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.

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• The environments in both stories are hostile, leading to the characters becoming withdrawn.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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