Matt
What two gifts does Matt's father leave with Matt?
Watch and rifle
What does Attean really struggle to do?
Show emotion. E.g. towards his dog
Who is Saknis?
Attean's grandfater, chief of Beaver tribe
What is a squaw and what do they do?
A woman. Cleans, cooks, weaves, "household work"
What do Indians never do when hunting?
Never hunt for sport.
What is Matt's first encounter with the Indians?
Saknis rescues him from the bee and honey incident.
What is Attean's biggest challenge?
Finding his manitou and becoming a hunter.
How did Saknis save Matt right away?
He was always watching.
What is a manitou?
A spirit in the form of an animal. Finding it marks a boy becoming a man/hunter
Why was Matt's family so delayed?
They had typhus and got held up by the river for weeks. No one dared to cross the river at that time.
What is Matt's first mistake that he deeply regrets and feels stupid about?
Losing the rifle to Ben who steals it right from his cabin.
Why must Attean learn white man signs?
Why does Saknis come to the cabin for the last time?
He comes to invite Matt to join the Indians on their move. They're leaving for good.
What do the animal sign markings mean?
It means only that tribe can hunt in that area.
What comparison does Matt make to Robinson Crusoe?
He much prefers to be in the forest with everything he made for himself instead of the luxury island that Robinson Crusoe had.
How does Matt get Attean to continue staying for white man sign classes?
He reads only the fun action parts of Robinson Crusoe, leaving out parts that angered Attean.
How does Attean show his acceptance of Matt?
Answers vary: Inviting him to village, letting Matt do things on his own, calling him white brother.
What does Saknis gift to Matt and what does that do for Matt?
Snowshoes gave him freedom to move about and get what he needs.
Why does Attean's grandmother accept Matt and invite him to the village?
What does Attean's dog's change of heart towards Matt symbolize?
A possibility of the whites and Indians to have a change of heart and make true peace.
What tests does Matt pass?
Tracking his way to the village and playing with the other Indian boys.
Why does Attean despise the whites?
Both his parents were killed by white men.
Why does Saknis want Matt and Attean to form a friendship?
He knows that whites and Indians must learn to live together in peace.
How does an Indian become a man/hunter?
The boy would go into the forest alone, bathe, starve, and wait until his manitou comes. He returns to the village, gets a new name and becomes a hunter.
How has Matt's perspective of the Indians changed from the beginning to the end?