Dirk the Protector

What is the exposition of the story? 

• a village

• at night in a small town

• a school

• a basement

What is the rising action of the story?

• Gary gets his money taken away from him

• Dirk bites Happy

• Gary's parents tell him they won't pay for his school supplies

• Gary goes to work to make money

What is the climax of the story?

• When Dirk bites Happy to protect Gary

• When Gary takes Dirk to a farm

• When Dirk growls at Gary

• When Gary finds a new job

What is the falling action of the story? 

• Happy and his cohorts take Gary's money

• Gary takes Dirk to a farm

• Gary is no longer bothered and feels protection

• Gary and Dirk move away

What is the resolution of the story? 

• Gary moves away with Dirk

• Gary sends Dirk to a farm where he can run around freely

• Dirk passes away

• Gary adopts Dirk

Which statement reveals that “Dirk the Protector" is told from the first-person point of view?

•   “There weren’t many boys willing to do the work but with so few alleys, it was still very hard to earn much money."

•   “Because I was from ‘the wrong side of the tracks’ I didn’t think I could go to the authorities.”

•   “The bowling alley was on the second floor and had windows in the back of the pit area.”

•   “There were four of them, led by a thug – he and two of the others would ultimately land in prison- named, absurdly, 'Happy' Suntan."

Which of the following was the cause of Dirk rescuing Gary?

• Gary shared his burger with Dirk.

•   Dirk had been abused by the gang

• The author took Dirk to a farm.

• The author felt sorry for Dirk 

What causes Gary to leave Dirk on the farm?

• He knew he did not need the dog anymore.

• He knew Dirk was happy on the farm.

• He did not have the money to feed Dirk.

• He and Dirk were not getting along well.

About how old was Gary Paulsen when this memoir took place?

• middle school or high school

• adult

• college

• elementary

 “And so we sat that first night.  I had two boxes of Ritz crackers I’d hustled somewhere, a jar of peanut butter and another one of grape jelly, and a knife from the kitchen upstairs "(Paulsen 283).   

In this passage from the memoir, what does hustled mean?

• learn to dance

• gained in a way that may not be ethical

• share with others

• keep clean and tidy