Read for Gist
Why does Nick storm out of the practice room?
He finds out that Julian is a girl.
What does pp.86-87 show us about Nick? How?
He is mean to Widge. He calls him a horse.
What effect does the author’s last paragraph on p. 168 have on readers? How is this ending like the other chapter endings?
Hearing that the student has killed Nick shocks readers. They don’t know what’s happened to Nick and want to keep reading.
All the chapters end with suspense about what will happen next.
Why is Julian’s true identity as Julia a challenge for her, the other story characters, and for readers? Do you think it’s right that she cannot be a player anymore? Explain.
pp.161-168
her: She can’t be a player anymore.
characters: don’t know how to act
readers: surprised
no; We shouldn’t have rules about what people can do because of their gender. People should be able to do whatever they want to do if they have the skills
Who goes to find Nick after he disappears?
Widge and Sander
What does pp.111-112 show us about Nick? How?
He is mean to Sander. He fights with him to get the Ophelia costume back.
What is the author saying about Widge when he tries to help Nick on p. 167?
Widge is a good friend. He tries to help Nick, even though Nick has been mean to the prentices throughout the story.
Nick struggles the most with playing a female role. How would you convince him not to feel embarrassed?
pp.161-168
Girl roles are just as good as boy roles.
Playing a girl doesn’t mean you’re not manly or tough.
It takes a great actor to play a different gender. It’s an acting challenge!
Why are Widge & Sander in the tavern?
They go to find Nick so that he can perform in the play.
What does pp.145-147 show us about Nick? How?
He is mean to Julian. He fights with Julian.
Name 3 events the author uses to tell Nick’s story in chapters 12–21.
He calls Widge a horse.
He bullies Sander to get the Ophelia costume back.
He fights Julian & stabs him.
He fights the student in the tavern and gets stabbed.
How does Nick get hurt in the tavern?
He gets into a duel/fight and is stabbed in the throat.
What does pp.154-155 show us about Nick? How?
He is hostile with Widge & others. He speaks harshly & treats them as lower than him.
What do you learn about Nick from this story
Nick is a mean and hostile person. He is rude and Nick starts fights a lot.
What do you learn about Nick from his actions towards others in this chunk of text? Give an example.
He treats others mean throughout the text which makes him a bully.
-bullying Julian before he hurt him
-talking badly to Widge & Sander when they try to save him
What does pp.167-168 show us about Nick? How?
He is mean to people outside of the company as well. He fights with the student and is stabbed.
What happens to Nick at the end of this series of events, pp. 167–168? How do the events that happen before lead up to this event?
Nick starts a fight with the student and is stabbed. He is badly hurt.
The events before show that Nick is becoming meaner and more hostile. This pattern ends with him picking a fight with the wrong person and getting seriously hurt.