My name is Leon. Chapters 4-6 Flashcards
MNIL Chpt 4: Who is Tony?
Jake’s dad
MNIL Chpt 4: Leon watches a lot of TV and uses characters he has seen on series and in films on TV as points of reference; what kind of character does Leon describe the man at the front door as being like?
A bad guy from James Bond
MNIL Chpt 4: How does Tony describe Carol’s brain?
A ‘rusty motor’
MNIL: Chpt 4 What does Leon’s description of getting an Action Man for his birthday in July and then dreaming about getting another one at Christmas suggest about Leon’s life?
His family has very little money, and cannot buy lots of toys
MNIL Chpt 4: In this extract from the Chapter which section suggests how Leon feels? “Leon and Carol both hear it at the same time. They hear the man’s voice go from soft to hard. Leon can tell Carol hears it because she jerks her head like he’s slapped her. Leon stands up and holds his Action Man in both hands.”
Leon feels tense, and is worried of what might happen next
MNIL Chpt 5: What does Leon do when he feels angry with Carol because she leaves him in charge?
Steal coins from her purse
MNIL Chpt 5: Why does Jake stop wearing a nappy?
All the new nappies are gone
MNIL Chpt 5: Why does Carol’s room smell like Jake’s nappy?
Carol has wet the bed
MNIL Chpt 5: Why does Leon go to see Tina?
To borrow money
MNIL Chpt 5: Why did Tina and Carol have a row?
Carol borrowed some money and did not repay Tina
MNIL Chpt 5: Who is the ‘Zebra’?
One of the social workers
MNIL Chpt 6: Why does Leon think Jake is still asleep when he wakes up at the foster house?
Jake is not crying
MNIL Chpt 6: What makes Leon go downstairs?
The smell of breakfast
MNIL Chpt 6: What does Maureen call Jake when she sends Leon off to have a bath?
His nibs
MNIL Chpt 6: What is the foster lady’s name
Maureen
MNIL Chpt 5: In the opening of Chapter 5 which phrase might forshadow the idea that Leon’s life might be about to change? “As soon as the summer holidays start, things get jangled up at home. Leon can go to bed whenever he wants and sometimes he can even go to sleep on the sofa because his mum doesn’t notice.”
Things get jangled
MNIL Chpt 5: In the opening of Chapter 5 which phrase might forshadow the idea that Leon’s life might be about to change? “As soon as the summer holidays start, things get jangled up at home. Leon can go to bed whenever he wants and sometimes he can even go to sleep on the sofa because his mum doesn’t notice.”
The bubbles come right to the top and Leon can not see the water
MNIL Chpt 5: Leon lists a system or routine he follows to look after Jake. He says “Change the nappy (remember to use the white cream or by the second morning the baby’s bum is sore). Feed the baby but be careful goint downstairs …” What does Kit de Waal use the brackets and further on phrases like “be careful” to suggest about how often Leon is looking after Jake?
Leon has been looking after Jake a lot and for some time - we can see this because the subordinate phrases suggest he has learnt by experience from things going wrong.
MNIL Chpt 6 Leon expects to hear Jake crying but instead he hears “the lady singing a nursery song and Jake … laughing”. How is Kit de Waal using our sense of sound here - what message does it suggest?
It emphasises the contrast between how life was for Leon in the flat and how it is here in the foster house
MNIL Chpt 6: The foster lady asks Leon about Jake’s routine? She must have more experience with babies than Leon - why might she really be doing this?
To reassure Leon that she knows he has cared for Jake and is still important in Jake’s life
