Narrative Point of View in Seedfolks Review

Which character trait of Kim's does the narration reveal in this passage?

"All his life in Vietnam my father had been a farmer. Here our apartment house had no yard. But in that vacant lot he would see me. He would watch my beans break ground and spread, and would notice with pleasure their pods growing plump. He would see my patience and my hard work. I would show him that I could raise plants, as he had. I would show him that I was his daughter."

• She is angry.

• She is impatient.

• She is happy.

• She is determined.

What is Wendell's perspective in this passage?

"There’s plenty about my life I can’t change. Can’t bring the dead back to life on this earth. Can’t make the world loving and kind. Can’t change myself into a millionaire. But a patch of ground in this trashy lot – I can change that. Can change it big. Better to put my time into that than moaning about the other all day. "

• He is mad that he has to tend the garden.

• He is fearful about the empty lot.

• He is determined to make a change.

• He is boastful about his contribution.

Gonzalo tells the reader that he was praying that none of his friends, girlfriends, or enemies saw him with Tío Juan near the vacant lot. How does the narration help you determine Gonzalo's perspective about his uncle early on in the story?

• It shows that Gonzalo is shy and afraid to speak to others about his uncle.

• It shows that Gonzalo is proud of his uncle's confidence in a new city.

• It shows that Gonzalo is extremely religious and prays for his uncle.

• It shows that Gonzalo is uncomfortable that his uncle is doing something so unusual.

What does Wendell reveal about Kim in this paragraph?

"Out of nowhere the words from the Bible came into my head: “And a little child shall lead them.” I didn’t know why at first. Then I did. There’s plenty about my life I can’t change. Can’t bring the dead back to life on this earth. Can’t make the world loving and kind. . . . But a patch of ground in this trashy lot – I can change that. . . . Better to put my time into that than moaning about the other all day. That little grammar-school girl showed me that."

• She has become an inspiration to him.

• He wishes that she would lead the neighborhood.

• She can change a lot about a garden.

• She is an excellent gardener.

Why does Kim plant the seeds?

• To honor her father

• To grow food for her family

• To do a school assignment

• To fill holes in the ground

Why do the seeds from Kim’s plants stay alive?

• She plants them at the right time of year.

• She waters them frequently.

• The ground is warm in the spot where she plants them.

• Ana waters them for her.

Which person lives in an apartment building next to the vacant lot?

• Kim

• Wendell

• Gonzalo

• Tío Juan

Explain why each of the narrators in the story thinks the garden is important.

Why does the author of Seedfolks assign a specific perspective to each narrator?

• To let the reader know that everyone is different

• To show that anyone can become a gardener

• To show that the garden is important to different people for different reasons

• To tell about the neighborhood

How does Gonzalo's perspective change in this passage?

"Watching him carefully sprinkling them into the troughs he'd made, I realized that I didn't know anything about growing food and that he knew everything. I stared at his busy fingers, then his eyes. They were focused, not faraway or confused. He'd changed from a baby back into a man."

• He changes from curious to bored.

• He changes from worker to boss.

• He changes from teacher to student.

• He changes from confident to scared.