Characterization
The name of the main bully in the story
Vernon Manteuffel
Where the story took place
Give one instance of internal conflict in the story
The narrator thinking about hurting the bullies
The narrator thinking about kissing Ann
Name of the author of "My Superpowers"
Dan Greenburg
The prized possession of the narrator
a Chicago Cubs baseball cap signed by Big Bill Nicholson.
(Will accept a baseball cap signed by BBN)
What time of year did the story take place?
Give one instance of external conflict in the story
There are lots of correct answers to this question
Genre of stories the narrator wrote when he grew up
Fiction
Why did the narrator want to have superpowers?
So that he could stand up to his bullies.
What is one detail the narrator describes about the cold weather?
Frost forming on the windows
wind howling across the lake
black ice covering the streets
What is the main conflict of the story?
The narrator's struggles against his bullies (this can be phrased in many ways)
Name one of the stories the narrator wrote and what they're about
"The Zack Files" - a boy named Zack who kept stumbling into the supernatural
"Maximum Boy" - a boy named Max who touches radioactive rocks and gets superpowers
After finding out what the narrator did when he grew up, what did those events say about his character?
He became brave after being bullied, and was able to do amazing, dangerous things with his life.
What was the author's purpose in setting the story in the winter?
It added a level of descriptive detail that allowed the reader to picture it more clearly. It also gave reasoning behind the narrator wearing his baseball cap
What would have changed if Ann Cohn wasn't in this story?
Ann Cohn's purpose in the story was to further show the character's bravery when he kissed her, and also made him angry when he was being bullied. This helped him stand up for himself. Without Ann, none of this could have happened.
What is one risky adventure the narrator went on?
Riding with firefighters, riding with New York homicide cops, flying upside down over the Pacific Ocean, voodoo ceremonies in Haiti, tamed tigers in Texas.
What do you think happened to Vernon when he grew up and why? (Use textual evidence)
Multiple responses, but must use textual evidence to support
Predict how the story would be different if it were set in the summer
Answers may vary
Pretend you are the narrator of this story, how would you react to the bullying that occured?
Answers vary
How did the narrator develop superpowers when he got older?
He wrote his own worlds where he was in control of the people; he was all powerful.