Novel: The Phantom Tollbooth
Author: Norton Juster
Genre: Fantasy
Before Reading
Text Opener
The Phantom Tollbooth is loaded with figurative language—simile, metaphor, alliteration, personification, idioms, hyperbole, irony, onomatopoeia, and puns.
Pun-noun: (1) A word or words, which are formed or sounded alike, but have different meaning; (2) a phrase which uses words that have more than one possible meaning. Derived from paranomasia.
Examples
1. I recently spent money on detergent to unclog my sink. It was money down the drain.
2. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
3. I think I might join a club and beat you over the head with it.
4. Children need a parent’s presence more than presents.
5. Speaking ill of the dead is a grave mistake.
6. Without geometry, life is pointless.
7. I used to be a baker, but I didn't make enough dough.
8. I used to be a Velcro salesman, but couldn't stick with it.
9. Diet slogan: Are you going the wrong weigh?
10. Dieting is a matter of life and breadth.
11. At a pizza shop: 7 days without pizza makes one weak.
12. She was only a whisky maker, but he loved her still.
13. A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.
14. Diplomat: One who is disarming, even if his country isn't.
15. Dockyard: A physician's garden.
16. Egotist: One who is me-deep in conversation.
Wonderings
1. What makes these puns punny?
2. Was there a pun you didn’t get? Was it because of a word you didn’t know?
3. Were some puns more subtle than others?
4. Which puns were the most obvious?
(Session 1) During/After First Read of Chapter 1
Sharing Questions
During your first read of the story, what were some things you would like to clarify? What were things you wondered? (i.e. Why an event happened the way it did, or why a character did or said a particular thing?)
1.
2.
3.
Connections Make 1 connection to this selection. Text to text. Self to text. World to text.
1.
2.
Point of View From whose point of view is this story told? What proof can you provide?
Today’s reading at a glance Summarize today’s reading in a few words.
Who:
What:
Where:
Why:
When:
How:
Today’s vocabulary These are key words to know. Before your second read, identify the words’ part of speech, and define them. Show work on binder paper.
pg. 9 dejectedly; pg. 11 glumly; pg. 12 turnpike, tollbooth, erected, precautionary, tolls;
pg. 13 cartographers; pg. 14 impractical
List any additional vocabulary you don’t understand here:
(Session 2) After Second Read of Chapter 1
Mood The climate or feeling in a literary work. The choice of setting, objects, details, images, and words all contribute towards creating a specific mood. What do you perceive the mood to be in this story? (1 well-written paragraph) Include direct and/or indirect quotes with page numbers.
Discussion Questions What do you think? Interpret the following questions. Choose one to answer in a well-written paragraph on a separate sheet of binder paper.
1. How would you describe Milo? Think of what he says, what he does, and what the narrator says about him.
2. What do you think Milo is meant to represent?
3. What do you think the tollbooth might represent?
4. What do you think the map might represent?
5. Who might have given Milo the tollbooth? Why?
(Session 1) During/After First Read of Chapter 2
Sharing Questions
During your first read of the story, what were some things you would like to clarify? What were things you wondered? (i.e. Why an event happened the way it did, or why a character did or said a particular thing?)
1.
2.
3.
Connections Make 1 connection to this selection. Text to text. Self to text. World to text.
1.
2.
Point of View From whose point of view is this story told? What proof can you provide?
Today’s reading at a glance Summarize today’s reading in a few words.
Who:
What:
Where:
Why:
When:
How:
Today’s vocabulary These are key words to know. Before your second read, identify the words’ part of speech, and define them. Show work on binder paper.
pg. 17 expectations; pg. 18 whether, effusive; pg. 22 monotonous; pg. 23 doldrums; pg. 24 surmise; pg. 26 dawdle; pg. 27 dillydally, procrastinating, conciliatory
List any additional vocabulary you don’t understand here:
(Session 2) After Second Read of Chapter 2
Mood The climate or feeling in a literary work. The choice of setting, objects, details, images, and words all contribute towards creating a specific mood. What do you perceive the mood to be in this story? (1 well-written paragraph) Include direct and/or indirect quotes with page numbers.
Discussion Questions What do you think? Interpret the following questions. Choose one to answer in a well-written paragraph on a separate sheet of binder paper.
1. Why on page 16 do you think Milo’s mood is “hopeful” rather than fearful or confused?
2. Why on page 18 do you think so few travelers visit the land of expectations “these days?”
3. What do you think the “Whether Man” represents? What does he mean when he says, “some people never go beyond Expectations” on page 19.
4. Why on page 20 do you think the Whether says he hates to make up his mind about anything?
5. How does Milo end up in the Doldrums? How does he get out? What do you think the Lethargians and the Doldrums represent?
6. Describe Tock. What’s his job? What do you think he represents?
(Session 1) During/After First Read of Chapter 3
Sharing Questions
During your first read of the story, what were some things you would like to clarify? What were things you wondered? (i.e. Why an event happened the way it did, or why a character did or said a particular thing?)
1.
2.
3.
Characterizations Describe the characters and their traits. King Azaz’s advisers: The Duke of Definition, the Minister of Meaning, the Earl of Essence, the Undersecretary of Understaning.
Today’s reading at a glance Summarize today’s reading in a few words.
Who:
What:
Where:
Why:
When:
How:
Today’s vocabulary These are key words to know. Before your second read, identify the words’ part of speech, and define them. Show work on binder paper.
pg. 33 overwrought; pg. 34 disrepute; pg. 36 advantageously, proclamation; pg. 38 bunting, unabridged; pg. 40 definition, essence, connotation, understanding
List any additional vocabulary you don’t understand here:
(Session 2) After Second read of Chapter 3
Theme The big idea about life or human nature that is conveyed by a literary work. For example: friendship. Themes are expressed through feelings of the main character, thoughts and conversations, thoughts that are repeated, what the main character learns, or actions or events.
What are some themes and thematic statements you discovered in this chapter?
Discussion Questions What do you think? Interpret the following questions. Choose one to answer in a well-written paragraph on a separate sheet of binder paper.
1. On page 34 do you agree or disagree with Tock that time is our most valuable possession?
2. Why 36 Milo receives a gift. Do you think “Why not?” is a good reason “for almost anything?” Can you think of a time when it is and is not a good reason to do something?
3. On page 40 one of Azaz’s advisers claims if one word is “right, then ten are ten times as right.” Is it always better to use as many words as possible to say something? Explain.
4. On page 44, the Earl of Essence says “...you must pick your words very carefully and be sure to say just what you intend to say.” How does this contradict the quote from question 3 above?
5. Tock on page 44 says words are confusing “when you use a lot to say a little.” Explain this statement.
(Session 1) During/After First Read of Chapter 4
Sharing Questions
During your first read of the story, what were some things you would like to clarify? What were things you wondered? (i.e. Why an event happened the way it did, or why a character did or said a particular thing?)
1.
2.
3.
Characterizations Describe the characters and their traits: the “Do it yourself” letter man, the Spelling Bee, the Humbug
Today’s reading at a glance Summarize today’s reading in a few words.
Who:
What:
Where:
Why:
When:
How:
Today’s vocabulary These are key words to know. Before your second read, identify the words’ part of speech, and define them. Show work on binder paper.
pg. 45 tumult; pg. 47 quagmire, flabbergast; pg. 50 misapprehension; pg. 53 humbug, balderdash; pg. 54 slavish, bankrupt
List any additional vocabulary you don’t understand here:
(Session 2) After Second read of Chapter 4
Theme The big idea about life or human nature that is conveyed by a literary work. For example: friendship. Themes are expressed through feelings of the main character, thoughts and conversations, thoughts that are repeated, what the main character learns, or actions or events.
What are some themes and thematic statements you discovered in this chapter?
Discussion Questions What do you think? Interpret the following questions. Choose one to answer in a well-written paragraph on a separate sheet of binder paper.
1. On page 47 Milo longs to have some words from the market. How has he changed since chapter 1?
2. Why do you think the author chose the name “Humbug” for the Humbug character?
3. On page 54, the Humbug says: “A slavish concern for the composition of words is the sign of a bankrupt intellect.” What does this mean?
4. On page 49 Milo nibbles letters and discovers they are “sweet and delicious.” What could this represent? What could the letters symbolize?
5. The marketplace is filled with “So many words and so many people!” says the author. What could the marketplace symbolize?
(Session 1) During/After First Read of Chapter 5
Sharing Questions
During your first read of the story, what were some things you would like to clarify? What were things you wondered? (i.e. Why an event happened the way it did, or why a character did or said a particular thing?)
1.
2.
3.
Characterizations Describe the characters and their traits: the police man, the Which (a.k.a. Faintly Macabre)
Today’s reading at a glance Summarize today’s reading in a few words.
Who:
What:
Where:
Why:
When:
How:
Today’s vocabulary These are key words to know. Before your second read, identify the words’ part of speech, and define them. Show work on binder paper.
pg. 59 commerce; pg. 62 sowing, havoc, mincing; pg. 65 commendable; pg. 67 which, miserly; pg. 68 disconsolate
List any additional vocabulary you don’t understand here:
(Session 2) After Second read of Chapter 5
Theme The big idea about life or human nature that is conveyed by a literary work. For example: friendship. Themes are expressed through feelings of the main character, thoughts and conversations, thoughts that are repeated, what the main character learns, or actions or events.
What are some themes and thematic statements you discovered in this chapter?
Discussion Questions What do you think? Interpret the following questions. Choose one to answer in a well-written paragraph on a separate sheet of binder paper.
1. Do you think it’s a good idea to have the policeman act as the judge and jailer, too? Why or why not?
2. Absurdity is something that is “senseless” or “ridiculous.” Can you find any examples of absurdity in this chapter? Describe the situation and why in your opinion it was absurd.
3. Do you agree with Faintly Macabre when on page 67 she says the job of choosing which words were to be used for all occasions was “a most important and responsible job”
4. What do you think the policeman/judge/jailer character represents?
5. On page 68, Faintly Macabre states “...that while it is wrong to use too few [words], it is often far worse to use too many.” Do you agree or disagree? Why?
(Session 1) During/After First Read of Chapter 6
Sharing Questions
During your first read of the story, what were some things you would like to clarify? What were things you wondered? (i.e. Why an event happened the way it did, or why a character did or said a particular thing?)
1.
2.
3.
Characterizations Describe the characters and their traits: the Princesses Rhyme and Reason, King Azaz, the Mathemgacian
Today’s reading at a glance Summarize today’s reading in a few words.
Who:
What:
Where:
Why:
When:
How:
Today’s vocabulary These are key words to know. Before your second read, identify the words’ part of speech, and define them. Show work on binder paper.
pg. 76 reconcile; pg. 77 arbitration, warp, woof, banish; pg. 79 superfluous;
List any additional vocabulary you don’t understand here:
(Session 2) After Second read of Chapter 6
Theme The big idea about life or human nature that is conveyed by a literary work. For example: friendship. Themes are expressed through feelings of the main character, thoughts and conversations, thoughts that are repeated, what the main character learns, or actions or events.
MAKE A LIST of some themes and thematic statements you discovered in this chapter.
Idiom is defined as an expression that does not mean what it literally says. It’s meaning is often quite different from the word-to-word translation. (Try typing “idiom + ______”)
What do the idioms “rhyme and reason” or “it stands to reason” or “it goes without saying” mean?
Discussion Questions What do you think? Interpret the following questions. Choose one to answer in a well-written paragraph on a separate sheet of binder paper.
1. On page 78, the Which shows Milo and Tock how to escape the dungeon. So why doesn’t she escape, too?