Mrs. Pienciak
1/14/14
Lyddie
Chapter One Notes
Setting
-November, 1843
-Lyddie’s house
-Farm in Vermont
Characters
(and page #)
Introduced on pg. 1Lyddie-13 years old
Charles-Lyddie’s brother, 10
Agnes-Lyddie’s sister, 4
Rachel-Lyddie’s sister, 6
Mama
----------------------------Introduced on pg.4Clarissa-Mama’s sister
Judah-Clarissa’s husband
The Stevens-Lyddie’s neighbors
Plot
-A bear entered Lyddie and her family’s
home, and is searching for food. Lyddie
takes the lead and tries to protect her
family.
-As a result, Mama plans on taking the
family to Poultney (Aunt Clarissa and
Uncle Judah’s farm).
-Father left home three years ago in
search of “vain riches”.
-Lyddie stayed behind to take care of the
farm; Charles plans on returning to help
Lyddie.
-After Lyddie and Charlie survive the
winter at the farm, Mama “sells” Lyddie
and Charles to to different places, Lyddie
to the tavern, and Charles to the Mill, and
the family farm in order to repay old
debts.
How do setting, character, and/or plot
interact?
When Lyddie’s mother decides to go to
her sister’s farm, what do Lyddie and
Charlie do? What does this show about
Lyddie’s relationship with her mother and
with her brother?
-Lyddie and Charles stay behind to take
care of the farm.
-It seems as though Lyddie cares for her
mother, but does not receive the same love
and affection in return; Lyddie and Charles
clearly look out for one another. Due to
their mother’s state of mind, Lyddie and
Charles had to take on more responsibility
and act as the adults in the family. This
created a very strong bond between them.
Mrs. Pienciak
1/16/14
Lyddie
Chapter 2 Notes
Setting
-May…June
-Stevens farm
-end up at their jobsCutler’s Tavern and
Baker’s Mill
Characters
(and page #)
Stevens Family
-Luke- youngest son, helpful to
the Lyddie and Charlie-drives
them to their new jobs, offers to
look after their house while they
are gone as well as Charlie
-Mr. Stevens-Quaker, helpful to
Lyddie and Charlie, offers them
food and buys the cow from
them
Lyddie
-she attended school, but stopped
when her father left them
Plot
1. Lyddie and Charles clean up, lock up
their farmhouse
2. They travel down the road to the
Stevens farm and Lyddie convinces Mr.
Stevens to buy the cow
3. Mr. Stevens offers them a meal
4. Luke takes Lyddie and Charlie on a
buggy ride to their new lives
How do setting, character, and/or plot
interact?
What happened to Lyddie and Charlie’s
father? How does that affect their
plans?
Lyddie and Charlie’s father went to look
for gold, and has been gone for three
years. Their lives are affected because
they now have to work to pay off their
family’s debts. They are no longer able to
live on their family farm, and they will
be separated from one another.
Name two ways that the Stevens family
helped Lyddie and Charlie.
The Stevens family helped Lyddie and
Charlie by giving them food and buying
the cow.
Mrs. Pienciak
1/24/14
Lyddie
Chapter 3 Notes
Setting
Characters
Plot
Response to Literature
(identify, then describe)
(include page #)
(events)
(prediction, question, connection, reflection)
-Cutler’s Tavern
-still late Spring, 1843
-kitchen, large with huge fireplace
***
-late August, 1843, still at Cutler’s
Tavern
-Lowell factory in MA
-Mistress Cutler-stout
1. Lyddie arrives at the
woman-pg. 20-rude to
Cutler’s Tavern, and will be
Lyddie, told her to wash up, working “like a slave”.
make herself presentable
2. As the new girl, Lyddie
-pink silk dress lady-pg. 19, takes in her new surroundings
25-factory girl who tells
and meets new people; some
Lyddie that she could work nice, and some not so nice.
at the factory, be
3. Lyddie is told to clean
independent and earn $2 a
herself up as she is not
week
presentable enough to be
-Triphena-pg. 21-cook in
working at the tavern.
kitchen
4. She cleans herself up, and
begins her work as a kitchen
helper.
5. After a few months, the
pink silk dress lady returns,
and shares what she does for a
living with Lyddie.
Ex. Response-Question
At the beginning of chapter 3, Lyddie arrives at
Cutler’s Tavern in the late spring of 1843. She meets
Mistress Cutler, who she now works for, and is ordered
to clean herself in order to look more presentable. Over
the summer months, Lyddie helps out in the kitchen.
In August, a young lady, dressed in a pink silk dress
and bonnet, visits the tavern again. She explains to
Lyddie that she works for a factory in Lowell, and that
she makes $2 a week(which would make her
independent). I wonder if Lyddie will leave the tavern
and work at the factory. If Lyddie leaves the tavern,
would her mother’s debts be considered repayed?
Could she get in trouble? Perhaps, Lyddie won’t leave
for fear that if her father returned, she would miss him.
I hope to find out answers to my questions soon.
Mrs. Pienciak
1/24/14
Lyddie
Chapter 4 Notes
Setting
Characters
Plot
Response to Literature
(identify, then describe)
(include page #)
(events)
(prediction, question, connection,
reflection)
Mrs. Pienciak
1/28/14
Lyddie
Chapter 5 Notes
Setting
Characters
Plot
(identify, then describe)
(include page #)
(events in the story)
-second week of April
-black man –pg. 38
1. Mistress Cutler left for Boston to visit
her sister; Triphena, Lyddie, and Willie
were left to clean the tavern.
2. Triphena gave Lyddie permission to go
and check on her house and brother.
3. Lyddie first stopped to see her brother,
but he wasn’t there because he was at
school.
4. Finally, Lyddie reached her cabin to
discover that while it was in good shape,
there was a black man staying in her home.
What parts did you need to reread?
Why?
On page 35, I reread “And though there
was a bit of fresh snow toward the end
of the month, Lyddie knew it for the
sham winter it was. Spring could not
be denied forever.” I needed to reread
this section because I was confused as
to what the author meant by the word
“sham”. Through rereading, I now
understand that it was a mild winter,
even though it snowed a bit in April.
On page 37, I reread “She would not be
envious of Charlie. They were nearly
the same person, weren’t they?” I
needed to reread this because I didn’t
understand how they were the “same
person.” Through rereading, I now
understand that Lyddie is just as
excited that Charlie is attending school
again, it is as if she is also attending
school.
Mrs. Pienciak
1/28/14
Lyddie
Chapter 6 Notes
Setting
Characters
Plot
(identify, then describe)
(include page #)
(events in the story)
What parts did you need to reread?
Why?
(Will vary)
Chapter 6 Questions
 Why did Lyddie give Ezekial the money? Lyddie gave Ezekial the money because she
empathized with him. Ezekial was trying to escape to the north, and she gave him the money
to help him along with way.
 What character traits does this show? As a result of this interaction with Ezekial, this shows
that Lyddie is caring, helpful, thoughtful, generous, giving because she was willing to help a
friend in need. She hopes that the money will help Ezekial and his family; something that she
cannot do for her own at this time.
Mrs. Pienciak
2/6/14
Lyddie
Chapters 7-8
Literary Element Focus: Characterization
Period 2/3
Period 8/9
Leader
Loyal leader
Youthful
Young
Determined
Determined
Daring
Daring
Irritated by mom’s actions
Intelligent and independent
Encouraging
Emotionally strong
Lyddie’s strengths: does not appear to care what others think of her(47-48), strong, tough(50)
Lyddie’s weaknesses: lack of money(46-47), lack of housing (50-51)
Hardships Lyddie has to face: weather-rain(47), lack of proper apparel (46)
Hopes Lyddie has: to make money so she can get her farm, and more importantly family, back together (51)
Mrs. Pienciak
2/12/14
Lyddie
Setting
Chapter 9 Notes
Characters
Plot
How do setting, character, and/or plot
interact?
List three things that Lyddie notices on her first
day in the weaving room about the work and the
working conditions.
Why do Lyddie’s roommates tell her she should
not go and see Diana?
How does Diana help Lyddie?
Quotes…
“No one seemed to mind the deafening din. How could they stand it?” (p. 62)
“How could she say she could hardly see anything in the morning gloom of the huge, barnlike room, the very
air a soup of dust and lint?” (p. 63)
“She [Lyddie] took pride in her strength, but it took all of her might to yank the metal lever into place.… Still,
the physical strength the work required paled beside the dexterity needed to rethread a shuttle quickly, or,
heaven help her, tie one of those infernal weaver’s knots” (p. 65).
Mrs. Pienciak
Lyddie
QUESTION
1. The text says: “Now that she thought of it, she could
hardly breathe, the air was so laden with moisture and
debris” (75).
• What does laden mean? How do you know?
• What would it feel like to breathe air “laden with
moisture and debris”?
2/20/14
Chapter 10
ANSWER
The word laden on page 75 means thick, almost humid
like, describing the consistency of the air. I know this
because in the same paragraph as the quote, Lyddie
describes how hot the room was, and how she needed
to cough in order to breath. Breathing in air “laden
with moisture and debris” would feel like a hot, humid
day or even when you have a cold. It both situations it
is hard to breath.
2. The text says: “Even though Diana had stopped the The phrase “bowels of the machine” on page 75 means
loom, Lyddie stood rubbing the powder into her
the inside of the machine. The author, Katherine
fingertips, hesitating to plunge her hands into the
Paterson, is personifying the inside of the machine, and
bowels of the machine” (75).
compares it to the intestines in a person. She does this
• What does the phrase bowels of the machine mean?
because she wants the reader to feel how hesitant
• Personifying is to give the characteristics of a person Lyddie is delving into the insides of the machine, just
or animal to a non-living object. What is Paterson
as someone would be hesitant to delve into the insides
personifying? Why does she do this?
of a person. The core of the machine is clearly very
important.
3. “Her quiet meals in the corner of the kitchen with
The word meager on page 76 means not a lot. I know
Triphena, even her meager bowls of bark soup with the that meager means not a lot of something because
seldom talkative Charlie, seemed like feasts compared Lyddie does not come from wealth and usually was not
to the huge, rushed, noisy affairs in Mrs. Bedlow’s
privileged enough to have big meals. Though it is
house” (76).
contradictory to suggest a meager meal could be a
• What does the word meager mean? How do you
feast, for Lyddie, she seems to prefer a more quiet and
know?
reserved setting for eating because that is what she is
• It’s contradictory to suggest a meager meal could be used to.
a feast. How could this be true for Lyddie?
Mrs. Pienciak
Lyddie
2/20/14
Chapter 11
*You may want to complete chapter notes in order to better help you answer the following questions*
QUESTION
1. How is life different for Lyddie in the summer?
Why?
2. What does Lyddie buy? Why?
ANSWER
Lyddie is becoming comfortable in the factory during
the summer months. This is evident because early in
the chapter, Diana noticed a change in Lyddie. Diana
said, “You’re settling in faster than I thought”. The
author shared that Lyddie admits she is not really
getting used to her surroundings, but moreso that she
had found a way to “escape its grasp”. Lyddie is
becoming a skilled loom worker. Evidence to support
this is other workers are leaving therefore, giving
Lyddie the opportunity to get a better wage by working
more looms. As stated on page 82, Diana says that
“there’ll be three looms for you to tend, a nice fat raise
to your wages for these several weeks.” Lyddie will
be able to make more money this summer.
Lyddie bought a light work dress for the summer and
she bought a copy of Oliver Twist to read on her own.
She bought the book to learn how to read by herself
because Betsy was leaving the boarding house. Lyddie
really connected to the story because she recalled
nights, like in chapter 10, when her and Charlie were
forced to go to bed hungry, just like Oliver in the book.
Mrs. Pienciak
Lyddie
Setting
2/21/14
Chapter 12
*shared answers orally in class*
Characters
Plot
Questions
How does the letter from
Lyddie’s mother affect
her?
What are Betsy and
Amelia arguing about?
Does Lyddie agree with
either of them?
Mrs. Pienciak
Lyddie
Setting-be descriptive
 Boarding house
5, her bedroom,
dining hall
 Factory room
Characters-be descriptive
 Dr. Craven, took care of
Lyddie and didn’t charge
Lyddie
 Ezekial Freeman, wrote
to Lyddie thanking her
for loaning him money
and gave her 50 dollars
 Brigid is a new factory
girl who is very poor and
smells very bad
 Amelia left because she
was tired of the factory
life
 Betsy was very ill, signed
the petition, and then left
due to her illness
 Luke Stevens came to
visit Lyddie and brought
her the message from
Ezekial.
Plot-put events in order
1. Dr. Craven took care
of Lyddie.
2. Lyddie goes back to
work.
3. Amelia decides to
leave the factory life.
Betsy becomes more ill.
4. Lyddie trains the new
worker, Brigid.
5. Betsy signs the
petition.
6. Luke Stevens visits
Lyddie.
7. Lyddie banks the
money that Ezekial gave
her.
8. Lyddie writes to her
mom asking her about
how much money they
owe for the farm.
3/10/14
Chapter 14
Questions-use evidence to
support
Should Lyddie sign the
petition? Why or why not?
Period 2/3
Y
111
N
1111
Period 8/9
Y
N
111
1
1. What about the working
conditions makes Betsey think
she should sign the petition?
2. Lyddie says, “If we just work
ten hours, we’d be paid much
less” (91). What can you infer the
petition is calling for exactly?
What does Lyddie think will
happen to her wages if the mill
owners listen to the petition?
3. Workers who signed the
petition might be blacklisted (92).
What does this mean exactly?
4. How does Lyddie compare the
factor work to her life in the
tavern?
5. Lyddie says, “I got to have the
money. I got to pay the debts
before…” (92). What is she
inferring?
Mrs. Pienciak
Lyddie
Setting-be descriptive
3/10/14
Chapter 15-16
Characters-be descriptive
Plot-put events in order
Questions-use evidence to
support
1. In Chapter 15, Uncle Judah
shows up at the boardinghouse
where Lyddie lives. Name two
ways that he turned “her life upside
down” (117).
2. Near the end of Chapter 16,
Lyddie isn’t feeling well, and Mr.
Mardsen asks her to wait when the
others leave. “Let me go! She
wanted to cry. She tried to pull
back from him, but he clutched
tighter.… she raised her booted
foot and stomped her heel down
with all her might” (129). What is
Mr. Mardsen trying to do? What
does Lyddie do?
Quote Response:
Which quote best describes Lyddie at this point in the story?
Remember to:
 Explain the quote
 Connect the quote to the text
 Support the connection with specific examples from the text
“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in
circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for
the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them.”
“Always listen to experts. They'll tell you what can't be done, and why. Then do it.”
“Never trust someone that claims they care nothing of what society thinks of them. Instead
of conquering obstacles, they simply pretend they don't exist.”
“If you expect life to be easy, challenges will seem difficult. If you accept that challenges
may occur, life will be easier.”
Mrs. Pienciak
Lyddie
Setting-be descriptive
3/17/14
Chapter 17
Characters-be descriptive
Plot-put events in order
Questions-use evidence to
support
1. How does Lyddie arrange
for Rachel to stay?
2. What is her worry about
Rachel?