M2 Frontier Fiction

Question 1

Why were the relations between the Native Americans and French better than the relations between the Native Americans and British?

Answer 1

The French developed strong trading ties, learned the native language, and didn’t compete for land. The British considered themselves both superior to the Indians and entitled to their land. They leveled the forests for their farms, greatly affecting the landscape that Indians had used for hunting.

Question 2

true character

Answer 2

Authors often reveal aspects of a character’s personality through the character’s words or actions.

Question 3

Infer Why

Answer 3

As a reader, you often must rely on inferences to help you understand secondary characters–people who are not described in great detail.

Question 4

A Change of Heart

Answer 4

Tone is the attitude or feeling created by the words an author uses and the way the words are arranged into sentences.

Question 5

A Thematic Ending

Answer 5

One way to define theme is “a message that the characters learn that the readers are also supposed to learn.”

Question 6

inference

Answer 6

-a conclusion we draw based on evidence and reason
-when we make a guess based on implicit or explicit evidence we are drawing an inference

Question 7

tone

Answer 7

In literature TONE is the way an author creates an attitude or mood in a piece of writing.

Polite tone - I’m sorry, Dad, I’d rather not.

Whiny tone - Why do I always have to got to the store with you.

Angry tone - I’m not going to the store again.

Question 8

connotation

Answer 8

beyond a word’s simple meaning to the things a word is associated with. An author may choose certain words to make use of it’s connotations to emphasize tone.

Question 9

perspective

Answer 9

point of view; attitude toward or way of looking at something

• an author’s biographical background (his/her life story, culture, experiences, historical time, location, experiences, etc.) can affect his or her perspective and writing; even when writing about facts

Question 10

textual evidence

Answer 10

information from the text that backs up your analysis

Question 11

How do authors set the tone?

Answer 11

figurative language
connotative language
word choice
rhyme and repetition
simile and metaphors
allusions

Question 12

figurative language

Answer 12

language that means something different from it’s literal interpretation

example: He looked like he’d just stepped off a long-delayed flight from the end of the world. Instead of just writing “He was tired” the sentence includes other images which add to tone.

Question 13

Interpretation

Answer 13

a way of understanding or explaining something

Question 14

Types of figurative language

Answer 14

figure of speech
irony
metaphor
allusion
personification
fun
pun
simile

Question 15

evidence

Answer 15

facts or information that prove something

Question 16

analysis

Answer 16

close examination of the parts or structure of something usually as a basis for understanding, discussing, and interpreting

Question 17

implicit evidence

Answer 17

evidence that is only implied by what is stated in the text. You have to figure out what the offer is suggesting from the text

Question 18

explicit evidence

Answer 18

proof that is plainly stated in the text

Question 19

Based on what you know about fiction and about the author, which statement best describes Mary Mapes Dodge’s purpose for writing this story?

Answer 19

She wanted to create an exciting, suspenseful story that children would find interesting.

Dodge was recognized as a leader in the development of children’s literature as a genre. She was not a historian, and she did not have direct experience interacting with Native American tribes in the Ohio River Valley.

Question 20

In the second paragraph of the story, Dodge writes that “hostile Indians swarmed in every direction.” What feelings toward Indians are suggested by the author’s choice of words?

Answer 20

fear and mistrust

The story’s beginning expresses a very negative attitude towards the Indians. The word “hostile” is usually used to describe an enemy, and “swarmed” makes readers think of angry bees or wasps.

Question 21

Which words from the story suggest a negative perception of Native Americans?

Answer 21

According to Dodge, the Indians–not the British–were the invaders, and the Indians were also the reason why the settlers had to live in “anxiety” and “danger”.