1.
What did you notice as you were reading Chapters
5 and 6? What was interesting or thematically important?
2.
Did Kino do the right thing at the end of the
novel? Why do you think so?
3.
Who or what is to blame for the tragedy at the
end of the book? (This question should have more than one answer. If you can
only think of one answer, you could come up with reasons why other possible answers
are wrong.)
4.
Was Juana and Kino’s fate unavoidable? Why do
you think so?
5.
Steinbeck tells us at the beginning of the
novella that this is a parable. What’s the lesson of the parable? How do you know?
6.
Would Steinbeck agree or disagree with each of
the following statements? Support your answers with events from the book.
a.
The more we want, the less happy we are.
b.
There is good in all human beings.
c.
Male and female strength is fundamentally
different.
d.
The powerful will always try to dominate the
less powerful.
e.
Cultures/societies tend to punish nonconformity.
