Question

grade 8 resources
ela.r.3.3 compare and contrast the use or discussion of archetypes in texts.
“you gonna take me to jail?” asked the boy, bending over the sink.
“not with that face, i would not take you nowhere,” said the woman. “here i am trying to get home to cook me a bite to eat and you snatch my pocketbook! maybe, you ain’t been to your supper either, late as it be! have you?
“there’s nobody home at my house,” said the boy.
“then we’ll eat,” said the woman, “i believe you’re hungry—or been hungry—to snatch my pocketbook.”
“i wanted a pair of blue suede shoes,” said the boy.
“well, you didn’t have to snatch my pocketbook to get some suede shoes,” said mrs. luella bates washington jones. “you could of asked me.”
“m’am.”
the water dripping from his face, the boy looked at her. there was a long pause. a long pause. after he had dried his face and not knowing what else to do dried it again, the boy turned around, wondering what next. the door was open. he could make a dash for it down the hall. he could run, run, run, run, run!
the woman was sitting on the day - bed. after a while she said “i were young once and i wanted things i could not get.”
there was another long pause. the boy’s mouth opened. then he frowned, but not knowing he frowned.
the woman said, “um - hum! you thought i was going to say but, didn’t you? you thought i was going to say, but i didn’t snatch people’s pocketbooks. well, i wasn’t going to say that.” pause. silence. “i have done things, too, which i would not tell you, son—neither tell god, if he didn’t already know. so you set down while i fix us something to eat. you might run that comb through your hair so you will look presentable.
in another corner of the room behind a screen was a gas plate and an icebox. mrs. jones got up and went behind the screen. the woman did not watch the boy to see if he was going to run now, nor did she watch her purse which was lying on the day - bed. but the boy took care to sit on the far side of the room where he thought she could easily see him out of the corner of her eye.

1. what does mrs. jones imply about the boy’s situation when she says, “maybe, you ain’t been to your supper either, late as it be”?

a) she believes he is lying about being hungry.
b) she thinks he is likely hungry.
c) she wants to punish him for stealing.
d) she thinks he should be at home.

1. why does the boy say he snatched mrs. jones’s pocketbook?

a) he wanted to scare her.
b) he needed money for food.
c) he wanted a pair of blue suede shoes.
d) he was trying to impress his friends.

1. how does mrs. jones’s statement about her youth contribute to the development of her character?

a) it suggests she is unkind and judgmental.
b) it suggests she has empathy and understanding.
c) it indicates she regrets her past choices.
d) it indicates she believes the boy should be punished.

1. what internal conflict does the boy experience as he considers the open door?

a) he feels guilty for stealing and wants to apologize.
b) he wants to leave but feels obligated to stay.
c) he is confused about what mrs. jones expects of him.
d) he struggles between the desire to escape and the need for connection.

Explanation:

1. Mrs. Jones implies she thinks the boy is hungry as she mentions his supper. So the answer is C.
2. The boy says he snatched the pocketbook to get money for blue suede shoes, so the answer is D.
3. Mrs. Jones' statement about her youth shows she has empathy and understanding, so the answer is B.
4. The boy wants to leave (dash for the door) but feels obligated to stay as Mrs. Jones is being kind, so the answer is B.

Answer:

1. C. She thinks he is hungry.
2. D. He wanted a pair of blue suede shoes.
3. B. It suggests she has empathy and understanding.
4. B. He wants to leave but feels obligated to stay.