Name______
Mrs. Fabrizio
English 11
Short Story Unit
“From- Life on the Mississippi” Mark Twain
-Page 521
BEFORE READING:
Pre-Reading questions.
1. What, if anything, do you know about the author, Mark Twain?
2. From studying the illustration on page 520, and reading the title, what do you think this story may be about? What do you predict the tone of the story will be?
DURING READING:
· Reading Strategy: Re-Read and Analyze Cause and Effect: As you read pay attention to the main plot events and fill out the following chart below:
Cause Effect
(What happened?) (And because of that….then this happened)
* Circus came to town ______
*Steamboat arrives ______
* Steamboat departs ______
One boy went away ______
* Boy returned for visits ______
*Steamboat blew up ______
* Twain wasn’t allowed on river ______
AFTER READING:
Comprehension Questions
1. According to Twain, What was the difference between transient and permanent ambitions?
Give an example of each mentioned.
2. On page 521-522 Twain describes his hometown. What impression of the town is conveyed?
through his descriptions?
3. What was the appeal of working on a riverboat for twain and the other boys in his town?
4. How did the town change with the arrival and departure of the riverboat?
5. How would you describe the boys’ attitudes towards the apprentice engineer?
6. Why was the apprentice engineer both “cordially admired” and “hated” by the boys?
7. What happened to the apprentice engineer and what effect did it have on the boys?
Critical Thinking Questions
1. Although Twain grew up in the 1800’s, how do his ambitious memories still fit into our society today?
2. What did the Riverboat symbolize to the townspeople?
3. what did the Riverboat symbolize to the young boys in the town?
4. From what point of view is this story told and what is the overall tone?
5. Does Twain live out his ambition? Why or why not?