star food
ethan canin
Interpretive Questions: Answer all questions in complete sentences, using quotes to support.
1.) Why does Dade spend so much time on the roof of the store?
He is avoiding his responsibilities in the store and day dreaming about what he should do with his life.
2.) Why does Dade try to confuse his father by looking at the clouds when his father speaks to him about his future?
Dade does this to make it seem like is thinking. He also does this because he doesn't know the answer.
3.) Why does Dade think that the discovery of what he wants will come to him when he is on the roof?
He thinks the stars and the universe will give him the answer.
4.) Why does Dade finally tell his mother, “I’m not sure what my dreams are,…And I’m never going to discover anything”? (p. 147)
Dade gets frustrated that he doesn't know what his dreams are and is losing hope in himself.
5.) Why does Dade feel “alone in the world” at the end of the story? (p. 150)
His mom wants him to follow his dreams and his dad wants him to continue with the store. He doesn't know how to please his parents and himself.
6.) Why does Dade let the woman go after they go into the stockroom?
He doesn't know what to say and panics.
7.) Why does Dade feel that the woman who is shoplifting knows something about him?
He feels sympathetic towards her because she understands that she is stealing for her needs and survival.
8.) After he sees the air force jets, why does Dade decide that he wants the woman to be caught?
He's been waiting for a sign and then he sees the jets. He sees the jets as a sign to take action to catch the woman who is shoplifting.
9.) Why does Dade feel “strong and good” when he catches the woman but then feel “flushed…with remorse”? (p. 148)
He's having amoral dilemma. It's between doing the right thing and doing the wrong thing. He thinks he's doing the right thing by catching her, but then realizes she's stealing because she needs to.
10.) Why does Dade walk with the woman after he lets her go?
He's avoiding his father's wrath and he wants answers from her. He wants to know her story.
Vocabulary in Context:
1.) Appease (p. 134)
Quote: "To appease my father I cleaned the electric star, and though he often came outside to sweep, he stopped telling me to come down."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): to satisfy or relieve a demand
Synonym: fulfill, pacify
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): To calm him down, she had to appease his demands and brought him candy.
2.) Competence (p. 137)
Quote: "For years my father had been trying to teach me competence and industry."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): to do something efficiently
Synonym: successfully
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The players shows a great deal of competence in their own positions.
3.) Retrospect (p. 148)
Quote: "I was standing in front of the counter, hands in my pockets, my mother's eyes watering over, the guard looking out the window at a couple of girls, everything revolving around the point of calm that, in retrospect, precedes surprises."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): to review on the past course of events
Synonym: reflect
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): She thought that, in retrospect, she probably shouldn't have leaped off the cliff.
4.) Precedes (p. 148)
Quote: "I was standing in front of the counter, hands in my pockets, my mother's eyes watering over, the guard looking out the window at a couple of girls, everything revolving around the point of calm that, in retrospect, precedes surprises."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): come before something
Synonym: foregoing, prior
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The long commercials precede the movie.
5.) Remorse (p. 148)
Quote: "This flushed me with remorse."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): to feel guilty of something
Synonym: regret
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): She felt remorse after she tripped her friend into the pool.
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when Dade is doing something to please himself or when he is doing something to please others. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
please others
He pleases mom and stares at the stars to find his dreams
Pleases dad when he works at the store and does his responsibilities
He pleases his mom when he lets the shoplifter go out the back door
He pleases his dad when he catches the kid shoplifters
He pleases the shoplifter by letting her go and understanding her
please himself
He goes on to the roof and stares at the stars and the clouds
He lets the shoplifter go even if knows its the wrong thing to do
He tries to avoid the stock work
He lets the thief go so he doesn't feel guilty
He avoids his mom and doesn't go to the store while his mom is waiting from him expectantly.
1.) Why does Dade spend so much time on the roof of the store?
He is avoiding his responsibilities in the store and day dreaming about what he should do with his life.
2.) Why does Dade try to confuse his father by looking at the clouds when his father speaks to him about his future?
Dade does this to make it seem like is thinking. He also does this because he doesn't know the answer.
3.) Why does Dade think that the discovery of what he wants will come to him when he is on the roof?
He thinks the stars and the universe will give him the answer.
4.) Why does Dade finally tell his mother, “I’m not sure what my dreams are,…And I’m never going to discover anything”? (p. 147)
Dade gets frustrated that he doesn't know what his dreams are and is losing hope in himself.
5.) Why does Dade feel “alone in the world” at the end of the story? (p. 150)
His mom wants him to follow his dreams and his dad wants him to continue with the store. He doesn't know how to please his parents and himself.
6.) Why does Dade let the woman go after they go into the stockroom?
He doesn't know what to say and panics.
7.) Why does Dade feel that the woman who is shoplifting knows something about him?
He feels sympathetic towards her because she understands that she is stealing for her needs and survival.
8.) After he sees the air force jets, why does Dade decide that he wants the woman to be caught?
He's been waiting for a sign and then he sees the jets. He sees the jets as a sign to take action to catch the woman who is shoplifting.
9.) Why does Dade feel “strong and good” when he catches the woman but then feel “flushed…with remorse”? (p. 148)
He's having amoral dilemma. It's between doing the right thing and doing the wrong thing. He thinks he's doing the right thing by catching her, but then realizes she's stealing because she needs to.
10.) Why does Dade walk with the woman after he lets her go?
He's avoiding his father's wrath and he wants answers from her. He wants to know her story.
Vocabulary in Context:
1.) Appease (p. 134)
Quote: "To appease my father I cleaned the electric star, and though he often came outside to sweep, he stopped telling me to come down."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): to satisfy or relieve a demand
Synonym: fulfill, pacify
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): To calm him down, she had to appease his demands and brought him candy.
2.) Competence (p. 137)
Quote: "For years my father had been trying to teach me competence and industry."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): to do something efficiently
Synonym: successfully
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The players shows a great deal of competence in their own positions.
3.) Retrospect (p. 148)
Quote: "I was standing in front of the counter, hands in my pockets, my mother's eyes watering over, the guard looking out the window at a couple of girls, everything revolving around the point of calm that, in retrospect, precedes surprises."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): to review on the past course of events
Synonym: reflect
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): She thought that, in retrospect, she probably shouldn't have leaped off the cliff.
4.) Precedes (p. 148)
Quote: "I was standing in front of the counter, hands in my pockets, my mother's eyes watering over, the guard looking out the window at a couple of girls, everything revolving around the point of calm that, in retrospect, precedes surprises."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): come before something
Synonym: foregoing, prior
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The long commercials precede the movie.
5.) Remorse (p. 148)
Quote: "This flushed me with remorse."
Definition (based on context/in your own words): to feel guilty of something
Synonym: regret
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): She felt remorse after she tripped her friend into the pool.
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when Dade is doing something to please himself or when he is doing something to please others. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
please others
He pleases mom and stares at the stars to find his dreams
Pleases dad when he works at the store and does his responsibilities
He pleases his mom when he lets the shoplifter go out the back door
He pleases his dad when he catches the kid shoplifters
He pleases the shoplifter by letting her go and understanding her
please himself
He goes on to the roof and stares at the stars and the clouds
He lets the shoplifter go even if knows its the wrong thing to do
He tries to avoid the stock work
He lets the thief go so he doesn't feel guilty
He avoids his mom and doesn't go to the store while his mom is waiting from him expectantly.