Comparative Reading

What do the different narrative perspectives in "Seventh Grade" and Stargirl reveal about how the characters experience middle school?

• The third-person perspective in "Seventh Grade" shows a distance from Victor’s emotions, while the first-person perspective in Stargirl offers a deeper connection to Stargirl’s feelings.

• Both narratives use first-person perspectives to show the characters' internal thoughts about school.

• The third-person perspective in "Seventh Grade" is more detached from Victor’s experience than the first-person perspective in Stargirl, which provides direct insight into Leo’s thoughts.

• Both perspectives are used to show the struggles of fitting in without offering personal insights.

In what ways do the school environments in "Seventh Grade" and Stargirl influence the behavior of the main characters?

• Both schools are shown as supportive environments that encourage individuality.

• Victor’s school encourages competition and impressing others, while Stargirl’s school pressures students to conform.

• Both schools are indifferent to the individuality of the students, and the environments don't impact their behavior.

• The environments in both stories are hostile, leading to the characters becoming withdrawn.

How do the authors use humor in "Seventh Grade" and Stargirl to address the theme of social pressure?

• Both authors use humor to show how their characters easily handle social pressure.

• Humor is used to deflect from the emotional challenges the characters face.

• Neither author uses humor when addressing social pressure; both stories are serious in tone.

• Gary Soto uses humor to show Victor’s awkwardness, while Jerry Spinelli uses humor more subtly to highlight Stargirl’s carefree attitude.

How does the relationship between Victor and Teresa in "Seventh Grade" compare to the relationship between Stargirl and her peers in Stargirl?

• Both Victor and Stargirl are openly accepted by their peers without any difficulties.

• Victor is eager to gain Teresa’s attention, while Stargirl is more indifferent to the attention of her peers.

• Stargirl seeks approval from her peers, while Victor is indifferent to Teresa’s attention.

• Both characters are rejected by their peers despite their efforts.

In both "Seventh Grade" and Stargirl, how do the authors address the theme of social acceptance?

• Gary Soto shows that social acceptance is something to be actively sought, while Jerry Spinelli shows that it can come by being yourself, even if it means standing out.

• Both stories show that social acceptance is easy for middle school students.

• Both authors portray that trying to be accepted by peers never works out.

• Neither story addresses social acceptance.

How does the interaction between Victor and his teacher in "Seventh Grade" contrast with Stargirl’s interactions with her classmates in Stargirl?

• Both Victor and Stargirl interact comfortably with their peers and authority figures.

• Victor’s interaction with his teacher is tense and awkward, while Stargirl’s interactions with her classmates are confident and carefree.

• Victor’s teacher tries to support him, while Stargirl’s classmates are confused by her behavior.

• Both characters have negative interactions with others in their schools.

What is a key difference in how the characters in Scout’s Honor and Hatchet react to their challenges?

• The boys in Scout’s Honor give up quickly, while Brian in Hatchet never gives up.

• Brian in Hatchet feels isolated and alone, while the boys in Scout’s Honor have each other to rely on.

• The boys in Scout’s Honor are brave, while Brian in Hatchet is scared the entire time.

• Both sets of characters are totally confident in their abilities.

How do the time periods of Scout’s Honor and Hatchet influence the way the authors portray problem-solving?

• In Scout’s Honor, the boys have access to more advanced technology, while in Hatchet, Brian uses basic survival skills.

• In Hatchet, Brian must use practical survival knowledge, while in Scout’s Honor, the boys use modern camping gear to try to survive.

• Both stories show characters using the same survival methods.

• Scout’s Honor focuses more on teamwork, while Hatchet focuses on individual survival.

Which best describes the tone of Scout's Honor compared to Hatchet?

• Both stories have a lighthearted tone throughout.

• Scout's Honor has a humorous tone, while Hatchet has a more serious and intense tone.

• Both stories are serious and focus on survival.

• Hatchet is funny, while Scout's Honor is scary.

How do the authors show the characters’ mental and emotional challenges in Scout's Honor and Hatchet?

• Both authors ignore the characters' emotions and focus only on physical challenges.

• shows the boys in Scout's Honor struggling with their pride and trying to prove themselves, while Paulsen shows Brian dealing with fear, loneliness, and hunger.

• Avi’s characters are too tough to feel any emotions, while Paulsen’s character is emotional all the time.

• Both stories focus only on physical survival and not on emotional struggles.