Why might Alex be hesitant to give the driver, Gallian, his full name/last name?
Why do you think the author chose to include Gallian and his observation of Alex? What makes Gallian a reliable source of information?
In what ways does this excerpt foreshadow the fact that Alex is in over his head/living dangerously?
Alex is described as well educated. Why do you think the author includes this detail after describing how unprepared Alex is for his excursion?
Infer: Why might Tara’s parents keep their children from attending school? What clues did you gather from the text to help support your answer?
Tara claims “[she] had been educated” even though she was not in school. Describe the type of education she is referring to as a young child and her overall feelings, based on the text, about it.
Re-read the final description of Buck’s Peak. In what ways may the description serve as a symbol or an instance of foreshadowing?
What is Jeannette’s initial reaction to seeing her mother from the taxi cab? Why do you think she does not end up going to the party?
Describe a time when you felt embarrassed by a parent or sibling. (Share an anecdote about Dave, of course.)
If you had to guess, how did Jeannette and her mother end up living such dissimilar lives?