A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

*Note: Chapters with titles are flashbacks; chapters without titles occur in the present time*

Untitled Chapter, pp. 1-6

  1. Read page one. The narrator says, “Time has stopped, and the beauty and calm of this perfect afternoon will never end” (1). What details seem to make this a perfect day?
  1. After the narrator describes this perfect summer day, she says, “I believe these things. With all my heart. For I am good at telling myself lies” (1).
  2. From this quotation, what do you learn about the narrator?
  1. Make a prediction about what you think will happen. What will you look for?
  1. This chapter is filled with examples of local color, of details that are specific to a particular place. As you read about events at the Glenmore Hotel, list the details that make its locale special.
  1. This chapter is filled with examples of foreshadowing, of clues that hint that something is amiss. Find three examples of foreshadowing.
  1. What has caused a commotion at the hotel?
  1. As events unfold, Mattie, the narrator, closes her eyes and tries to take deep breaths. What does she see in her mind? What details do you learn?

frac-tious, pp. 7-25

  1. List the family members and what you learn about them.
  1. This chapter starts how many months before the novel begins? What is this literary technique?
  1. In the beginning of this chapter, what role does Mattie play in the family? Provide details to prove your idea.
  1. What do you learn about the Hubbard family? When they arrive, what do you learn about Mattie as you watch how she interacts with the children?
  1. Why is the family sick of cornmeal mush? What do you learn about their economic condition? What is the six weeks’ want?
  1. What comparison does Mattie draw between herself and Mamma?
  1. What is the word of the day? Define fractious. How does it fit the chapter?
  1. What does Mattie want from Pa? What is her plan?

abe-ce-dar-i-an, pp. 26-39

  1. What are fiddleheads? What other examples of local color do you see in this chapter?
  1. Who is Minnie Compeau?
  2. What game do Mattie (Gokey) and Weaver Smith play? What does the game tell about them?
  1. Who is Weaver Smith? What do you learn about the relationship between Mattie and Weaver?
  1. Why does Mattie need money?
  1. What does Weaver think really stops Mattie from writing? What promise do you think Mattie made? How does it affect her life?
  1. Explain this passage from the novel: “God took her life and she took yours” (36).
  1. What does Weaver do for Mattie?
  1. Explain the difference views of Miss Parrish and Miss Wilcox as they read Mattie’s composition book.
  1. Define abecedarian. How does it fit the chapter?

Untitled Chapter, pp. 40-47

  1. What have you figured out about the locations of chapters without titles and chapters with titles?
  1. What information do you learn about the letters in the beginning of the chapter? How do you know that Mattie is having second thoughts about the letters?
  1. What do you find out about Grace and her beau? What are they fighting about? What do you think this means?
  1. What promise does Grace Brown ask Mattie to keep?
  1. What does the hotel register reveal about the couple?
  1. What romantic story do Mattie and the help invent about Grace and her beau?
  1. Who is Royal? What has he given Mattie?
  1. Is Mattie realistic or deluding herself when she adds to the romantic story at chapter’s end?

mis-no-mer, pp. 48-57

  1. What do you learn about Royal Loomis? Does he seem right for Mattie?
  1. Define misnomer. How does it fit the chapter?
  1. Find examples of simile, metaphor, and allusion in this chapter.
  1. What do you learn about the relationship between the Loomis boys and the Hubbards?
  2. Explain the problem between Pa and Lawton.

som-nif-er-ous, pp. 58-67

  1. How did Momma feel about Mattie graduating from high school? How does Mattie plan to graduate?
  1. What appeal did Frankenstein have for the students?
  1. Who is Miss Wilcox? What do you learn about her?
  1. Why does the letter from Barnard College at first give Mattie great joy?
  1. Why is college an impossible dream?

un-man, pp. 68-78

  1. Mr. Eckler has a new book by Edith Wharton named House of Mirth. What is odd about the title? What term is this an example of?
  1. Describe the Fulton Chain Floating Library and the grocery store. What examples of local color do you see?
  1. What special purchase does Mattie make? Why does she select the more expensive item?
  1. What does Lawton purchase for Mattie? What does this tell you about him?
  1. Define unman. How does this fit the chapter?
  1. What happens as Royal races the buckboard? Why does he do this?
  1. What clues do you find about the relationship between Mattie and Royal?
  1. Who is correct, Mattie or Royal? Can a book be the most exciting thing?

Untitled Chapter, pp. 79-83

  1. Why does Mr. Palmer name his dog Hamlet? Explain the allusion.
  1. What is a whetstone?
  1. What extra job does Mr. Palmer hire Mattie to do? What is her plan for this evening’s walk?
  1. Who does Mattie meet on the dock? How is he feeling?
  1. What explanation can you give for Weaver’s statement, “I hate this place…It kills everything” (83)?

wan, pp. 84-97

  1. Allusions to great characters start the chapter. How does Mattie connect with them? Do you think Mattie will ever break out of her story?
  1. Define wan. How does it connect to the story?
  1. How did Mrs. Collis P. Huntington help the area thrive? When the railroad arrived, what happened to the area?
  1. Identify Minnie Simms Compeau. Where did you first meet her? Why does Mattie visit? What do you learn about Mattie?
  1. Who is Mrs. Crego? What is a midwife? What does she do with herbs and roots?
  1. Do writers tell the truth about childbirth?
  1. What does Mattie observe about Minnie and Jim and their new family?
  1. Which is better, to have someone to love or to have words and stories? Can a person have both?

plain-tive, pp. 98-100

  1. Pa finds Mattie at the table. What is his condition? What is his reaction to Mattie’s writing?
  1. Using context clues, what does plaintive mean? How does it connect to the chapter? Who is plaintive?
  1. What does Mattie’s reaction to Pa’s abuse tell about her?

Untitled Chapter, pp. 101-103

  1. What is Mattie worried about?
  1. How does Ada respond?

Uri-ah the Hit-tite, stink-pot, wart-hog, pp. 104-114

  1. What does Mattie plan to ask Aunt Josie for?
  1. What irony do you see when Pa tells Mattie not to clean Aunt Josie’s house?
  1. Why does Mattie continue to clean Aunt Josie’s home? What does this tell you about her?
  1. What is the relationship between Pa and Josie? Mamma and Josie?
  1. What clues do you find that Josie is a busybody?
  1. What is Josie’s response to Mattie’s request for a loan?
  1. Why does the author have Mattie holding the figurine named “Pride” when she asks her aunt for money? Explain Josie’s remark, “Pride goeth before the fall” (113). Why do you think Josie refuses the request?
  2. What sin does Mattie say she is holding? Why?

xe-roph-i-lous, pp. 115-120

  1. Define xerophilous. How does the word fit the chapter?
  1. What type of person is Mrs. Loomis? Tie your response into text clues. Why do you think Mrs. Loomis doesn’t give Mattie a cookie?
  1. Do you think Royal will be a roadblock to Mattie’s dream of going to college?

mono-chro-mat-ic, pp. 121-133

  1. How is math like making maple syrup?
  1. Define monochromatic. How does it fit in this chapter?
  1. How does Weaver prove he is intelligent when he explains the math problem to Mattie?
  1. Why does Weaver kick the suitcase? How do Mattie and Royal save him?
  1. After Weaver’s mamma gives him “the tongue-lashing of the century,” why does she go “limp like a popped tire and started crying”(131)?
  1. Mattie tells Royal “words are powerful things” (133). How is this true in this chapter?

Untitled Chapter, pp. 134-140

  1. Read the paragraph beginning, “They leave things behind…” (134). Is this true? What does this statement tell you about Mattie?
  1. Why is Mattie up and about? Where does she go?
  1. What information do you get about Carl Grahm and his rowing date?
  1. What thoughts does Mattie have when she “keeps her company for a spell” (137)?
  1. Why does Grace give Mattie the letters?
  1. Mattie reads Grace’s letter to Chester. What clues do you see about their relationship?
  1. Why does Mattie feel like she is walking on cracking ice?

re-cou-ri-um-phor-a-tion, pp. 141-159

  1. Identify Uncle Fifty. What do you learn about him?
  1. What do you learn about Pa from Uncle Fifty? About his early years?
  1. What did Mamma and Pa fight about? What family history do you learn?
  1. Why is the farm so important to Pa?
  1. What does Mattie hope Uncle Fifty will do?
  1. Mattie makes up the word of the day. What does it mean? How does it fit the chapter?

fur-tive, pp. 160-168

  1. Define furtive. How does it fit the chapter?
  1. Mattie sees Royal from the pickle boat. What is the attraction? What conflict do you see?
  1. Why does Miss Wilcox visit? What does she tell Pa? What is Pa’s reaction to Miss Wilcox and to Mattie about the idea of New York City and college?
  1. Does Pa’s response to Mattie surprise you? Why/Why not?

ses-qui-pe-da-lian, pp. 169-173

  1. Define sesquipedalian. How does the word fit the chapter?
  1. What foreshadowing clues do you find connected to Uncle Fifty?
  1. What news does Mr. Eckler bring about Uncle Fifty?
  1. What happened to Uncle Fifty’s promise to Mattie?
  1. Again, Mattie is conflicted about a promise. What do you think it is?

Untitled Chapter, pp. 174-178

  1. Why do the dead get the last word? Why does Mattie think Grace was selfish and underhanded?
  1. What new information do you learn about Royal and Mattie?
  1. Read Grace’s letters to Chester. How is she feeling? What information do you learn?
  1. What does Mattie learn as she hears the men talking when they return to the hotel?
  1. What does the wire from the Albany chief of police say?

tott-lish, frowy, blat, meaching, pp. 179-184

  1. What illegal business are Mrs. McIntyre, the postmistress, and Aunt Josie involved in?
  1. Define the words of the day. How do they fit the chapter?
  1. What is going to happen to Emmie Hubbard’s land?
  1. What happens to the figurine with the saying on the gown? Why?

au-gur, pp. 185-192

  1. What do Royal and Mattie talk about on the boat ride? What clues do you get that Royal doesn’t understand Mattie?
  1. Why is Mattie shocked to hear she is sparking?
  1. Define augur. How does it fit the chapter? List the clues.
  1. Why is Mattie “blind” (191)?

glean, pp. 193-205

  1. Define glean. How does it fit the chapter?
  1. Why is lunch with Miss Wilcox special?
  1. Is Mattie correct? Are there two types of books? “Why do writers make things sugary when life isn’t that way” (202)?
  1. What job does Miss Wilcox offer Mattie? Mattie debates taking the job. Why does she change her mind?

de-his-cence, pp. 206-211

  1. What does reading books do to Mattie?
  1. What internal conflict is she experiencing?
  1. What do you learn about Emily Baxter, the poet? What are the subjects of the poems in her book?
  1. Mattie tells two romantic stories about Mamma and Pa. Why are they important ?
  1. As she remembers her Mamma, Mattie recalls the promise she made to her. What is it?
  1. Explain the image of the young robin in the grass. Why does the author place it here?
  1. Dehiscence is the word of the day. Define it. How does it fit the chapter?

Untitled Chapter, pp. 212-217

  1. What important information does Mattie piece together from Grace’s letters? List the clues that lead her to this conclusion.
  1. What promise troubles Mattie?

mal-e-dic-tion, pp. 218-221

  1. Define the word of the day. How does it fit the chapter?
  1. Explain the argument Mattie overhears. Who is the man?
  1. Who is Miss Wilcox? What profession does she have in addition to teaching?

ab-scis-sion, pp. 222-226

  1. Define abscission. What is its connection to the chapter?
  1. The romance continues. What question does Royal ask Mattie? Why does she agree?
  1. What second thoughts does she have? What thoughts do you, the reader, have about this relationship?

his-pid-u-lous, pp. 227-233

  1. Emmie Hubbard gets two letters. What information is in each of them?
  1. What is happening to Mattie’s dream of going to college? What future does Mattie think of now? How do you feel about this?
  1. What does Mattie find out is going on between Emmie Hubbard and Mr. Loomis? What problems does this present for her?

Untitled Chapter, pp. 234-238

  1. Why does Mattie feel like Aunt Josie in the beginning of the chapter?
  1. From reading the letters, what does Mattie know about Grace and Chester? What one question does she still need to answer?
  1. After reading the letters to Grace from Chester, what information does Mattie find that helps her piece together the story?
  1. Why does Mattie feel “like the little feather shuttlecock in the badminton games the guests play” (237)? Does this figure of speech work here?
  1. Mattie thinks she has the answer. What is the reason Mattie believes Chester has brought Grace to the Glenmore?

ico-sa-he-dron, pp. 239-244

  1. What advice does Pa give Mattie about how to behave at the hotel? How does this advice fit with the previous chapter?
  1. Mattie says, “Things are never what they seem, Pa, I thought” (239). She also says, “…but I think your vision gets better as you get older. Mine surely was” (239). How do these ideas fit with the story?
  1. How does Mattie convince Pa to allow her to work at the Glenmore? Why is the job at the Glenmore bittersweet?
  1. Why do you think Mamma kept the shards of blue glass in the old cigar box?
  1. Mattie’s word of the day is icosahedron. Define it. How does it fit the chapter?
  1. Why does Mattie feel nervous when she arrives at the hotel?
  1. Why is she disappointed in Pa when he leaves? What do you think she wants from him?

ob-strep-er-ous, pp. 245-256

  1. On her first day at the Glenmore, Mattie discovers a whole new world---the world of tourists. List specific details which illustrate what Mattie learns.
  1. What does Mattie learn about the Ho De Ron Dahand its meaning today?
  1. Who is Mose LaVoie? Why does Weaver send the tourists to see him? How does this add to what you know about Weaver’s character?
  1. Describe the kitchen after the explosion. What exploded?
  1. What is the word of the day? Based on the words used during Mattie and Weaver’s word game, what does the word mean?

li-mic-o-lous, pp. 257-261

  1. Why does Weaver fight with the three drunk trappers? Describe what happens to him.
  1. Define limicolous. Connect it to the chapter.
  1. Weaver hopes to find himself a better place. Where will it be?
  1. Where does Mattie say her better place will be? Does she think Weaver will understand?

Untitled Chapter, pp. 262-264

  1. What line in the letter gives Mattie the chills? Why?
  1. What foreshadowing do you see?

grav-id, pp. 265-275

  1. When the chapter opens, Mattie and Royal think about which two very different ideas? How do these ideas show the contrast between them?
  1. How does Emily Dickinson, the poet, remind Mattie of her friends? What else do you learn about Emily Dickinson?
  1. What clue do you have that Mattie does not quite trust Royal?
  1. Define gavid. How does it fit the chapter?
  1. Describe Minnie’s new life.
  1. Why is Emily Dickinson a “sneaky genius” (273)?
  1. What internal conflicts seem to bother Mattie?

sal-tant, pp. 276-281