1
How does the characterization of Irene contribute to the story's meaning?
Text Evidence:
"Irene spent a great deal of time knitting. I think women knit when they find in that activity a great excuse not to do anything else."
Answer:
Irene's characterization reveals her preference for routine and comfort.
Explanation (DOK 2):
Her constant knitting symbolizes her attachment to a predictable lifestyle. This characterization helps develop the theme that people sometimes avoid change, making it easier for Irene to accept the gradual loss of the house.
How does the setting of the house add layers of meaning to the story?
Text Evidence:
"The house kept the memories of our great-grandparents, our paternal grandfather, our parents and all childhood."
Answer:
The house symbolizes family history and tradition.
Explanation (DOK 3):
The setting serves as more than a physical location. It represents the siblings' connection to the past. As parts of the house are "taken over," readers can infer that the siblings are losing not only space but also their connection to family identity and memory.
How does the conflict between the siblings and the unknown presence enhance the story's style?
Text Evidence:
"I heard something in the dining room or the library. The sound came through muted and indistinct."
Answer:
The conflict creates mystery and suspense.
Explanation (DOK 2):
Because the source of the sounds is never identified, the conflict remains ambiguous. This uncertainty contributes to the story's eerie and unsettling style, a characteristic feature of magical realism and psychological fiction.
How does the narrator's point of view contribute to the story's meaning?
Text Evidence:
"I slammed the door shut and stood with my back to it."
Answer:
The first-person narration limits readers to the narrator's perspective.
Explanation (DOK 3):
Since readers only know what the narrator experiences, they cannot determine whether the threat is real, symbolic, or imagined. This limited point of view deepens the mystery and encourages multiple interpretations of the story's events.
How does the plot event of the siblings abandoning the house contribute to the theme?
Text Evidence:
"Before we left, I felt sorry for Irene's knitting, and I think she was sorry she had left the knitting bag behind."
"I threw the key into the sewer."
Answer:
The ending develops the theme of surrendering to fear and the unknown.
Explanation (DOK 3):
Rather than confronting the mysterious presence, the siblings abandon their home completely. The narrator's decision to throw away the key symbolizes a final acceptance of loss. This plot event emphasizes how fear and passivity can lead people to give up what is most valuable to them.
How does the narrator's perspective shape the reader's understanding of the house?
Text Evidence:
"We were used to living in that house, because apart from being spacious and old, it kept the memories of our great-grandparents."
Answer:
The narrator views the house as a treasured part of his family's history.
Explanation (DOK 2):
Because the story is told from the narrator's perspective, readers initially see the house as a place of comfort and significance. This helps establish the emotional impact of later events.
. How does the narrator's limited perspective create mystery about the noises in the house?
Text Evidence:
"I heard something in the dining room or library. The sound came through muted and indistinct."
Answer:
Readers never learn exactly what caused the noise.
Explanation (DOK 2):
The narrator can only report what he hears, not what actually caused the disturbance. This limited information creates suspense and uncertainty.
How does the narrator's reaction to the first intrusion influence readers' interpretation of the event?
Text Evidence:
"I slammed the oak door shut and locked it."
Answer:
His reaction suggests the threat is serious and real.
Explanation (DOK 3):
Although readers never see the intruders, the narrator's immediate action encourages readers to trust his judgment and share his sense of urgency.
How does the narrator's perspective contribute to the story's ambiguity, or unclear details?
Text Evidence:
"They've taken over our part."
Answer:
The narrator never identifies who "they" are.
Explanation (DOK 3):
The vague reference leaves readers uncertain about whether the intruders are real, supernatural, or symbolic. This ambiguity is possible because the narration is limited to what the narrator believes.
How does the narrator's focus on routine influence the story's meaning?
Text Evidence:
"We spent the morning cleaning; in the afternoon Irene knitted."
Answer:
The narrator values stability and routine.
Explanation (DOK 2):
His attention to daily habits emphasizes the siblings' attachment to their predictable lifestyle, making their gradual surrender of the house more meaningful.
How does the narrator's calm tone affect the story after part of the house is lost?
Text Evidence:
"We were happy, and little by little we stopped thinking about it."
Answer:
The calm tone makes the siblings' acceptance seem unusual.
Explanation (DOK 3):
Most people would panic after losing part of their home. The narrator's calm attitude creates tension because readers expect a stronger reaction.
How does the narrator's perspective reveal his relationship with Irene?
Text Evidence:
"We got along very well, though sometimes I think that merely being brother and sister delayed our marriage."
Answer:
The narrator sees their relationship as close and dependent.
Explanation (DOK 2):
His reflections reveal that he and Irene have built their lives around each other, helping readers understand why they respond similarly to the house's takeover.
How does the first-person narration affect the reader's ability to interpret the ending?
Text Evidence:
"I threw the key into the sewer."
Answer:
Readers must interpret the meaning based on the narrator's actions.
Explanation (DOK 3):
The narrator never directly explains why he throws away the key. Because readers only have his perspective, they must infer whether the act represents fear, acceptance, or liberation.
How might the story be different if told from an outside observer's perspective?
Text Evidence:
"I listened at the door; there wasn't any sound."
Answer:
Readers might question whether the threat truly existed.
Explanation (DOK 3):
An outside narrator could provide information beyond the siblings' experiences. The first-person perspective limits readers to the narrator's interpretation, increasing uncertainty.
How does the narrator's perspective help develop one of the story's central themes?
Text Evidence:
"Then we'll have to live on this side," Irene said.
"And that was all."
Answer:
The perspective develops the theme of passivity in the face of change.
Explanation (DOK 3):
The narrator presents the siblings' acceptance of each loss as normal. Through his perspective, Cortázar highlights how people sometimes surrender control instead of confronting challenges, leading to greater losses over time.
What does the word "spacious" mean as it is used in the passage?
Text Evidence:
"The house was so spacious and old..."
Answer: Large and roomy.
Explanation (DOK 2): The context clue that the house required extensive cleaning suggests it had many rooms and a large amount of space. The denotative meaning of spacious is "having ample space."
What connotative meaning does the phrase "it kept the memories of our great-grandparents" create?
Text Evidence:
"It kept the memories of our great-grandparents, our paternal grandfather, our parents and all childhood."
Answer: The house symbolizes family history and emotional connection.
Explanation (DOK 3): Although the house cannot literally "keep" memories, the figurative language gives it human qualities. The phrase suggests that the house represents the family's heritage, adding deeper emotional meaning to the setting.
How do context clues help determine the meaning of "muted and indistinct"?
Text Evidence:
"The sound came through muted and indistinct, like a chair falling on a carpet."
Answer: The words mean quiet and difficult to identify.
Explanation (DOK 2): The comparison to a chair falling on a carpet helps readers infer that the sound was softened and unclear. The context provides clues about both volume and clarity.
What connotative meaning does the word "taken over" convey in the story?
Text Evidence:
"They've taken over the back part."
Answer: Loss of control and invasion.
Explanation (DOK 3): The phrase suggests more than someone entering the house. It creates a feeling that an outside force has claimed ownership of something important to the siblings, contributing to the story's suspense and theme of surrender.
How does the connotative meaning of "I threw the key down the sewer" contribute to the story's ending?
Text Evidence:
"Before crossing the street, I threw the key down the sewer."
Answer: The key symbolizes a permanent separation from the house and the past.
Explanation (DOK 3): Literally, the narrator discards a key. Figuratively, the action suggests letting go of the family home, its memories, and any possibility of returning. This word choice reinforces the themes of loss and acceptance.
Which academic vocabulary word best describes the narrator's response to the mysterious noises: reluctance, analysis, or investigation?
Text Evidence:
"I slammed the door at once and put up the heavy oak bolt."
Answer: Reluctance
Explanation (DOK 2): Instead of investigating the source of the noise, the narrator immediately retreats. His actions show a reluctance to confront the unknown. Using precise academic vocabulary helps explain his reaction.
Which academic vocabulary word best describes the relationship between Irene and the narrator: conflict, cooperation, or competition?
Text Evidence:
"We got along very well, and besides it was possible to live without thinking."
nswer: Cooperation
Explanation (DOK 2): The siblings share responsibilities and routines peacefully. The academic term cooperation accurately describes how they work together throughout the story.
How does the academic vocabulary word symbolism help explain the role of the house?
Text Evidence:
"The house kept the memories of our great-grandparents, our grandfather, our parents and all childhood."
Answer: The house symbolizes family history, tradition, and identity.
Explanation (DOK 3): Using the academic term symbolism helps explain how the house represents more than a physical structure. It embodies the family's past and emotional connections, adding deeper meaning to the story.
Which academic vocabulary word best describes the author's use of the unidentified intruders: ambiguity, clarification, or certainty?
Text Evidence:
"They've taken over our section."
Answer: Ambiguity
Explanation (DOK 3): The narrator never explains who "they" are. The academic term ambiguity describes the uncertainty intentionally created by Cortázar, allowing multiple interpretations of the story.
How does the academic vocabulary word theme help explain the ending of the story?
Text Evidence:
"Before crossing the street, I threw the key into the sewer."
Answer: A major theme is surrendering to fear or uncertainty.
Explanation (DOK 3): The narrator's decision to discard the key symbolizes permanently giving up the house. Using the academic term theme helps students explain the larger message about loss, passivity, and acceptance that emerges from the ending.