We are drawing conclusions about chunks of the story. This will help us think about both Character Development and Theme!

In each case, I follow the same pattern:

The question
Thinking about the text
And then drawing conclusions about the questions based on thinking about the text.

What kind of person is our main character in Grades 1-4?

First think about what happened in the text:

Bullied until the warrior in him woke up
Bullied by teacher but his parents stood up
Punishment felt eternal
Teacher encouraged him to become doctor and he imagined Doctor Victor coming to rescue his parents
He will be judged and tested, but he stands up for himself
Despite struggles, he imagines a future for himself

Then find words to describe him:

Troubled (bullying, discrimination, feels like punishment will never end, his parents are struggling with alcoholism and depression)

Resilient (means “bounce back from or last through a difficulty”) (the “little warrior” in him roared to life, his parents/braids, Mr. Schluter encouraging him)

How is our main character changing in Grades 5-7?

First, think about what happens in the text:

5^th: Basketball = possibility angles, chose not to get high
6^th: Friend who sticks up for himself
7^th: Kisses white girl, feels like he betrayed tribe. Leaves reservation, feels like he betrayed tribe. Not welcomed at farm school right away

Use those details to arrive at ideas about how he is changing:

He has a sense of possibilities
Knows he will have to defend himself
He is afraid that going after possibilities means he isn’t part of the tribe any more
He is connecting with others: Randy, the white girl
He is making more of his own choices

How is he continuing to change in grades 8-11?

First, think about what happens and what he says he is learning:

8^th grade People suffer lots of ways, and not the same as him
9^th grade He is a part of a team and has friends who care about him
He gets discriminated against but it doesn’t drag him down
10^th He still understands his tribe
11^th He feels the weight of discrimination but it doesn’t stop him

Then draw conclusions based on thinking about the text:

He seems more open
He has more friends, even white friends
He faces discrimination, and it hurts, but it doesn’t take him off his track
He is a star player on the basketball team – connected to others and community
He still understands what his tribe feels*