The Society
John's father was a ________ and he too would become one.
a priest
If something is cleansed or made clean it is ______
purified
John sees these "god roads" that once crossed rivers
What are bridges
What is one thing from the text that shows John as a brave individual?
Answers will vary (could reference his willingness to go to the Place of the Gods because his vision told him to)
How does the story illustrate the idea that true wisdom may require knowledge of painful truths?
Answers will vary. Be sure to point to specific examples.
This group of people in John's society were considered "ignorant"
Who are the forest people
If I command or ask you to do something, one might say I ________ you to
bade
John sees an image of this person, who he calls "ASHING"
Who is George Washington
What does John eventually realize about the gods?
They were just men. He gains the full knowledge of the past.
Explain the meaning behind John's statement, "They were great, they were mighty, they were wonderful and terrible." What is the author (Benet) trying to express with this idea?
Answers will vary. Should address the idea of what man is capable of and how that serves as a cautionary tale.
In John's society, people collected _______ from the dead places.
metal
Someone who brags about an accomplishment might be accused of ________
boasting
John encounters this, which he sees as "UBTREAS"
What is the Subtreasury
How are John's brothers characterized in the beginning of the story?
They are not to be priests, like John. They are hunters who give John the good meat and the place by the fire. Their roles are as supporters to the priests and those in the society.
Explain the metaphor, "Truth is a hard deer to hunt"
This metaphor conveys that absolute, unfiltered knowledge is extremely difficult to find and can be incredibly dangerous.
In John's society, it was forbidden to go _________ to the _______________.
east to the Place of the Gods.
Patrick looked at Tom with ________, cold eyes and said, "You better not do that again."
stern
John sees this river which he calls "Ou-dis-an"
What does John's death song help to show about him?
Answers will vary. Should address how he was nervous (knees felt like water) but how the song is like his "hype song" to give himself the courage to keep going. He realizes that he is capable and has the ability to keep going (for ex, how he killed the panther and went to places and did not die).
In the end of the story, what are John's thoughts about New York and continuing to "eat" the knowledge?
He says, "We must build again," but he acknowledges that "perhaps, in the old days, they ate knowledge too fast." This implies that while he wants to rebuild, he knows to be cautious.
John was a man of the ______ people. The women in his tribe could sew, and his people also had access to the old texts
hill people
Madeline was _______ by the fact that her cat had somehow gotten to the top of the tree. She had no idea how that could have happened.
perplexed
John sees this building with its night sky and "caves" and "tunnels"
What is Grand Central Station
What is one example from the text that helps to show John's father as a wise man?
Should John's society try to rebuild? Why or why not? Explain your answer thoroughly.
Answers will vary