English Notes October 16, 2015
1.
This Boy’s Life Questions pages 121-136
What realization does Jack/Tobias have after his son is born? (121-122)
Jack imagines his father being good—since he is absent from his life, it is easy to imagine him as
good.
“I could give him sterling qualities and imagine good reasons, even romantic reasons, why he
had taken no interest, why he had never written to me…”
Flash-forward-- When Jack becomes a father and is in his “father’s shoes” he can’t understand
why his father left him. He discusses when his newborn baby had blood taken (nurse had
trouble taking blood) and how he felt like he “had snatched him from a pack of wolves, and as I
held him something hard broke in me, and I knew that I was more alive than I had been before.”
He realizes he could never part from his child. Having a child makes him realize what his
father should have felt.
2.
Discuss how Skipper is characterized on 123-124. What is revealed about him in these
scenes? Why is this important to the book?
Skipper is moved by the song on the radio, “The Everglades” by the Kingston Trio, because he
can relate to fear. This is the second time Skipper has displayed emotion.
The second time Skipper cried is after his car’s paint job was ruined by a sand storm.
3.
Bobby Crow—Norma’s boyfriend. He is Native American, short, soft-spoken, and a skilled
athlete.
4. Basketball game—Dwight won’t buy Jack sneakers that fit (he complains that his feet keep
growing and need to stop at a size). He is forced to play the game in regular shoes. He feels like
an outcast because he doesn’t have the right gear. People are looking at him because he is
different and they are laughing. At the same time a woman is shrieking in the stands and
ejected from the game. Both Jack and the woman are outcasts.
5.
Jack’s realization about Norma and Bobby

Jack realizes that Bobby and Norma were having an intimate relationship in the car prior
to his arrival.
Jack is jealous. We know he likes Norma. He imagines being in an adult relationship
with her and would slap her, throw her out of their imaginary mansion, and take back
her fancy clothes. *Remember, Jack is used to seeing abusive men. Eventually, though,
in his imagination he would let her back in (we know he cares about her, he’s not
abusive like Roy and Dwight).
6. Rosemary and Dwight:
 Dwight blames the gun on his ability to shoot. Changing guns did not make him a better
marksman!
 Dwight is insecure about his masculinity.
 Their relationship is awful. It is in stark contrast to Dwight’s behavior when he was courting
Rosemary (he tried hard to impress her, seemed earnest).
 Rosemary has given up. She can’t run away any more. She accepts Dwight’s behavior,
won’t referee, and will let Dwight drive drunk.
7.
Jack reveals the following:
 He is a liar.
 He is a thief. He steals coins from people on his paper route.
 He thinks about killing Dwight.
 He defines himself by opposition to Dwight. Jack ignores Dwight’s criticisms.
8.
Jack no longer cares about Dwight’s criticisms. In a way this is good because Dwight can no
longer hurt Jack’s feelings. However, Jack adopts the identity of a liar and thief. He stopped
caring—doesn’t want to change.
9. What drives Dwight’s actions?


Dwight drives erratically because it gives him power. Earlier in the evening he lost at shooting
(Rosemary won). He feels emasculated (not manly) and compensates by drinking and driving
the car recklessly with Rosemary, Pearl, and Jack inside.
Dwight laughs to show he is unafraid. Really, we know that he is insecure about his own
masculinity.
In-class reading from page 137:


Jack steals a letter from his mother’s bureau. It contains the address of his Uncle Stephen who
lives in Paris. He writes to him, creates a “nightmare picture” of his life in Chinook (creates a
story). He awaits his reply.
Rosemary questions Jack’s letter (Stephen sent a reply). Stephen “expressed his shock and
sympathy” at their situation, but can’t rescue them both. He proposes sending Jack over to
Paris to live and study. If Jack is in Paris, his mother could then be free to find work and escape
Dwight. Stephen also enclosed a check.


Jack takes on special projects in school about France. He learns how to play the harmonica. He
does this in preparation for his move.
Jack’s Uncle Stephen rethinks the plan—says that Jack should remain in Paris for 5 years, until
he finishes high school. They also want to adopt him to become parental figures.