Characters
What is the name of the school Dahl attended?
St Peter's Prep
What is one reason boys are sent food from home?
Headmaster tells the parents to send it; the mothers want to send their child food and things for their tuck boxes
What figurative language does Dahl use to describe the Headmaster when he says "he gave me the kind of flashing grin a shark might give to a small fish just before he gobbles it up" ?
Metaphor
Why does Thwaites' father tell the story about the Licorice bootlaces?
To keep his son from eating too much candy
At the beginning of the story, we learn Dahl wants to be what kind of boy?
Cool like the 12 year old bike rider
What is the role of the Headmaster?
Principal of the school
Why are tuck boxes so important?
It is a personal keepsake box for boys to store their personal belongings.
What does the Shark comparison imply about the Headmaster?
He has tremendous power and strength and is unreliable and not to be trusted.
What role does the Matron play in the story?
She is a strict supervisor that watches over the boys in their dormitory.
How does Dahl feel about his teachers and headmasters?
Roald often feels scared of his teachers and headmasters.
How does Dahl feel about boarding school initially?
Nervous and apprehensive
How does Dahl's attitude change towards boarding school throughout the story?
At first he is nervous, but then he makes friends and becomes more comfortable
How does Dahl describe the school building?
He compares it to a lunatic asylum.
What emotions does Roal Dahl describe feeling when the Matron comes storming in to the room when Tweedie is snoring?
He was frightened and scared seeing her shadow and none of the boys dared to move.
How does Dahl change as he gets older?
Roald becomes braver and more independent. He learns from his mistakes, stands up for himself, and starts to understand the rules and the adults around him better.
What is Dahl's mother concerned about?
What does Dahl mean by "growing apprehensive" as they drive closer to the boarding school?
He's getting more and more nervous
What is the effect of using figurative language?
It creates descriptive, vivid imagery.
How does figurative language help the reader imagine Dahl’s feelings?
Figurative language shows what Dahl felt inside.
What experiences help Roald become braver or more independent?
Getting punished at school, trying new adventures, and helping or playing with friends all help Roald become braver.
What does Dahl refer to as extremely important to boys?
Tuck boxes
What central idea about new adventures can you infer from the passage?
New adventures can be both scary and exciting
Dahl conveys fear through vivid sensory language, using language that activates the senses, and a child’s exaggerated point of view.
Dahl describes feeling terrified of the headmaster by saying he felt “like a tiny mouse in a room full of lions.” What is saying here?
This simile shows how small and powerless he felt. He chose this comparison because it helps the reader understand his fear and how overwhelming the headmaster seemed to a child.
How do Roald’s childhood experiences shape the kind of writer he becomes later in life?
Roald’s childhood experiences give him ideas for stories. The adventures, scary teachers, and funny or strange events at school help him create exciting and imaginative books later on.