Friday, November 13, 2009

House of the Scorpion - Chapter 29


Chapter 29 – Washing a Dirty Mind


Matt continues to be called "the aristocrat." He chooses to endure Jorge's bedtime story due to the threat of losing another meal. We are introduced to Ton-Ton, a simple minded boy who reinforced Jorge's points. Self-criticism is important to keep one's minds sharp and considerate of the "general good of the people." Ton-Ton is the first to model this by telling his "sins" and deriving a punishment for himself.

When it's Matt's turn, he states that he has done nothing wrong, answered by gasps by the other boys. On prompting from Jorge, they hurl accusations at Matt, except Chacho and Fidelito. Matt draws on past relationships for personal strength and realizes new strength through his relationship with Chacho and Fidelito.

  1. Why is Matt called “the aristocrat?”

  2. Why didn’t Matt contradict the bedtime story?

  3. Who is Ton-Ton? What happened to him? Why?

  4. What is the role of self criticism?

  5. What happened to Matt?

  6. What kept Matt going? His Friends?

5 comments:

  1. 1- that is because he is very smart

    2- That was because he wanted food

    3- ton-ton is a orphan and he was brain washed because the keepers needed to work

    4- to critisize yourself

    5- he was trying to be brainwashhed

    6- tam lin, ceila, el patron, chanchoand fidelito

    ReplyDelete
  2. 1 He asks questions

    2 He didnt want to lose his food privelages

    3 A boy that wanted a pancake and got punished for that

    4 Disagree with yourself and turn to the opposite way of thinking

    5 He got punished anyways for what he did in the past

    6 Voices in his head

    ReplyDelete
  3. 1. Because he has guts to ask questions and stick up for people.

    2. Because he wanted to eat.

    3. A kid with a smashed in face, who wanted to steal some pancakes.

    4. Correcting yourself when your doing something bad (according to them).

    5. He got dissed by everyone around him.

    6. The realization that he knows people that acknowledge and enjoy his presence at home.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Replies
    1. Okay no one aked? Don’t say anything if you don’t like it my goodness

      Delete