Q&A Book Summary Assignment, Exercises of English

Download Q&A Book Summary Assignment and more Exercises English in PDF only on Docsity!

Please make a copy of this document and rename it with your name before “Book Summary Assignment” (i.e. “Megan - Book Summary Assignment”) When you have finished filling it out, please make sure it is in your Homework Folder. Please complete your book and this sheet NO LATER THAN 12 PM (noon) on December

5. We will be discussing in class on that day and you will need these answers. After the first few chapters (no more than 1/4 of the way through the book), please answer the following questions in complete sentences or a single, cohesive paragraph: 1) What is the name of your book? Author? - A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. 2) What has occurred thus far in the story? - On Christmas day, the same day Marley (Scrooge’s business partner) died seven years ago, Scrooge was visited by two merchants who asked him for a donation to help the poor, and he refused. He was then visited by Marley’s ghost, wrapped with enormous chains and heavy boxes. Marley told Scrooge that if he didn’t change his selfish ways, he too would be like Marley. Scrooge doesn’t believe him, so Marley tells him to expect a visitation from three spirits before the night ends. Then, Scrooge woke up to the appearance of the spirit of Christmas past, which made him revisit his earliest Christmases. He demands to return to his room alone. 3) Is the story more plot-driven or emotion/character-driven? - The story is more plot-driven. 4) Who are the main characters? Please provide some information about your understanding of these individuals. - Scrooge: a selfish old man. - Jacob Marley: Scrooge’s business partner who died seven yeard ago in a Christmas day. - Fred: Scrooge’s kind nephew. - Marleys’s Ghost: Marleys’s ghost who returned to Scrooge wrapped with enormous chains to warn Scrooge to change his ways. - The Spirit of Christmas past: a glowing angelic figure robed in white, who visited Scrooge to make him revisit his earliest Christmases. 5) Which characters do you have stronger feelings about (like, hate, relate to, think are funny, hope they succeed…)?

• I hope that Scrooge succeed in changing his opinions.

6. Is the story told by an exterior narrator, or a character within the book? What POV is the story in (1st, 2nd, 3rd)?

• The story is told by an exterior narrator, a 3d person.

7. What do you think might happen next?

• Another spirit will visit Scrooge.

8. What themes do you see developing in the story? Are there any that already stand out?

• Forgiveness and redemption. When you are roughly halfway through the book, please answer the following questions in complete sentences or a single, cohesive paragraph:

1. What has happened so far (since you last answered questions)?

• The spirit of the Christmas present comes to visit Scrooge. The spirit shows Scrooge how others celebrate Christmas, including his nephew and Bob Cratchit (a poor family).

2. How do you feel about the development of the plot? Is it exciting, intriguing, mysterious? Is it slow, boring, confusing?

• The development of the plot made me feel a little excited to see him change his opinions, but it was a bit expected.

3. How do you feel about the development of the characters? Has any character changed in your view so far? Have any characters emerged as more important than you expected?

• Scrooge’s nephew and Bob Cratchit appeared at the beginning of the story and now they are shown in an important scene.

4. Is the narrator reliable? That is, do you trust them, or have they surprised you?

• I trust the narrator, because he stated what is going to happen from the beginning of the story. When you have finished the book, please summarize the book in no more than 2-3 sentences :

The story is about an old selfish man named Scrooge, who has always hated Christmas. Scrooge’s business partner Marley, who died seven years ago, returns as a ghost wrapped with enormous chains to visit his old friend, and warn him to change his ways before he ends up like Marley. As Scrooge refuses to believe him, Marley tells him to expect two visitations from three spirits before the night is over. Then answer the following questions in complete sentences or a single, cohesive paragraph:

1. In writing your summary, you inevitably left out some key details or events. Name two events or details that were deeply important to the story or character development that you left out. What made you leave those out initially?

• How Scrooge behave towards his nephew.
• When Scrooge stated his opinion about Christmas. These are events that show the character’s personality, but are not necessarily important events in the story. a) Why do you think they are still important enough to mention here?
• Because they explain the personality of the main character.

2. Looking back at what you thought would happen, were you correct? Was there anything in the book that truly surprised you? Was there anything in the book that you predicted, but still took you by surprise when it occurred? Did you hope an event in the book would not happen, but it happened anyway?

• Yes I was correct. I knew a third spirit would visit Scrooge, but I didn’t expect it to be a specter that looks like the grim reaper.
• I hoped the ghost wouldn't show Scrooge his grave in the future and compare it to someone else from the poor family.

3. Was the ending satisfying, even if it was not happy? Did it feel “right” for the story? If so, why; if not, why not?

• The ending was so satisfying, because as readers we were waiting for Scrooge to change his opinions and behavior towards people from the beginning of the story.

4. Did your views on any of the characters change from what you felt at the beginning?

• I changed my view on Scrooge. At the beginning, I thought he was just an old, selfish, cold man that doesn’t care about anyone but himself. Then, I felt sorry for him, because even his behavior at the beginning is kind of understandable after his friend’s death.

5. Pick one character and briefly discuss how he or she changed throughout the story, either from someone good to someone bad, someone bad to someone good, or some other shift in who they were? What event in the story do you think was the catalyst for or motivated that change?
6. What themes do you think the author hoped to explore in this book? What larger universal truths or ideas do you think the author was trying to grapple with? If you have specific examples (scenes, lines of narration, lines of dialogue, symbols or motifs that occurred frequently) of what led you to think this, feel free to include them.