How to Pronounce Knife
What is the main character trying to accomplish when she struggles with the English language?
Fit into a new culture
Who is Randy Travis?
A famous country music singer
Who is Jackson?
The narrators boyfriend.
What is Joy/Hulga's major physical characteristic?
She has a wooden leg
What did Manley Pointer keep in the Bible?
Alcohol, cards and a box of condoms.
How does the title "How to Pronounce Knife" represent?
It shows the difficulty of learning English
Who is the author?
Souvankham Thammavongsa
What is the Lake called by the townspeople?
The Lake of Sorrow.
Who is Manley Pointer?
A Bible salesman who deceived Joy/Hulga.
Who is the author of The Stones of Sorrow Lake?
Brenda Peynado
What is a point the author is trying to get across in this short story?
To show a young Childs POV of immigrating to the U.S.
What is the moms 2 obsessions?
Randy Travis & Slot machines
What does the physical weight of the stones represent?
The emotional weight of grief.
Flannery O'Connor
What did the dad buy for his wife with his first paycheck in Randy Travis?
A record player
How does the language barrier affect the young girl?
She gets made fun of.
What is the mom trying to do by fixating on certain things?
She's trying to find her place in the American culture.
Why are the stones important to the people?
They represent the grief the people have experienced.
What does Joy/Hulga think about herself?
She thinks that she is more intelligent and more sophisticated than the people around her.
How does the Bible salesman gain the trust of the family?
By saying he's a good country person and he says he has the same heart condition as Joy/Hulga.
What does the story show about the immigration experience?
It can be difficult to adjust while trying to keep your identity and culture.
Why does her dad keep singing Randy Travis after she dies?
To continue keeping her memory alive
What is a theme in the story?
How people carry their grief.
What is a major theme of the story?
The danger of thinking you're smarter than everyone else
What argument does the little girl make when they tell her how to properly pronounce "knife"?
Letters at the beginning of the word shouldn't be silent.