Close Reading on Jack’s Tribe Close reading is the process of re-examining a short passage and asking critical questions about it. In this case, we focus on the author’s diction or word choices.

Passage on the hunt… “The chief was sitting there, naked to the waist, his face blocked out in white and red. The tribe lay in a semicircle before him. The newly beaten and untied Wilfred was sniffing noisily in the background. Roger squatted with the rest.”

Word/Phrase Critical Question ANSWER: (3-4 sentences each) 1. “the chief” What is the difference between calling the character “Jack” and calling him “the chief”? 2. “naked to the waist” What is the importance of Jack’s clothes or lack thereof? 3. “white and red” What ideas or feelings do these colors represent? 4. “semicircle around him” What does the tribe’s physical posture suggest about it? 5. “Wilfred was sniffing noisily” How does Wilfred’s crying fit in with the rest of this tribal scene?