1. In Chapter 20, Sal's teacher, Mr. Birkway, uses the poem, "the little horse is newlY," to teach about his idea of paradise. If you've ever read a poem by e.e. cummings, you know his poetry follows no rules. Here is the poem mentioned in the book:
the little horse is newlY
Born)he knows nothing,and feels
everything;all around whom is
perfectly a strange
ness(Of sun
light and of fragrance and of
Singing)is ev
erywhere(a welcom
ing dream:is amazing)
a worlD.and in
this world lies:smoothbeautifuL
ly folded;a(brea
thing a gro
Wing)silence,who;
is:somE
oNe.
--e. e. cummings
Does this poem illustrate paradise? If yes, why? If you think it does not illustrate paradise, please explain.
2. In this segment of chapters, Phoebe's mother leaves her family with no explanation as to where she has gone or when she will return. There were several moments in the book that foreshadowed this event. Choose two incidents that happened hinting that Mrs. Winterbottom was going to leave her family; don't forget page numbers and quotation marks!