Wednesday, September 30, 2009

House of the Scorpion - Chapter 11


Chapter 11 – The Giving and Taking of Gifts

El Patron’s party continues. We meet El Viejo, El Patron’s grandson and Mr. Alcaran’s father. Matt begins to show confidence and a feeling of power by moving around the place cards at the dinner table – sending Tom to the kid’s table and placing Maria next to him. Maria is upset at how Matt treats Tom. It is learned that El Viejo has decided against the same implants that El Patron and Mr. MacGregor or using – it is dangerous to do something contrary to El Patron. El Patron valued gifts because he thought the size of the gifts determined how much you are loved. Maria and Matt’s relationship has changed. When its Matt’s turn to receive gifts, he asks for a birthday kiss form her, drawing a gasp from the crowd and reluctantly is forced to do so by her father, Senator Mendoza. She leaves the table crying. El Patron is amused and applauds Matt’s use of power against both Tom and Maria (“his woman”).
  1. What is taking place?

  2. Who is El Viejo?

  3. Who is attending the party?

  4. By moving the place cards, what is Matt showing? How does Maria react?

  5. What are the implants? Why did El Viejo decide against using them? Why is this a dangerous decision for him?

  6. Why did El Patron value gifts?

  7. What did the Farmers give as gifts?

  8. How has Maria and Matt’s relationship changed? Why? What is El Patron’s reaction to this?

4 comments:

  1. 1. A wicked, koolio partizay

    2. El' Patrons grandson.

    3. Every important person around the globe.

    4. He is showing a reflection of El' Patron when he was younger. And Maria is surprised and sad about what Matt did.

    5. The implants are cells you put in your brain from babies. El' Viejo decided not to use it for religious reasons. And it was dangerous because he disobeyed El' Patron.

    6. He thought the bigger the present, the more someone loves you.

    7. The farmers brought expensive things.

    8. It changed because Matt was turning into a BOSSY CHUMP! And El' Patron is proud.

    ReplyDelete
  2. 1- el patrons party

    2- El patrons grandson

    3- everyone that el patron invited

    4- matt is becoming more and more like el patron

    5- Implant are chips

    6- thats because he knew that people appreciated him.

    7- the farmers gave moonrocks

    8- is changed badley and it delighted el patron.


    Franklin D. Roosevelt ~ Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.

    ReplyDelete
  3. 1 A party!

    2 El Patron's grandson

    3 The people important to El Patron's life

    4 Matt is acting like El Patron. Maria is not happy one bit

    5 They force you to listen to a master. El Viejo bravely declined using it

    6 The people feared him so probably tried to get a valuable gift for him

    7 Valuable things

    8 El Patron is proud that Matt basically treated Maria like a slave

    ReplyDelete
  4. Why do u think benito was expellled

    ReplyDelete