Name________________________
Date_________________________
NIGHTJOHN
Answer the following sentences in complete sentences. You MUST include the
question in the answer! Following each chapter, you will use the questions and
answer to write a summary of the chapter. The length of the summary will
depend on the number of questions and the length to the chapter. All questions
must be addressed in the summary. I WILL NOT TELL YOU HOW MANY
SENTENCES EACH SUMMARY WILL CONTAIN!!!
CHAPTER ONE
1.
Sarny is our narrator. What point of view is used in the story? How can you
tell?
2.
What do we know about Sarny?
3.
Why do people think Sarny is dumb? What do you think?
4.
Who’s Clel Waller? What does Sarny think of him? How can you tell?
Where’s the simile about him on page 16? What does it mean?
5.
How old was Sarny when she lost her mom? Does she seem to remember
much about her? How do you know? What type of conflict would that have
been for her mom?
6.
Who is Delie?
7.
What do the slave children do during the day?
Writing Exercise
1. Pick three adjectives to describe Sarny from what we’ve read so far. Go
back through the first chapter and find a sentence to quote and prove each
one. Write your answers in complete sentences.
Example: I think Ed is mean, because on page 36 the author says, “Ed
pushed Steve to the ground.” This shows that Ed picks on other people,
which proves he is mean.
CHAPTER 2
1.
Why did Sarny have to chew on tobacco leaves?
2.
What sort of relationship does the missus have with slaves?
3.
Delie told Sarny to hide the money she found. She said, “Somebody see
that and they’ll come along and take it from you.” Infer what might have
made Delie say that.
4.
Why do you think Waller did not let the slaves pray?
5.
What’s the simile on page 23?
6.
What can you predict about Nightjohn if he cost Waller $1,000 to buy?
CHAPTER 3
1.
Waller doesn’t have an overseer. Why does Sarny think this is? Waller does
have drivers. What do they have?
2.
Describe how Nightjohn was "brought in." Why would Waller have brought
him in that way?
3.
What marks are on Nightjohn’s body? What does that tell you about
Nightjohn?
4.
What does Nightjohn want? Why is Sarny reluctant to share this item with
Nightjohn?
5.
What had Delie warned Sarny about when she caught her writing “100 lbs”
in the past?
6.
What can Nightjohn offer to Sarny?
7.
What does he teach her?
8.
According to Nightjohn, why don't white people want slaves to learn how to
read?
9.
What is one example of external conflict in this chapter? Describe the
conflict.
10. What is one example of internal conflict in this chapter? Describe the
conflict.
11. What’s an example of cause and effect in this section?
Writing Exercise
1.
Is learning how to read worth the risk? Would you take the risk? Why or why
not?
2.
Summarize a typical day in the life of a field slave. (29-31)
CHAPTER 4
1.
Summarize what happened to Alice. This answer should be at least five (5)
sentences in length!
2.
Why would a slave owner want to make other slaves watch a slave get
punished?
3.
Summarize what happened to Jim. Be specific! Answers must be at least
five creative and strong sentences in length. Include at least three details
from the text.
4.
Summarize what happened to Pawley. Be specific! Answers must be at
least five creative and strong sentences in length. Include at least three
details from the text.
5.
Why is Delie upset when she finds Nightjohn teaching Sarny?
6.
John ran away once successfully. Why did he return?
7.
Why does John say that the slave have to learn to read and write? What are
your thoughts/opinions on this?
8.
Would you have helped others like Harriet Tubman and Nightjohn if you had
escaped to freedom? Why or why not?
9.
What predictions do you have for what will happen in the book? What led
you to make those predictions?
CHAPTER 5
1.
What was Sarny’s first word? Why did Sarny make the word everywhere?
2.
What was Sarny's excuse to Waller when he saw her writing the word?
What does Waller do to her? Where does she run?
3.
Who pays the price for Sarny's carelessness?
4.
Why does he punish mammy? What does he do to her?
5.
Why does John come forward? Should he have?
6.
What is the punishment for reading and writing? What does Waller do to
Nightjohn?
7.
How would this chapter be different if it had been written from Delie's point
of view?
8.
How would the whole novel change if it had been written from Waller’s point
of view?
WRITING EXERCISE
1. Rewrite an event from Chapter 5 (at least 6 creative and strong sentences)
from Delie’s, Nightjohn’s, or Waller’s point of view.
CHAPTER 6
1.
What does John do the second night? Does this surprise you? What does
this tell you about him? Is that a good decision?
2.
What were Nightjohn's plans?
4.
Delie says Nightjohn was “always going” and that he was “born to leave.”
What does she mean by this? Do you agree or disagree? Why?
5.
What can you infer about Nightjohn and Delie’s relationship?
6.
Nightjohn tells Sarny that he will be back? Do you believe him?
CHAPTER 7
1.
What happened to Nightjohn after he left?
2.
Where did John take Sarny?
3.
Who else was there?
4.
What book did John have?
5.
Why did Sarny cry?
6.
What predictions do you have for the future of Sarny and Nightjohn?
Writing Exercise:
1. What’s the tone and mood at the beginning of the book? Give support.
2.
What is it at the end of the book? Give support.
3.
What was the author’s purpose behind this book? What did they want to
accomplish? Give support.