• Scratchy: sympathetic? Villain? Comic relief?
• What is the thematic significance of the setting?
– How do the details of the story support the theme? Think about the clothes the characters wear, and Jack’s mindset on the train.
• What is a “drummer”? Why/how does the author use him in Part II?
• What is the role of marriage in this story? How is this particular marriage unique?
• How does Crane play with expectation and disruption?
– Marriage
– Scratchy

• How does the author contrast the physical abilities and personalities of the men with their appearances?
What’s the message/effect?
• What is the effect of the contrast between life and death in Luck’s birth?
– What classical imagery/Biblical symbolism can be linked to
Luck’s birth?
• Why do the men call the baby “Luck”? How “true” is the baby’s name? Give evidence.
• There is a lot of silence in this story. How do the men build relationships throughout the story, especially without much verbal communication?
• Are the men civilized? Why or why not?