1.) Why does Trevor want to completely destroy Mr. Thomas' house?
Trevor wants to completely destroy Mr. Thomas' house because he and the gang resent the fact that Mr. Thomas' house is still standing. All the other houses are destroyed and collapsed. For example, "Blackie said uneasily, 'It's proposed that tomorrow and Monday we destroy Old Misery's house.'" (p. 169)
2.) If Trevor thinks the house is "beautiful," why does he wants to destroy it? (p. 166)
Trevor is jealous about Mr. Thomas' house. The house is a fairly nice house. For example, "T. said, 'It's a beautiful house,' and still watching the ground, meeting no one's eyes, he licked his lips first one way, then the other." (pages 166-167)
3.) Why does Trevor burn Mr. Thomas' savings instead of stealing them?
Trevor thinks they are not thieves, they are destroyers. They are trying to destroy the house. Trevor and the gang are there to send a message. For example, "'We'll burn them,' he said, 'one by one,' and taking it in turns they held a note upwards and lit the top corner, so that the flame burnt slowly towards their fingers." (p. 173)
4.) Why does Trevor say "there'd be no fun" if he hated Mr. Thomas? (p. 174)
Trevor doesn't hate Mr. Thomas. If Trevor hated him, then destroying Mr. Thomas' house would be revenge. But, Mr. Thomas doesn't hate him. For example, "'Of course I don't hate him,' T. said. 'There'd be no fun if I hated him.' The last burning note illuminated his brooding face." (p. 174)
5.) When Mr. Thomas returns early, why does Trevor protest, "It isn't fair"? (p. 175)
Trevor protests this because he doesn't think it is fair that they didn't get to finish destroying Mr. Thomas' house. For example, "He protested with the fury of the child he had never been, 'It isn't fair.'" (p. 175)
6.) Why does the gang work to destroy the house with "the seriousness of creators"? (p. 172)
The gang wants to really destroy their house. They don't want any hope of rebuilding Mr. Thomas' house. They want every stone and brick in the house destroyed. Since they have to rebuild their houses, they want Mr. Thomas to go through the same situation. For example, "Streaks of light came in through the closed shutters where they worked with the seriousness of creators." (pages 172)
7.) Why is Trevor able to get the gang to carry out his plan to destroy the house?
The plan sounds cooler and it is very daring. The plan to destroy the house sounds much more cooler. For example,"'Free rides,' T. said. 'Kid stuff. You can stand down, Blackie, if you'd rather...' 'The gang's got to vote.' 'Put it up then.'" (p. 169)
8.) Why are we told that "destruction after all is a form of creation"? (p. 172-173)
We are told that "destruction after all is a form of creation" because after destruction, creation is required to rebuild things. (p. 172) Creation is after destruction.
9.) What does the author mean when he says that Trevor had "a kind of imagination" that "had seen this house as it had now become"? (p. 173)
Trevor had a vision. He didn't just plan to destroy the house. He planned from the beginning to destroy the house. For example, "A kind of imagination had seen this house as it had now become." (p. 173)
10.) Why does an "odd exhilaration" seize the boys as they look down into the partially destroyed house? (p. 174)
They are oddly exhilarated because destroying the house was thrilling. It was an exciting thing and a thrilling thing. It is odd of how much they were capable of destroying the house. For example, "By the evening an odd exhilaration seized them as they looked down the great hollow of the house." (p. 174)
Vocabulary in Context:
1.) Ambiguously - p. 165
Quote: " 'Suppose we are?' he said ambiguously." (p. 165)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): open to any suggestion
Synonym: open-minded
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): He ambiguously said, "I think that's good."
2.) Daunted - p. 168
Quote: "Blackie gve a single hoot of laughter and then, like Mike, fell quiet, daunted by the serious impacable gaze." (p. 168)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): to make someone feel intimidated
Synonym: apprehensive
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): Some people are daunted by technology
3.) Altruistic - p. 169
Quote: "Driven by the pure, simple, and altruistic ambition of fame for the gang, Blackie came back to whre T. stood in the shadow of Old Misery's wall." (p. 169)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): to be disinterested for other's concerns
Synonym: unselfish
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I question how altruistic his motives were.
4.) Superficial - p. 173
Quote: "By the tie Mike returned they were on the top floor, and by six the superficial damage was completed." (p. 173)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): existing on a platform
Synonym: occuring
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The building suffered only superficial damage.
5.) Exhilaration - p. 174
Quote: "By the evening a odd exhilaration seized them as tey looked down the great hollow of the house." (p. 174)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): to be excited
Synonym: happiness
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): They felt the exhilaration of happiness.
Thinking Map:Use textual evidence to show examples of when Trevor is trying to be part of the gang or when Trevor is trying to separate himself from the gang. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
Trevor is part of the gang:
• he votes and proposes stuff they can do
• he takes orders from the leader of the gang
• he suggests the plan to destroy Mr. Thomas' house
• he tells everyone what to do and to bring to Mr. Thomas' house
• he responds when his name is called
Trevor is not part of the gang:
• he insists to keep destroying the house while the rest of the gang suggest they run away
• he burns Mr. Thomas' money only with Blackie
• he was quiet and never spoke at the beginning of the story
• he makes the plan himself to destroy the house
• he visits the house alone. He visits Mr. Thomas' house by himself
Trevor wants to completely destroy Mr. Thomas' house because he and the gang resent the fact that Mr. Thomas' house is still standing. All the other houses are destroyed and collapsed. For example, "Blackie said uneasily, 'It's proposed that tomorrow and Monday we destroy Old Misery's house.'" (p. 169)
2.) If Trevor thinks the house is "beautiful," why does he wants to destroy it? (p. 166)
Trevor is jealous about Mr. Thomas' house. The house is a fairly nice house. For example, "T. said, 'It's a beautiful house,' and still watching the ground, meeting no one's eyes, he licked his lips first one way, then the other." (pages 166-167)
3.) Why does Trevor burn Mr. Thomas' savings instead of stealing them?
Trevor thinks they are not thieves, they are destroyers. They are trying to destroy the house. Trevor and the gang are there to send a message. For example, "'We'll burn them,' he said, 'one by one,' and taking it in turns they held a note upwards and lit the top corner, so that the flame burnt slowly towards their fingers." (p. 173)
4.) Why does Trevor say "there'd be no fun" if he hated Mr. Thomas? (p. 174)
Trevor doesn't hate Mr. Thomas. If Trevor hated him, then destroying Mr. Thomas' house would be revenge. But, Mr. Thomas doesn't hate him. For example, "'Of course I don't hate him,' T. said. 'There'd be no fun if I hated him.' The last burning note illuminated his brooding face." (p. 174)
5.) When Mr. Thomas returns early, why does Trevor protest, "It isn't fair"? (p. 175)
Trevor protests this because he doesn't think it is fair that they didn't get to finish destroying Mr. Thomas' house. For example, "He protested with the fury of the child he had never been, 'It isn't fair.'" (p. 175)
6.) Why does the gang work to destroy the house with "the seriousness of creators"? (p. 172)
The gang wants to really destroy their house. They don't want any hope of rebuilding Mr. Thomas' house. They want every stone and brick in the house destroyed. Since they have to rebuild their houses, they want Mr. Thomas to go through the same situation. For example, "Streaks of light came in through the closed shutters where they worked with the seriousness of creators." (pages 172)
7.) Why is Trevor able to get the gang to carry out his plan to destroy the house?
The plan sounds cooler and it is very daring. The plan to destroy the house sounds much more cooler. For example,"'Free rides,' T. said. 'Kid stuff. You can stand down, Blackie, if you'd rather...' 'The gang's got to vote.' 'Put it up then.'" (p. 169)
8.) Why are we told that "destruction after all is a form of creation"? (p. 172-173)
We are told that "destruction after all is a form of creation" because after destruction, creation is required to rebuild things. (p. 172) Creation is after destruction.
9.) What does the author mean when he says that Trevor had "a kind of imagination" that "had seen this house as it had now become"? (p. 173)
Trevor had a vision. He didn't just plan to destroy the house. He planned from the beginning to destroy the house. For example, "A kind of imagination had seen this house as it had now become." (p. 173)
10.) Why does an "odd exhilaration" seize the boys as they look down into the partially destroyed house? (p. 174)
They are oddly exhilarated because destroying the house was thrilling. It was an exciting thing and a thrilling thing. It is odd of how much they were capable of destroying the house. For example, "By the evening an odd exhilaration seized them as they looked down the great hollow of the house." (p. 174)
Vocabulary in Context:
1.) Ambiguously - p. 165
Quote: " 'Suppose we are?' he said ambiguously." (p. 165)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): open to any suggestion
Synonym: open-minded
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): He ambiguously said, "I think that's good."
2.) Daunted - p. 168
Quote: "Blackie gve a single hoot of laughter and then, like Mike, fell quiet, daunted by the serious impacable gaze." (p. 168)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): to make someone feel intimidated
Synonym: apprehensive
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): Some people are daunted by technology
3.) Altruistic - p. 169
Quote: "Driven by the pure, simple, and altruistic ambition of fame for the gang, Blackie came back to whre T. stood in the shadow of Old Misery's wall." (p. 169)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): to be disinterested for other's concerns
Synonym: unselfish
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I question how altruistic his motives were.
4.) Superficial - p. 173
Quote: "By the tie Mike returned they were on the top floor, and by six the superficial damage was completed." (p. 173)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): existing on a platform
Synonym: occuring
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The building suffered only superficial damage.
5.) Exhilaration - p. 174
Quote: "By the evening a odd exhilaration seized them as tey looked down the great hollow of the house." (p. 174)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): to be excited
Synonym: happiness
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): They felt the exhilaration of happiness.
Thinking Map:Use textual evidence to show examples of when Trevor is trying to be part of the gang or when Trevor is trying to separate himself from the gang. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
Trevor is part of the gang:
• he votes and proposes stuff they can do
• he takes orders from the leader of the gang
• he suggests the plan to destroy Mr. Thomas' house
• he tells everyone what to do and to bring to Mr. Thomas' house
• he responds when his name is called
Trevor is not part of the gang:
• he insists to keep destroying the house while the rest of the gang suggest they run away
• he burns Mr. Thomas' money only with Blackie
• he was quiet and never spoke at the beginning of the story
• he makes the plan himself to destroy the house
• he visits the house alone. He visits Mr. Thomas' house by himself