Protagonist
Bad Bad Dad
Cause & Effect
Exposition
Potpourri
100
The mother used to be in what branch of the military?
The Marine Corps
100
What excuse does the mom give for the dad's drinking?
He is "Black Irish"
100
What doesn't Doris like about her husband being around their Uncle Jake?
He gets drunk and follows get-rich-quick schemes.
100
What state was the setting of the story?
Alabama
100
What one word did mother describe Uncle Jake as?
Dangerous
200
What caused Barbara to become jealous of Indian women?
Indian women could hide their physical features with a veil and look like the other girls.
200
How did the dad justify his physical abuse in the first chapter?
He told the children "You belong to me"
200
What happened when the father went to Pennsylvania for work?
The family had no money or car. Hungry and poor.
200
How and why did the mother sacrifice her health at the beginning of the book?
She ate the food with pesticides to test if it was OK for her children to eat.
200
What do the kids have to do for Mrs. Murphy to earn money for Coke?
They have to spell words/answer questions.
300
Why was Barbara so angry at her father when he was with Doris C?
He acted like a civilized human being around Doris C. but not around her mom. He treated her mother terribly.
300
What did the dad do to make Barbara be like everybody else?
He tied a cord around her left hand and forced her to write with the right hand.
300
What stopped the angry mob which surrounded the family car?
A woman began singing
300
What was the "Sweet Elixir" that was the cure to all of our childhood woes?
Coke
300
Why did Barbara's brother David say it's not fair to blame their dad for the bad stuff.
He didn't remember what he was doing when he was drunk.
400
What does Barbara do to get back at Jim Wheelbanks?
Steals a dime for ice cream at school.
400
What happened to Mary Louise and why could the dad not find her?
She died at birth and he got drunk and could not remember where he buried her.
400
What statement in the Bible did Barbara use to justify her revenge on Jim Wheelbanks?
"An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."
400
Why are the streets filled with people as the family goes to visit Uncle Jake?
African Americans marching on Washington.
400
What was the event that led Southern African Americans to walk to Washington?
The bus boycott.
500
What did the mother do not to get mad at the father?
She pretended that what he did didn't happen
500
How did the March on Washington participants react to the hateful words said by the father?
They threw nuts at the car and began rocking the car.
500
What does it mean that "The sins of the fathers shall be visited upon the heads of the children?"
If you live in an abusive house, you tend to become abusive yourself.
500
What is the significance of the 1st chapter's title "Near the Center of the Earth?"
Barbara felt like her life was "Hell on Earth."
500
What was Barbara's reaction to segregation in the South?
She didn't understand the rational of segregation in the South.
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