The Horned Toad Themes

What theme is most clearly explored through the narrator’s interaction with the horned toad?

• The relationship between humans and nature, and the need for respect toward wildlife

• The divide between rural and urban life, and the challenge of adapting to change

• The development of personal responsibility and the consequences of actions

• The innocence of childhood and the emotional awakening to loss and grief

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

How does the narrator’s great-grandmother represent the theme of generational conflict?

• She challenges the narrator’s perspective, showing a generational gap in values and understanding

• She offers wisdom that the narrator must struggle to understand due to cultural differences

• She embodies the ideal of old-fashioned values, constantly criticizing the modern world

• She represents the narrator’s ideal of tradition, dismissing any outside influence or change

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CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

The narrator’s father’s resistance to his great-grandmother’s presence highlights which of the following themes?

• The importance of familial loyalty in maintaining personal dignity

• The tension between personal independence and family obligation

• The difficulty of reconciling different cultural backgrounds within a family

• The struggle for control in familial relationships, especially with elderly relatives

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

In what way does the narrator's great-grandmother’s reaction to the horned toad reflect the theme of cultural identity?

• Her dismissal of the toad reflects the narrator’s struggle to balance modern life with his cultural roots

• Her disdain for the animal reflects a rejection of modernity and its intrusion into her traditional world

• The toad’s symbolic death represents the fading of traditional values in a rapidly changing world

• Her playful interaction with the toad shows her deep-rooted connection to nature and cultural beliefs

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CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

What role does language play in the development of the themes of the story?

• It creates a barrier between generations, reflecting misunderstandings and cultural divides

• It serves as a symbol of the narrator’s journey toward independence and self-expression

• It acts as a tool for the narrator to bond with family members and bridge cultural gaps

• It highlights the limitations of communication within a family that holds differing values

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CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

How does the burial of the horned toad mirror the later burial of the narrator’s great-grandmother?

• Both acts emphasize the theme of returning to one’s rightful place, reflecting cycles of life and death

• Both events highlight the family’s inability to cope with loss and their desire to suppress grief

• Both acts demonstrate the emotional numbness of the family, who go through the motions without truly feeling

• Both show the narrator’s inner struggle to balance his love for his family with his need for personal freedom

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CCSS.RI.6.7

CCSS.RL.6.9

CCSS.RL.7.7

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.8.7

How does the narrator's understanding of his great-grandmother evolve throughout the story?

• He becomes more aware of the cultural and emotional weight of her presence, understanding her complex personality

• He moves from seeing her as a figure of authority to recognizing her as a source of warmth and comfort

• He grows to admire her strength but resents her attempts to control his life

• He starts to view her as an obstacle to his personal freedom, reflecting his growing frustration with adult expectations

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CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

What is the significance of the narrator’s father’s final decision to bury Grandma in her home country?

• It reflects the narrator’s own realization of the importance of honoring one's roots and traditions

• It demonstrates the father’s willingness to make sacrifices for his wife’s emotional well-being

• It represents the healing of generational tensions and a moment of family unity

• It marks the narrator’s first true understanding of death and the need for closure

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CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

What is the role of religion in the narrator’s relationship with his great-grandmother?

• It serves as a barrier that prevents the narrator from understanding his great-grandmother’s worldview

• It fosters a deep sense of comfort and connection between them, especially after the death of the toad

• It highlights the generational divide, with the narrator’s parents being more secular and his great-grandmother deeply religious

• It becomes a source of conflict, as the narrator struggles with his own faith in the face of family traditions

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

What does the theme of “home” suggest in the context of Grandma’s life and death?

• Home is a place of emotional stability that transcends physical location, as seen through Grandma’s attachment to her past

• Home is a limiting factor in personal growth, symbolizing the confines of tradition and family expectations

• Home is only valuable when it aligns with modern values, as represented by Grandma’s discomfort with city life

• Home is a fleeting concept, often distorted by the passage of time and generational shifts in values

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2