Characters
Who does Winifred spend the night helping and bonding with, especially by braiding her hair?
Who is Phil? (pg 156–157)
How does Winifred’s relationship with Phil begin to develop after the party events?
They spend nights together, sharing stories and braiding hair (Pg 156–157).
This item/object represents safety, comfort, and a fragile sense of home for Winifred:
“We climbed into the ____, Phil purposely teetering and hollering, threatening to send us spinning to the floor. We clutched onto each other's limbs and tried to synchronize the sink into the curve.” (pg 159)
What is the hammock?
Which part of Toronto first impresses Winifred with different noises, colours, and smells?
What is Chinatown? (pg 160-161)
Which character is responsible for dragging the narrator into unsafe situations/events at parties?
Who is Jen? (pg 144–145)
What item does Winifred give to Penny to resolve tension over Roberta?
What is Robert’s engagement ring? (pg 151–152)
This tree was growing from the resistance fighter’s body after his death, which represents memory, legacy, and how life continues even after death.
What is the fig/willow tree?
How is the Big Bop nightclub described when Winifred enters with Tay and Candy? (give at least two examples)
Very Crowded, dark, smoky, loud, very eventful/chaotic, and with many diverse people (drag queens, dominatrixs,) (pg 163)
Which family member does the narrator (Winifred) struggle to connect with over grief and absence?
Who is her father? (Dimaline 148)
What is Winifred’s experience like when she first explores Toronto with Tay and Candy?
She experiences freedom, nightlife, parties, new people, and a new sense of adventure away from her everyday life (pg 161–163)
Which recurring activity with Phil and Winfred symbolizes trust and comfort?
Braiding Hair
This space gives Winifred a sense of privacy and safety, where she can process her thoughts and emotions away from others.
What is the attic with the hammock?
“Sleep was evasive, but I refused to fill the hours with anything other than a gentle swing in the hammock, counting the cracks on the ceiling until they jumped and snapped into patterns.” (pg 146)
Who does the narrator live with in Toronto after leaving home at the end of tenth grade?
Who is her cousin Tay and Tay’s friend Candy? (pg 160–161)
Which quote shows Winifred taking responsibility and trying to protect Jen from danger at the party?
“I managed to drag her up the stairs, wrap her coat around her and get her out on the front lawn…” (pg 145)
How does the fig/willow tree story show the connection between life, death, and memories?
The tree grows from the resistance fighter’s remains, which shows how life continues and memory persists even after death (pg 147)
The mood in this part of Winifred’s home is tense and emotional, showing her growing worry about family, Phil, and her changing sense of home.
“'Doesn’t seem like nothing.' 'Oh, you’re one to talk. Or not talk.' He was more of a ghost around here lately than the actual ghost. He wasn’t eating much more than me, just scooping up spoonfuls and letting them pour back into the bowl.” (pg 153–154)
What is the kitchen/dining area with her dad while they eat soup?