Signpost #1 Tough Questions

Definition: Questions a character raises that reveal his or her inner struggles. Example: Justin Bieber https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NywWB67Z7zQ What do you mean?

Example from The Hunger Games: “Peeta rolls his eyes at Haymitch. “She has no idea. The effect she can have.” He runs his fingernail along the wood grain in the table, refusing to look at me. What on earth does he mean? People help me? When we were dying of starvation, no one helped me! No one helped me except Peeta. Once I had something to barter with, things changed. I’m a tough trader. Or am I? What effect do I have?” (Hunger Games ch.7)

The Question That Follows… Every time you find a Tough Question while you are reading, ask yourself: What does this question make me wonder about? This will help you learn more about the character and/or the theme

Example from The Outsiders: “I remembered how awful Johnny had looked when he got beaten up. I had just as much right to use the streets as the Socs did, and Johnny had never hurt them. Why did the Socs hate us so much? We left them alone. I nearly went to sleep over my homework trying to figure it out.” (p. 16-17) What does this question make me wonder about?

Worksheet Question #1 “How does that make you feel?” (p. 1) What does this question make me wonder about?

Worksheet Question #2 “The thing is, Cecil knows all about IT. He had a long talk with my dad before my first session, and I’d bet my Great Dane poster that he Googled the whole thing afterward, too. And once he was done reading everything he could find, I bet he wondered why my parents didn’t get me into therapy right after IT happened, seven and a half months ago. Holy moly! I can imagine him thinking. What took them so long?” (p. 3) What does this question make me wonder about?