Character Motivation
Lydia's plans to leave Forrestville are driven primarily by her desire to
pursue a future shaped by her ambitions rather than the town's expectations
What town and state is the novel set in?
Forrestville, Tennessee
The reason Travis is so fascinated by the fantasy world of the Bloodfall books.
He uses fantasy to escape his bleak reality and to find meaning, companionship, and a better possible future
What do you Zentner wants young people to realize when they feel limited (held back) by their life circumstances?
The influence of a person's family and location they are raised in can create barriers, but with courage, support from friends, and effort, our identity and future is under our control.
What message does the novel send about leaving the small town you were raised in?
Leaving can create opportunities, but it does not erase relationships, grief, or personal history.
What motivates Dill to question the future that his family and community expect for him?
He wants to define himself not be labeled by his family history
Why does a very small, southern town make the ideal setting for the plot?
In a small southern town, everyone knows everyone and his/her actions
Religion is a huge part of daily life
How would you describe the friendship of the three best friends?
They offer each other support and belonging while they each confront their future.
Zentner shares each character's inner life and contrasts each friend's hopes and stuggles. What is he encouraging young readers to reflect upon?
Becoming an adult is complex and challenging, but if we reject stereotypes and manage our limitations our future is ours to create.
What describes the theme of coming-of-age in the novel?
The three friends face choices that test how they understand themselves and their futures.
What could have caused Dill's father to become a snake handling preacher?
His father's obsession with killing snakes.
Why did Lydia spell Forrestville with only one "r"?
She said the second "r" stood for racism and the town was named after the founder of the Ku Klux Klan
Which theme is developed by the contrast between Lydia's plans for the future and Dill's uncertain future?
Ambition and opportunity can look very different for people growing up in the same place.
Why does Lydia encourage Dill to enter the talent contest?
To build his confidence and to help him see himself with a bright future.
How does Travis's tragic death affect the earlier scenes of friendship and hope?
Friendship can provide belonging and care, but it cannot prevent life's hardships.
What could be a cause of Travis's father's alcoholism and inability to show love to Travis?
His dissatisfaction with his own life
Matthew's death
He valued only "manly" qualities such as playing football and being a soldier
Why did Lydia feel that Forrestville was a bad place to grow up?
The citizens were narrow minded, racist, and homophobic
The town stifled personal growth and change
Why is Dill's music important to his development as a character?
His songs give him the freedom to be his true self-not an echo of his father and grandfather's lives.
Which character provided much needed support to Dill and helped Dill see what he had been denied by his father?
Dr. Blankenship (Lydia's dad)
What themes are explored in the novel?
friendship, opportunity, personal identity, grief, possibility of change, impact of family on personal identity, impact of location on personal identity
What could motivate Dill's mother to make excuses for her husband's behavior?
She had been brainwashed by her husband.
She had low self-esteem and believed she had to depend on her husband.
Why would the plot not have unfolded the same way if the setting of the novel had been Chicago or Los Angeles?
The entire town would not know Dill's father and what he did
People in a big city are accustomed to and respect diversity
In a big city, there are endless life style options and paths to choose -not pressure to follow an expected role
How would you describe Lydia's relationship with her ambitious goals?
She pursues a future beyond Forrestville but still cares about those she is leaving behind.
Choose either Travis's father or Dill's father and describe the mistakes he made as a parent that damaged his son.
Travis's father- verbal and physical abuse, comparing Travis to his older brother, criticism, blaming Travis for his failures, transferring blame for his own frustration and failures to Travis, crushing Travis's self-confidence
Dill's father- twisting religious faith and using it to manipulate Dill, comparing Dill to himself, putting his needs before Dill's, blaming his crime on Dill, verbal and emotional abuse, making Dill feel like a failure, crushing Dill's self confidence, forcing Dill to pay off his debts
Why does Jeff Zentner blend humor and warmth with tragic events?
He is reflecting the ebb and flow of life as a human being.