Characters
Who is the main character of the story?
Our narrator, a young boy named Moon Shadow.
Where is the Land of the Golden Mountain?
The Land of the Golden Mountain is the United States.
What does the main character's mother say about the money the husbands send home?
The main character's mother emphasizes that the money their husbands send home is crucial to their families and is used to support them.
Define lynch
To kill in a way that is against the law by a group of people
Name one character that the main character is curious about.
The main character is curious about his father, who left their home in China to work in the Land of the Golden Mountain (the United States).
What is the main character's home country called by the white demons?
The main character's home country, referred to as China by the white demons (Americans), is known as the Middle Kingdom.
What do the main character and his mother do in the small side room of the Temple?
In the small side room of the Temple, Moon Shadow and his mother wait to read one of their father's weekly letters, or they dictate a letter for the schoolmaster to write.
Define Heirloom and give an example
An object that is worth a lot (in money or in memories) and stays in the family
Who does the main character pray for in the small temple?
Moon Shadow and his mother pray for the safety of the Moon Shadow's father.
Where does the main character and his mother pray for the father's safety?
Moon Shadow and his mother pray for the father's safety in the small temple in their village.
What does the main character's mother make sure he knows about his father?
The main character's mother ensures that he knows that his father is a master kite maker, renowned for his skill in crafting kites.
Define Dynasty and use it in a sentence
A family that has a lot of power and rules over a country for many years
Why can't the wives join their husbands in the Land of the Golden Mountain?
White demons do not want them to settle permanently AND their own clans discourage them from leaving because it would mean an end to the financial support sent by their husbands
Why can't the main character and his mother go to live with his father?
The white demons do not allow wives to permanently join their husbands on the Golden Mountain, and the family has financial obligations and debts to pay off.
What does the main character's mother compare the kite to?
The main character's mother compares flying a kite to sending a hound hunting, with the kite representing the hound sent to flush out something beautiful or magical from the clouds, such as a sunbeam or a stray phoenix
Define denotation?
The literal or primary meaning of a word
What is one reason why the wives stay in the villages?
One reason why wives stay in the villages is to continue receiving the money sent home by their husbands working in the United States.
What does the main character's mother say they are, referring to their race?
Refers to their race as "the people of the Tang," a reference to their heritage and the Tang dynasty, which helped settle their area over a thousand years ago.
What is the main character curious about?
The main character is curious about the Land of the Golden Mountain (the United States) and the reasons behind their father's departure to that land.
Define Connotation, if someone gets called a snake, is this a positive or negative connotation? What does it mean?
Emotional or cultural connection; negative connotation- it means the person is sneaky or sly