Jake's Story
How old is Jake when he is sent to prison?
10 years old
How long is Jake sentenced to prison?
Five years
What state is the Penitentiary located in that Jake is sent to?
Idaho
What crime was Jake convicted of?
Shooting a man
What is the first chore Jake is assigned at the Criswells?
Hauling slop to the pigs
What does Jake sleep on in his prison cell?
A straw mattress
Why does Charles dislike Jake at the beginning of Jakes time at the Criswell's?
Jake 'stole' Charles job
How does Mr. Shin and the other Chinaman entertain the men in the prison?
They play their banjos
What is Jake’s inmate number in the Idaho Territorial Penitentiary?
88
What type of animal is Jake going to work with on the Drummonds farm?
Sheep
What are the names of the guards that Jake interacts with?
Henry, Mr. Norton the 'Mountain,' Miles
Why does Mr. Criswell not want Jake to come to the hog farm one day?
He doesn't want Jake to see the pigs slaughtered and sausage made?
What are the two punishments you can receive in the prison for misbehaving?
Bread and water only meals for 3 days straight. Time in "the Hole"
What does Jake dream of doing once he gets out of prison?
Owning a farm
Who all tries to teach Jake to read throughout the novel?
Mr. Nance, Brother Hawkes, Mr. Shin, a little bit Margaret
What happens to Mr. Nance and why?
He is beaten so badly he is permanently blinded. A man was mocking him, and when Mr. Nance didn't respond, the other man beat him (Mr. Nance would not fight back)
Why does Mr. Criswell walk bent over?
His son, Charles, snuck him behind him while he was on a horse and the horse bucked him off.
In what year does the story take place?
1885
Seven
What is the last name of the family that fosters Jake?
The Drummonds
Explain the attempted prison break that occurred at the end of the novel.
John Harrow begins a prison break with a few others, hurts Jake and kills his cat for trying to alert the guards. Dynamite explodes and John tries to shoot Jake, but Norton takes the bullet instead.
How many children do the Criswell's have?
4 daughters and 1 son
Name at least 2 of the Criswell daughters.
Emma, Lily, Annie, and Margaret