Transcript A Mother in Mannville

A Mother in
Mannville
7th Grade ELA
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Brainstorming Activity
With your tablemates, use the dry erase
board provided to brainstorm a
list of things you think are needed for
physical and emotional survival. Try to
think about what you need in your daily
life (food) as well as the things you might
take for granted (such as having close
friendships).
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (1943)
Vocabulary to Know:
rhododendron-shrub with pink, white, or purple flowers
hemlocks-poisonous plant with small white flowers
malaria- disease transmitted by mosquitos
corn shocks-stalks of corn stacked together to dry
mangled- mutilated, crippled
stoop-porch or step in front of a house
asters- plant with purplish flowers that bloom in fall
suffused- spread throughout
kindling-small piece of dry wood used to start a fire
subterfuge- plan to hide the truth
treacherously- dangerously
impelled- driven
parturition- childbirth
thistledown- white, fluffy down formed on thistle, a weed with prickly leaves
and stems and purple flowers
trifle- a little
abstracted- absent-minded
anomalous- abnormal
ecstasy- extreme happiness
vermillion- bright red
Discussion
Questions
Who is Jerry and how does he meet the narrator?
Why is Jerry so eager to return to the cabin?
When the narrator gives Jerry little gifts, Jerry is
speechless. Why does Jerry have trouble saying thanks?
Why does he lie?
How come the narrator never realizes Jerry is lying?
How do you think the story would be different if it
was told from Jerry’s perspective?
Analyzing the
Narrator
I wanted to cry
out, “Why are
you not with
her? How can
she let you go
away again?”
“I decided that I
should not leave the
mountains without
seeing her and
knowing for myself
why she had done
this thing.”
Compassion
You have been my
good friend, Jerry.
I shall often think of
you and miss you.”
“I tried to
return his
thoughtfulness
with
such things as
candy
and apples…”
Analyzing Jerry’s
Character
E
A
D
Integrity
B
C