Setting
Where does this story take place?
Holt, Colorado
How does the main conflict between Russell and Guthrie begin?
Russell doesn't complete his work for school, and Guthrie refuses to pass him until he does what he needs to.
How has Ella changed by the end of the novel? Consider her journey throughout the book.
She doesn't change much, she mainly becomes more vocal with Guthrie and clear about what her struggles are.
What can we assume about Guthrie’s relationship status at the end of the book?
As far as we can see, Guthrie is still in a solid relationship with Maggie.
Who is speaking / being spoken to / what is going on in this quote:
“Well, _______ said, I guess we could go get the calf-puller. I reckon we know that much about getting new things born into this world” (Haruf 285).
Harold is making a joke to Victoria about her having her baby.
What setting is being described here?
“Cardboard boxes. Papers. Piles of clothes. Yellowed stacks of newspaper. Flower pots. An oscillating fan. A box fan. A hat rack. A collection of Sears catalogs. An ironing board opened against one wall with a row of loaded grocery sacks spread across it. In the middle of the room was a television set built into a wood cabinet with another smaller portable television positioned atop the first like a head. Across from the television was a stuffed chair with hand towels laid over the worn arms, and off to the side a faded davenport shoved against the window” (Haruf 43).
Mrs. Stearn's apartment
What happens in the last McPherons chapter?
Dwayne shows up one last time to take Victoria and the baby, he grabs Victoria (making her drop the baby), and then the McPheron brothers pick him up and kick him out.
“They had been sleeping in the same bed for the past month and now the older boy had one hand stretched above his brother’s head as if he hoped to shove something away and thereby save them both” (Haruf 3).
Who is this about? Why is this description important?
This is about Ike and Bobby. It is important because it shows us how protective they are of one another, as well as how close they are.
Other than her physical description, how else can we tell Victoria’s mom isn’t nurturing?
We can tell she isn't nurturing because of the way she treated Victoria. She yelled at her, told her to stop getting sick, and locked her out on the porch after finding out that her daughter was pregnant.
What is the significance of “Did you ever see such a mess?" (Haruf 96) in an early-ish Victoria chapter? Why is this an important quote? What is going on?
This quote is referencing the "spilled milk" scene at the diner when the mother tries to drive away without her children. It is important because this is the first time Victoria is having a look into what motherhood could be like, it is also the first time she has to think about how she will treat her own child.
What is the Tone of this description?
“When he stepped into the room it was almost dark, with a feeling of being hushed and forbidding as in the sanctuary of an empty church after the funeral of a woman who had died too soon, a sudden impression of static air and unnatural quiet. The shades on the two windows were drawn down completely to the sill... Who lay in the bed with her eyes closed. He could just make out her face in the halflight, her face as pale as schoolhouse chalk and her fair hair massed and untended, fallen over her cheeks and thin neck, hiding that much of her” (Haruf 6).
Teacher's Choice - Uneasy, careful, dim, depressive
Identify two concrete symbols in the story and rationalize what they are symbolic of.
Teacher's Choice - The red bag, the cows, Elko, etc.
What are two main ways the McPherons are alike to Ike and Bobby? (other than being siblings).
Both pairs tend to rely on one another for help, they are both kind, curious, and understanding.
How can Ike and Bobby be described at the end of the book compared to the start?
Ike and Bobby have been forced to mature through a few traumatic life events (loosing their mother, then their horse, then Mrs. Stearns). We also see them smoking in their last chapter, showing us that they are "older and wiser" now, even though they may still be young in age.
Who is being referenced in this quote?/ Who is speaking? What is the situation surrounding it?
“Like once he said I had beautiful eyes. He said my eyes were like black diamonds lit up on a starry night” (Haruf 37).
Victoria is talking about Dwayne in this quote, she is explaining why she trusted/loved him to Maggie Jones.
What is the name of the real town our setting is inspired by?
Yuma, Colorado
Why doesn’t Victoria like Denver?
She has no one to be with, she put herself in dangerous situations, and she began to resent Dwayne.
How are Russell Beckman’s parents portrayed? How do you know?
Russell's parents are portrayed as ignorant, agressive people. We know this through their interactions with Guthrie during the parent meeting, board meeting, and physical altercation.
How would you describe the relationship between the McPheron brothers and Victoria?
Teacher's Choice - Kind, caring, loving, trusting, and reliant
Who is talking / who is being spoken to in this quote? What is going on?
“How big of a town do you think this is? Do you think there is somebody in Holt who doesn’t know your pickup?” (Haruf 190).
Maggie Jones is talking to Guthrie after he slept with Judy. She is yelling at/explaining to him how she knew what happened.
This is a pivotal moment early on for Victoria. Why does Haruf use this description for the setting in this scene:
“She stared out at the silent trees and the dark street and the houses across the street where people were moving about reasonably in the bright rooms beyond the windows, and she looked up at the movement in the trees when the wind sighed. She sat, staring out, not moving” (Haruf 35).
Guthrie was nervous about Ike and Bobby's whereabouts twice during the second half of book, what were these two situations?
1) When Russell drives them out to the country and leaves them there, and 2) When Mrs. Stearns died and the boys ride to the McPheron's house because they don't know what else to do.
How has Victoria changed during the book? How does she “seem” at the beginning versus the end?
Teacher's Choice - Victoria has become more confident, independent, and trusting throughout the novel, she started off naive, unsure, and reliant on those around her.
“Afterward when I got home, I used hot salt water. But it didn’t do any good” (Haruf 36). What does this quote reveal about Victoria?
The shows us that she is very innocent and naive. She doesn't know anything about the situation she is in, or how it works.
Who is being referenced in this quote?
“They gathered around, wanting to stop her, to quiet her, but she was kicking and thrashing in a crazy frenzy, and they couldn’t get close” (Haruf 69).
Guthrie and the McPherons are attempting to rangle the "red-legged" cow in this quote.