Vocabulary
Detective John Williams believes the Schroeder house burned down due to arson. Define arson
setting fire intentionally
Provide three specific details to describe the character Matt Schroeder.
-Greasy blonde mullet
-Bad teeth
-Comes from a bad home life / meth at home
-Bully
-Dresses very country
Provide three specific details to describe Byron Cloud:
-Ezra's father
-Tall (6ft 3in)
-Imposing/Intimidating
-More muscle than fat
-A professor of Ojibwe at Minneapolis Community and Technical College
-"Big and formidable and brown"
They go on a walk past the Schroeder residence to see the ashes/remnants and contemplate what happened.
Where is the Red Gut Reservation?
Canada
Matt Schroeder sneers at Ezra and Nora, often making racist and/or sexist insults towards them. Define sneer.
mock/make fun of
Ezra daydreams often while at school. Tell me TWO things he daydreams about in Chapter 1:
Answers may vary: The snow in the cities versus countryside/reservation, Nora's appearance, thinking of Matt as a colonizer, thoughts of what it would be like to live during Custer's Last Stand in 1876 and kill a colonizer, his camping experience with Matt in 7th grade...
He tells him how important it is to control his anger by recalling what happened to Ex
-Ezra burned the house down while on pain pills.
-A meth lab explosion burned the house down (Ezra thinks)
-Arson/Homicide (detectives think)
How does Grandpa Liam make most of his money?
Trapping for furs
The Red Gut reservation acts as a refuge for Ezra from the drama of the city. Define refuge.
a safe place / safe haven / shelter
Chapter 2: What did Ezra do when he found out his mother was sick with cancer, and what was the result? Be specific based on what he says in the chapter.
He uses tobacco and prays for Creator for his mother to stop crying. The result was that she did stop crying, but that's because she died from the cancer.
What concerning statement/s does Ezra make at home that his father overhears?
-He mumbles that he should teach Matt a lesson and kill him.
-He says he should kill himself and then immediately regrets it.
"No it's not...we are happy to cooperate, but I wish to be present and want our attorney, Paul Taylor, to be present as well."
What does Ezra think of the reservation and of nature?
He prefers it to the city and wants to fish and trap with his grandfather. He is relieved to be away from the city and from Matt Schroeder.
Nora and her mother, Ruth, are both described as being lithe. Define lithe.
Slim / Slender / Graceful / Elegant
Chapter 2: What are two things Matt Schroeder says/does to Nora that infuriates Ezra and causes him to punch a locker?
-He smacks a stack of books out of Nora's hands.
-He sees her on the ground and says she looks pretty and belongs on the floor.
-He says Nora should come to his house after school (suggesting sexual activity)
Describe, in-detail, the strange dream Ezra has after taking his pain pill.
Ezra dreams he is a wolf chasing a deer, Matt, through nature. The setting switches to the city where Ezra sets Matt's house on fire.
What does Matt accuse Ezra of, and what is his 'evidence'?
He accuses Ezra of setting his house on fire and killing his dad and uncle. His evidence is: "I saw you."
Why is the Rainy River polluted?
The paper and pulp mill dumped chemicals into their water, killing their fish with mercury.
Ezra gingerly brought his cast in towards his chest to protect it from getting bumped. Define gingerly as it is used here in this example.
Cautiously / with caution / carefully
It bleeds and swells, and he has to go to the hospital (Hennepin County Medical Center) to get stitches.
What news does Ezra learn from his father when he wakes in the morning? What does his dad think/worry about?
He learns that Matt's house actually burned down overnight. His dad worries that Ezra did it because of the previous day's fight and comments about wanting to kill Matt.
Where does Byron take his son, and for what reason?
Byron takes Ezra up to the Red Gut reservation where he Grandpa Liam and Grandma Emma live and where his tribe is from. He is there to have refuge from arson accusations and to get away from the drama around Matt's family.
Who does Byron Cloud look most like?
He looks like his mom, Emma, who is tall and broadly-built, with large hands.