Author & Vocabulary
The name of the author.
Who is Linda Sue Park?
Century
What is the 12th Century?
The main character who faces the main challenges, develops strengths, learns lessons, and makes key decisions.
What is Protagonist?
Harsh, strict, boss-worker
What is the relationship between Tree-ear and Min?
The reader learns background information needed to understand the story. Setting is established, characters are introduced, and a conflict is introduced or hinted towards.
What is Exposition?
Using clues from the text and illustrations to understand things the author does not say directly.
What are inferences?
Country
What is Korea?
Any character who creates opposition for the main character, makes poor moral choices, and creates conflict within the story.
What is Antagonist?
Kind, wise, father-son
What is the relationship between Tree-ear and Crane-man?
The protagonist faces one or more challenges or complications. The issue begins to worsen and these problems start to move the plot forward creating suspense.
What is Rising Action?
Using your critical thinking skills and any context clues to guess what will happen next in the story.
What are predictions?
What is Ch'ulpo?
Any character who is not the main focus of the story but helps the protagonist in times of need OR helps the antagonist in creating conflict.
What is Supporting?
Why does Emissary Kim award a commission to Min after seeing just a single shard of his pottery?
What is Tree-ear's belief in Min's craftsmanship and proves to Emissary Kim that Min will be a hard worker and is no doubt the most talented because even just one shard of his pottery proves it.
This is the highest point of tension. It could range from a 'life or death' situation to a tense emotional moment. The reader realizes who or what is going to succeed in winning the conflict.
What is Climax?
An open-framed triangular backpack made of branches used in Korea.
What is a jiggeh?
Tree-ear and Crane-man live here.
What is under a bridge?
Any character not developed in much detail but plays a necessary roles and may move the plot forward by disappearing from the story without consequence.
What is Minor?
What does Tree-ear learn about traditional Korean potters and their sons?
What is the Korean tradition of kings making potters past their craft down to their sons (generational)?
These are the actions that help to unravel, solve or deal with the problem that leads us towards the resolution. It can sometimes involve a surprise twist.
What is Falling Action?
Partly transparent but mostly colored glazes such as jade green, with tiny cracks in the glaze, generally used on stoneware or porcelain pottery
What is celadon pottery?
All the village potters go here to fire pottery.
What is a kiln?
Define each character in our novel as one of these four types of characters.
Protagonist = Tree-ear
Antagonist = Min
Supporting = Crane-man, Ajima
Minor = Kang, farmer, Emissary Kim, village potters
Main themes
What are craftsmanship & hard work, courage & strength, loyalty, friendship, & respect?
The final outcome of the conflict, whether it is resolved or unresolved. The tension is broken and the reader feels a sense of closure although the story may not always end positively.
What is Resolution?