by that but the tree was mine and now there perched Anvil, callously munching one of my thirteen apples and stowing the rest inside his ragged shirt until it bulged out in ugly lumps" (Page 159).
2.) What does Tucker mean when he says he has to take a beating from Anvil “because this went beyond any matter of courage or shame”? (p. 157)
Tucker means when he says he has to take a beating from Anvil “ because this went beyond any matter of courage or shame” because he knows he's never going to win, "But I still had to let it be that way because this went beyond any matter of courage or shame” (Page 157).
3.) Why does Tucker sometimes try to reach out to Anvil?
Tucker sometimes tries to reach out to Anvil because he feels bad that his dad is not the nicest and they don't have a lot of money and he's trying to be nice to Anvil, "Let's go up to the barn and play" (Page 162).
4.) Why does Tucker say, “It seemed very important to know what it was that Anvil wanted to, and never could, teach me and the world”? (p. 163)
Tucker says, “It seemed very important to know what it was that Anvil wanted to, and never could, teach me and the world” because if Anvil has a point to treating Tucker this way, there has to be a reason and Tucker doesn't know the reason, "It seemed very important to know what it was that Anvil wanted to, and never could, teach me and the world” (Page 163).
5.) At the end of the story, why does Tucker try to give Anvil the apples?
At the end of the story, Tucker tries to give Anvil the apples because he feels guilty that he had a plot to murder Anvil, "You tried to kill me" (Page 166).
6.) Why does Anvil bully Tucker?
Anvil bullies Tucker because he is jealous of everything that Tucker has and Anvil does not really have that much, "I ain't got nothin'" (Page 166).
7.) Why does Anvil force Tucker to call his father “Old Man” instead of “Father”? (p. 160)
Anvil forces Tucker to call his father "Old Man" instead of "Father" because his father is never around nor does he treat him like he actually matters, "Say Old Man" (Page 160).
8.) Why does Anvil repeatedly tell Tucker to stop “blubberin”? (p. 161-162)
Anvil repeatedly tells Tucker to stop "blubberin" because he thinks a sign of weakness and Anvil's dad probably tells him to man up and not cry, "Stop blubberin" (Page 161).
9.) Why does Anvil go home with Tucker but throw rocks at him all the way there?
Anvil goes home with Tucker but throws rocks at him all the way there because he's trying to teach Tucker to stand up for himself, "So after school Anvil went along with me—and threw rocks at me all the way home" (Page 162).
10.) Why doesn’t Anvil come after Tucker when Tucker tries to kill him with the hayfork?
Anvil doesn't come after Tucker when Tucker tries to kill him with the hayfork because he doesn't really want to hurt Tucker, "He got to his feet and alowly walked out of the door" (Page 166).
Vocabulary in Context:
1.) Nurture (p. 159)
Quote: "The tree is yours in fee simple to bargain, sell, and convey, or to keep and nurture and eventually hand down to your heirs or assigns forever unto eternity" (Page 159).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the word nurture means to take care of
Synonym: love, provide
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The sister helped the mother nurture her new baby brother.
2.) Callously (p. 159)
Quote: "I didn't know what he meant by that but the tree was mine and now there perched Anvil, callously munching one of my thirteen apples and stowing the rest inside his ragged shirt until it bulged out in ugly lumps" (Page 159).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the word callously means without a care
Synonym: insensitive, unsympathetic
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): She callously stood there as the baby whimpered.
3.) Practically (p. 159)
Quote: "I planned--practically—his extinction as he stood there before me commanding me to cease the blubbering out of my heart" (Page 162).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the word practically means
Synonym: basically, simply
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I practically won the game because i made the last shot.
4.) Extinction (p. 159)
Quote: "I planned—practically—his extinction as he stood there before me commanding me to cease the blubbering out of my heart" (Page 162).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the word extinction means to no longer exist
Synonym: dead, inapplicable
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The extinction of certain species of elephants is very common.
5.) Inadvertently (p. 165)
Quote: "He simply painted the big white circle on the barn floor, had the fork hauled back up to the top, and fastened the trigger around the rung of a stationary ladder eight feet off the floor, where no one could inadvertently pull it" (Page 165).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the meaning of inadvertently is to be careless
Synonym: thoughtless, inattentive
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I inadvertently skateboarded down Canoga Avenue.
6.) Vindictive (p. 165)
Quote: "I gave Anvil one last vindictive look and sprang up the stationary ladder and swung out on the trip rope of the unpredictable hay fork with all my puny might" (Page 165).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the meaning of vindictive is to seek revenge
Synonym: unforgiving, spiteful
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): She saw the vindictive look in his eye and knew something happened.
7.) Sullen (p. 166)
Quote: "After a few sullen, bewildered moments he reached into his shirt and began hauling out my apples one by one" (Page 166).
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the meaning of sullen is gloomy
Synonym: cross, moody
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I stared at him with a sullen look.
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when a character does something out of pride or a character does something out of shame. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
prIde•A character does something out of pride when Tucker thought his tree was too good for Anvil to take any apples (Page 157).
•A character does something out of pride when Tucker is telling Anvil he will tell his father and not Old Man (Page 160). •A character does something out of pride when Tucker is planning to kill Anvil because he thinks Anvil isn't worth his time and getting best up (Page 161). •A character does something out of pride when Tucker thinks that Anvil can't teach him or the world anything and gets all defensive about it (Page 163). •A character does something out of pride when Anvil wants to jump off the barn and onto the ground (Page 163). |
Shame•A character does something out of shame when Tucker tells Anvil he's not blubbering or crying (Page 161).
•A character does something out of shame when Tucker keeps lying to Anvil saying that no one hates him (Page 162). •A character does something out of shame when Tucker invites Anvil over to spend the night (Page 162). •A character does something out of shame when Anvil gives Tucker the apples back because he has nothing and just wanted the apples (Page 166). •A character does something out of shame when Tucker tries to give Anvil the apples back because he feels guilty (Page 166). |