Sticks - George Saunders (1995)

Which object does the father decorate throughout the story?

• A wooden cross

• A pole in the front yard

• A mailbox

• A tree in the backyard

How would you describe the father's behavior at the beginning of the story?

• Warm and loving

• Strict and controlling

• Carefree and humorous

• Detached, but loving

What kind of decorations does the father use on the pole?

• Christmas lights and holiday decorations

• Balloons and paper notes

• The old clothes of his children

• Political banners and posters

How do the father's decorations change over time?

• They become more elaborate and creative

• They remain exactly the same

• They start to include sentimental objects like old clothes

• The father completely stops decorating the pole

How do the children feel about their father's rituals?

• They appreciate them and continue the tradition

• They find them strange and embarrassing

• They are inspired to start their own traditions

• They argue with their father about them

What does the pole symbolize in the story?

• The strictness of the father

• The father's struggle to express emotions

• The family's financial difficulties

• The narrator's childhood memories

What sentence does the father say towards the end of the story?

• „I love you!“

• „Forgive!“

• „Forgive?“

• „Come home!“

What emotion does the father's last behavior indicate?

• Pride

• Regret

• Happiness

• Anger

What is the main conflict in Sticks?

• The strict rules of the father vs. the independence of the children

• The father's struggle to express emotions

• The family's financial difficulties

• The son's rebellion against traditions

What happens to the father at the end of the story?

• He apologizes to his children and changes his ways

• He becomes more distant and stops decorating the pole

• He dies and leaves the pole behind

• He moves to another city to start anew