Young Master Carter
What were the very first words of wisdom the Butler gave to Carter?
"Make good decisions and remember who you are."
What is the first thing you need to do with a new cricket bat? (2 things)
Rub it with linseed oil and "knock it in."
What are the two major secrets that are revealed to the reader throughout the story?
That Currier, Carter's younger brother, has passed away. (The Green Marble)
That Carter's father has left his family for another one.
What warm English drink does the Butler turn Carter on to?
Hot tea with milk and sugar.
Name the grade Carter is starting this school year and name each of his sisters.
Carter is going into 6th grade.
His sisters are: Annie, Charlie and Emily.
When Carter has to write a paragraph about what his bedroom says about him, Carter begins writing about the superhero posters hanging on his wall. The Butler recommends that Carter write about what topic instead?
The Butler suggests that Carter write about his father.
Explain how cricket is used as a symbol here, when Carter is reflecting on his practice with Carson Krebs:
"The whole ride home, I wondered how i was going to keep the bails up."
Here, cricket is used as a metaphor for Carter thinking about how he will keep everything in his life together. How he will handle the troubles and challenges he must now face, between the death of his younger brother, and now the "death" (or loss) of his father.
What is the name of Currier's teddy bear?
Ba-Bear.
What are "bangers and mash?"
Sausages and mashed potatoes.
What does Carter call the vehicle that the Butler gives to him? And what kind of vehicle is it? (Brand name)
Carter calls the car the Eggplant.
It is a Bentley.
What words of wisdom is the Butler giving to Carter here? Explain what the Butler is saying and give the context of when he tells Carter this:
"I hoped to encourage camaraderie during a time when you might feel a tad lost," the Butler said.
"You still blabbed," I said.
"And I hoped to encourage it with a young man who has been in a similar situation. I believed there might be a kind of understanding that would be healthy for your both."
The Butler is trying to tell Carter that he and Carson Krebs could bond over the fact that both of them have a parent who left their family. He tells Carter this after Carter and Carson have their practice alone together. The Butler had "blabbed" to Carson about Carter's father leaving, as he knew that Carson's mother had left Carson's family.
Why was Carter (and Billy Colt) being on the 8th Grade Varsity Cricket team so special?
Because the team was "By Invitation Only."
What does Carter feel guilty about regarding the green marble?
Carter feels guilty that he never let Currier win a game of marbles.
What is backwards on the Eggplant and why?
The driver's side and passenger's side are switched (driver side is on the right hand side of the vehicle). In England, they drive on the opposite side of the road as in America.
What is Carter's usual breakfast routine and why is it important to Carter? (3 parts)
Carter usually eats Ace Robotroid Sugar Stars cereal while watching Ace Robotroid and the Robotroid Rangers on TV. This is important to Carter because this was Currier's favorite cereal and favorite TV show.
What does the Butler help Carter realize about the choice Carter's father made?
The Butler helps Carter realize that it was not Carter's fault that his father left, it was his father's own choice, and Carter shouldn't blame himself for it.
Fill in the blanks to this quote:
"Defend your _________ to the ________!"
Defend your WICKET to the DEATH!
Explain the symbolism behind the painting that Carter pays attention to when they are at the art exhibit:
"All these paintings had these skies with swirling clouds that sort of streamed along like they were in high winds, and the winds seemed to push the paint around, like it might all come right out of the pictures and onto the frames. It kind of gave me the chills. And there was one painting with an old ship being towed away, and somehow, it made me so sad, sad enough to hold the green marble in my pocket really tight.
I looked again at the picture of the ship being towed out.
'[The artist] wants to tell us that everything has to leave us, sometime or other,' I said.
'The Butler nodded again. 'We are all mortal, and that is the way of it,' he said."
Here, the painting symbolizes Currier's death. The Butler (and the painting) help Carter realize that death is a part of life, and everyone has to die at some point. We can know he is thinking of Currier at this moment because he holds on to the green marble.
Fill in the blank:
The Butler refers to himself as a "gentleman's _______."
A gentleman's gentleman.
Give 5 reasons why Carter keeps the green marble in his pocket.
Carter keeps the green marble in his pocket because...
1. It reminds him of his brother, Currier.
2. It was Currier's favorite shooter.
3. Carter won the marble (fair and square) and Currier told him to keep it.
4. Carter holds on to the marble when he is anxious or stressed, and it makes him feel better or grounded.
5. The marble acts as a physical reminder of the love that Carter has for his family, which is a central theme in the story.
Fill in the blank:
"We are what we _______, Young Master Carter."
"We are what we LOVE, Young Master Carter."
What is a googly?
A deceptive pitch that is spun in such a way that it seems to be angling one way when it in fact unexpectedly angles the exact opposite way.
What is it called when someone accidentally tells the truth, or reveals information that they want to hide? And what was the information that Carter's dad accidentally revealed to Carter while on their trip?
A Freudian Slip. Carter's father accidentally says, "Max" instead of "Currier" when he and Carter were talking.
What language, precisely, does the Butler speak?
The Queen's English (or RP, received pronunciation).