Plot
Hanna moves from Los Angeles, California.
What is imagery? What are some different kinds of imagery?
A representation through language of sense experience. There are seven TYPES of imagery: auditory, tactile, visual, olfactory, gustatory, organic, and kinesthetic.
Who is Bess and what is her relationship with Hanna?
She's a girl who goes to school with Hanna. Her mother has prejudices which causes her to be nervous about befriending her, but eventually they become friends.
Who is the author of Prairie Lotus?
Linda Sue Park!
What kind of business does Hanna's father operate?
A dry goods shop. It sells general provisions, clothes, and household items.
What is an Allusion?
A reference, explicit or implicit, to something in previous literature or history. Most allusions in books are to the Bible, but you'll see others as well.
Who is Hanna's teacher and why she important?
Her teacher's name is Mrs. Walters. Initially, she is nervous about having a half Asian girl come to her school, but eventually she realizes that Hanna has the right to learn along with everyone else. She is a supporter of Hanna's throughout the book.
What hobby is Hanna passionate about and wants to turn into a career?
Sewing and dressmaking!
What keepsakes does Hanna bring from California?
a small piece of muslin with a stitched lotus design
What device is being used in the following sentence?
"She speaks, she speaks English, she speaks English politely!" (Park 32).
Anaphora
Who is Wichapiwin, and when does Hanna meet her?
When Hanna is looking for rose bushes, she meets Wichapiwin, an elder Sioux woman who shows Hanna how to find and uproot the timpsina plant.
What is the deeper symbolic significance of the title "Prairie Lotus" in relation to Hanna and her mother?
It honors her mother's favorite flower, serves as a symbol for resilience and her Chinese heritage.
What happens to Hanna's penmanship paper at school?
Some classmates of hers take it while she is not in the building and put it in a water bucket
What device is being used in the following sentence?
"The wave of grief that swept over Hanna receded a little ..." (24)
Metaphor
Who is Mr Swenson?
He's a racist dude who tries to keep Hannah from attending school and encourages people to boycott their shop
There is another well known author who has written books about life on the prairie. What is her name/or the name of her book? What are some differences between the two books?
Laura Ingells Wilder, and she wrote Little House on the Prairie. Ms. Park's book is different because it is from the perspective of a mixed girl, showing that not everyone who came to America in the early days was white. She also shows Natives in a good light, while in Little House on the Prairie, they are shown more negatively.
What are some examples of racism Hannah faces?
Classmates comment on her eyes
Classmates ruin her penmanship assignment
Some members of the community boycott her father's shop
Some members of the community don't think she should go to school
Using PART of a thing to refer to the WHOLE. Example: "I just got new wheels." Here, "wheels" refers to a car. Or: "There are many hungry mouths to feed." Those "hungry mouths" are people!
Why did Hanna's mother die?
When there was an Asian hate crime, Hanna's mother tried to help her friends escape and ended up inhaling a lot of smoke. Her lungs were damaged, and she struggled with her health for six years before passing away in her sleep.
What are some other books Ms. Park has written?
A Long Walk to Water
A Single Shard
When My Name Was Keoko
Seesaw Girl
The Kite Fighters
and more!