Choosing Up Sides
By John H. Ritter
Do the following for each chapter:
- Read the definition of any vocabulary word.
- Locate that word on the page number provided.
- Write the sentence from the book (as much as will fit on the two lines)
- Write your own sentence demonstrating your understanding of the word’s meaning.
5. Answer all comprehension and extension questions as thoughtfully and thoroughly as
possible in the space provided. Be sure to provide examples to illustrate your ideas.
Chapter 1
rant(p. 3): 1. v. to talk or say in a wild, loud way. 2. n. loud, wild speech.
Book:______Own:______
wary(p. 3) adj. full of caution
Book:______Own:______
pious(p. 3) adj. having/showing religious devotion. (noun: piety)
Book:______Own:______
vanity(p. 5) n. an excessive concern or regard for one’s self. (adj. - vain)
Book:______Own:______
1. Why does Luke try not to use his left hand?
2. Why won’t Luke play baseball?
Chapter 2
cipher (p. 7) n. a solution to an arithmetic problem
Book:______Own:______
1. Describe Luke’s relationship with his father. How does Luke feel about his pa?
2. Find two different examples of SIMILE on p. 10. How does the use of simile enhance the meaning?
Chapter 3
contrary (p. 16) adj. often resisting or in opposition to everything
Book:______Own:______
1. Explain how the culture of Luke’s family is in conflict with the culture of their new community, Crown
Falls.
3. On p. 16, Luke notes a famous poem. Who wrote this poem and what is it about?
4. Look up the word ALLUSION in a dictionary. Why is this poem an example of an ALLUSION?
Chapter 4
1. Describe Luke’s relationship with Chastity.
2. Critique Pa’s methods of discipline. Are they effective? Are they appropriate? Explain your thinking.
Chapter 5
daunt (p. 27) v. to frighten (adj – daunting)
Book:______Own:______
trait(p. 28) n. a characteristic
Book:______Own:______
1. What did Luke risk when he went to watch the baseball game, and what made him take that risk?
2. How is Luke’s thinking changing? How is this in conflict with the culture of his family?
Chapter 6
bold(p. 34) adj. daring, not fearful of others
Book:______Own:______
1. On page 36, Annabeth said, “Well that’s as silly as a saddle on a cow.” What did she mean and to
what situation was she referring to?
2. How are Annabeth’s wishes at odds with the culture of CrownFalls? Would the same conflict exist in
your community.
3. What did Annabeth see Luke do? What does she think about what she saw?
Chapter 7
1. Describe Uncle Micah.
2. Predict how Uncle Micah’s arrival may affect Luke? The Bledsoe family?
3. Find an example of a METAPHOR on p. 41. How does the use of metaphor enhance the description of
uncle Micah?
Chapter 8
downcast (p. 46) adj. unhappy
Book:______Own:______
1. How did Pa’s response to Luke’s poem fit with the culture of the Bledsoe family?
2. Reread the top of p. 48. Describe Luke’s inner conflict.
3. Do you believe that Pa loves Luke? Explain your thinking using examples from the story.
4. What about Luke? Do you think he loves his father? Again, explain your thinking using examples.
Chapter 9
kindling (p. 50) n. sticks or twigs used to start a fire (verb: kindle – to start a fire)
Book:______Own:______
1. Reread the top half of p. 51. What does Mr. Bledsoe’s silence signify? How is this representative of the
family’s culture?
2. How does Luke apologize to his dad? Do you believe Luke’s dad deserved an apology? Explain.
Chapter 10
1. Predict: How will Luke respond to the baseball game? Do you think this experience will create or
resolve conflict? Explain.
2. If you don’t know the word ONOMATOPOEIA, look it up in the dictionary. Find an example of
ONOMATOPOEIA on page 55 and explain why this word is an example of ONOMATOPOEIA.
Chapter 11
mill (p. 61) v. to roam about, to wander around without a clear goal
Book:______Own:______
gist (p. 62) n. the main idea
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cavort (p. 66) v. to act in a lively, boisterous way
Book:______Own:______
1. What does Luke learn from this experience?
2. On page 63, find an example of each of the following:
SIMILE:
METAPHOR:
Chapter 12
wince (p. 69) v. to shrink away from something, to make a sour face in response to something distasteful
Book:______Own:______
cinch (p. 71) n. a tie used to keep something from moving
Book:______Own:______
1. How does Micah pressure Luke to play baseball? How does Luke respond?
2. Uncle Micah could be considered a CATALYST in this story. Look up the word CATALYST in the
dictionary and explain why Micah is a catalyst.
3. Find an example of METAPHOR on page 74.
Chapter 13
1. Uncle Micah rejected his family’s religion when he was a young boy. Is this an act of courage or
cowardice? Explain.
2. Why does Luke defend his father even though his father’s rules cause him so much pain? Connect this to
the Bledsoe family culture.
3. Predict: What does Pa’s action at the chapter’s end mean, if anything. Explain.
Chapter 14
spawn (p. 86) v. to produce or deposit eggs. (fish spawn in order to reproduce)
Book:______Own:______
snare (p. 92) n. a trap (verb: to capture something in a trap)
Book:______Own:______
1. How and why did the Bledsoe family culture change as a result of Luke’s day with Uncle Micah?
2. Why is the argument Annabeth uses to convince Luke to play baseball effective?
3. Do you agree with the following statement: “Luke is running away from who he really is.” Explain.
Chapter 15
1. The snared rabbit is an example of SYMBOLISM in literature. The rabbit symbolizes Luke. Explain.
Chapter 16
auger (p. 107) n. a tool used for drilling holes in something
Book:______Own:______
entitle (p. 107) v. to give one a right to something
Book:______Own:______
1. Why does Luke feel “normal” now?
2. Predict: How do you think Pa will respond to Luke’s decision to pitch? Justify your prediction.
Chapter 17
1. On page 112, Luke says, “Say what you will about Pa, but I believed that all he really cared about was
what was best for me.” Do you agree or disagree? Explain.
2. Find an example of SIMILE on page 115.
Chapter 18
1. Do you agree with Uncle Micah’s desire to write another story about Luke? Why or why not?
2. The very last line of the chapter is an example of an IDIOM. What is an IDIOM and why is “The cat was
out of the bag” an example of idiom?
Chapter 19
1. On page 128, a “river” is discussed. What is the “river” symbolizing?
2. How does Annabeth inspire Luke?
Chapter 20
colic (p. 132) n. a sharp abdominal pain (a “colicky” baby cries a great deal and is difficult to calm down)
Book:______Own:______
squander (p. 133) v. to spend or use wastefully
Book:______Own:______
eternal (p. 134) adj. endless, continuing on forever (noun: eternity)
Book:______Own:______
1. Why did Pa think it necessary to whip Luke? How is that a part of their culture?
(#2 on next page)
2. Luke wants to be normal. What does it mean to be “normal” and how is “normal” related to culture?
What happens when people with different perceptions of “normal” come into contact?
Chapter 21
vengeful (p. 139) adj. full of a need to seek revenge (noun: vengeance)
Book:______Own:______
1. What led Pa to apologize to Luke?
2. Connect Luke’s situation to a time that youdisagreed with an adult who wouldn’t let you do something that you felt was perfectly acceptable? Explain.
Chapter 22
urgency (p. 142) n. a need for immediate action (adjective: urgent)
Book:______Own:______
shrewd (p. 147) adj. clever or having sharp intelligence
Book:______Own:______
1. Why does Luke decide to be honest with Pa?
2. How will Luke’s decision affect the culture of the Bledsoe family?
Chapter 23
1. What does Luke explain to Pa? What is Pa’s reaction?
Chapter 24
1. What happened to Pa and how did it happen? Describe your response to this turn of events.
2. Earlier in the novel, Pa reminded Luke of the saying, “Pride goeth before a fall.” How does this relate to
the events of this chapter?
Chapter 25
1. Explain in detail how the culture of the Bledsoe family changed from the beginning to the end of the
novel.
2. A THEME is a message or lesson about life that an author tries to teach the reader through the events and
characters in a novel. What are some possible THEMES of this novel?
3. Make a connection (text to self, text to text, or text to world) between Luke’s “river” flowing against the
culture of his family and someone else (yourself, a character in another novel, someone else you know
about.) Compare and contrast Luke’s situation with your example.
4. Why do you think John Ritter chose to write this novel in the POINT OF VIEW of first person instead of
third person limited or third person omniscient? Explain your thinking.
5. What do you think was the CLIMAX of the novel?
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