Buried Onions Study Guide Questions
Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
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Chapter 1
Who is telling the story? Where is he from? Identify 5 details about his life?
(2,3,4)
Describe the narrator’s neighborhood. How is it different from the
surrounding neighborhoods? (2,4 last paragraph,12)
What happened to Eddie’s cousin Jesus? How does Eddie think justice will be
served?
(7)
Identify two conflicts that Eddie has in his life right now? (internal and
external) (7,4)
Chapter 2
Why does Eddie have to apologize to Mr. Stiles Neighbor? (23-24)
Why does Eddie pretend he is studying air-conditioning around Mr. Stiles?
(24)
What errand does he have to run for Mr. Stiles in the truck? (25)
What happens to the truck? (29-30)
What does his aunt Dolores want from him? (33)
What does she give him instead of the usual tortillas on the plate? (34)
Chapter 3
1. Why was Eddie at City College? (38-39)
2. Who did Eddie write a letter to? (43-44
3. Who came to visit Eddie in the last night’s reading? Why did they come to see
him? (47-48)
4. How does Eddie use his common sense or street smarts? Use two examples
(41-42)
Chapter 4
1. Who does Norma suspect of killing Jesus? (55)
2. What does Eddie mean when he says her eyes ‘are stamped with so much of
the ugly world” (55)
3. What is the black guy selling when he comes in the restaurant where Eddie is
eating? (61-62)
4. What does this represent in relation to the onion as a symbol in this book?
(61-62)
5. What happens to Jose while Eddie is walking back to the Toyota after calling
Mr. stiles? (65-66)
Chapter 5
1. Identify 4 people that Eddie went to see in this chapter. Explain why he went
to see them. (69)
2. Does Eddie trust the Fresno police? Explain. (83)
3. Why does Eddie call his mother? (72)
4. What did Eddie do at the SPCA that he did not tell his aunt about? Why did he
do this? (78-79)
5. Why is Eddie surprised when he gets to the hospital (84)
6. Is Eddie less or more nervous now about his own safety? Explain and give
two examples. (86,73,71)
7. Who does Jose’s family blame for what happened? (67)
Chapter 6
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What two things does Eddie approach Coach about?(87-88)
While Eddie is talking to Coach, who disrupts their conversation?(92)
Identify two people Coach calls on Eddies behalf? (91)
What causes Eddie to lose interest in the joining the Navy?(98)
When Eddie returns to Mr. Stiles’s house, what two things is he glad to see?
(101)
Chapter 7
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While Eddy and Jose are about to swim, what are they surprised by? (115)
What does Eddy do after he is released from jail? (107)
What is the blind vendor protected by?(109)
What does Eddie admit to when questioned by the police? (106)
After Eddie’s arrest, how do his feelings for Mr. Stiles change? (108-110)
Chapter 8-9
1. What is Eddie’s mother always concerned about, instead of worrying about
his well-being? (122)
2. Why does Eddie call the little boy a “future social worker” (125)
3. Who is Eddie searching for in chapter 8? What happens when they meet up?
(126/131)
4. Is Eddie’s assumption about Angel correct? (126)
5. In chapter 9, why is Eddie crying? (143)
6. What does he mean by saying his “eyes filled and then closed on the last of
his childhood tears”? (146)