Characters
Who is the main character of the story?
The boatman
Where does much of the story take place?
Near the river, where the boatman works.
What does the boatman do for a living?
He works on the river, transporting people/goods by boat.
What instrument is the center of the story?
A flute.
What is one possible theme of the story?
What is the boatman known for doing well?
Playing his flute
What does the boatman use to travel along the river?
A ghe.
What does the boatman do with his flute?
He plays music on it.
When does the boatman play the flute?
While traveling the river.
What does the story teach us about judging people by their appearance?
We should not judge someone only by how they look?
How does the Mandarin's daughter feel about the boatman's music?
She enjoys and appreciates it.
How does the setting connect to the boatman's job?
He travels on the river as a part of his work.
What happens when the Mandarin hears about the boatman's flute?
He ordered his servants to search the river for a man in a small ghe playing a bamboo flute.
How does the boatman feel about his flute?
He loves it and is proud of it.
What is a stronger theme. 'The boatman plays a flute' or 'Art can connect people' why?
'Art can connect people' because it expresses a larger lesson supported by the story.
Who is the Mandarin in the story?
He is an important, powerful man in the community.
Where does the mandarin's daughter live?
With her father in his palace.
What happens to the Mandarin's daughter when the boatman stops coming to play his flute?
She became very distraught and sick.
What do people hear when he plays his flute?
Beautiful music.
What can we learn from the Mandarin's daughter's reaction to the boatman?
Not to judge someone too quickly and not to judge only on their appearance.
How does the Mandarin's daughter help show the importance of the boatman's music?
Her reaction shows that the music can affect and connect people from different backgrounds.
How is the mandarin's home and lifestyle different from the boatman's?
The mandaring lives in a wealthy, fancy home, while the boatman has a simpler life on the river.
She thought he was ugly and out of politeness gave a slight bow and walked away.
Why did the Mandarin want the boatman's flute?
He wanted it to help his daughter.
What does the story show about using your talents to help others?
Our talents can be used to make a difference and help people. Just like the flute helped the Mandarin's daughter.