The Tiger Rising By Kate DiCamillo Discussion Cards Learning Through Lit
The Tiger Rising By Kate DiCamillo Chapter 1 1. How and where did Rob find the tiger? 2. What was Rob s way of not thinking about things? 3. What things did he not want to think about? Why? 4. How did imagining the tiger on top of the suitcase help Rob? Chapter 2 1. Describe Billy and Norton. 2. How does Rob deal with their threats and abuse? Why? 3. What unusual event happened on the bus? Chapter 3 1. How did Rob feel when he first saw Sistine? 2. How did Billy and Norton react to Sistine? How did she respond? 3. What did Sistine s name remind Rob of? 4. Describe the painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
Chapter 4 1. How does Sistine feel about being in Lister? 2. What character traits would you use to describe her? Why? 3. What is whittling? How does Rob feel about it? Chapter 5 1. Why is Rob asked to leave school? Do you think the principal s reasons are fair? Why or why not? 2. What conclusion can you draw about how Rob feels about having to stay out of school? 3. Why do you think Rob says his legs will never clear up? Chapter 6 1. How did Rob react when the kids swarmed around Sistine? Why was this surprising? 2. Why didn t Rob mind that the kids were chasing him? 3. How do Sistine and Rob handle their problems in different ways? Which way do you think is better? Why? Chapter 7 1. What does Rob know about the Sistine Chapel? 2. How do you think Sistine feels about Rob knowing what the Sistine Chapel is? 3. Considering Rob s artistic talent and Sistine s name, what do they have in common?
Chapter 8 1. Why was Rob afraid to go see the tiger again? 2. What did Rob whittle? 3. What did his mother mean by the wood does what it wants and you just follow it? 4. What does the tiger s cage represent to Sistine and Rob? Chapter 9 1. How did Rob view the Kentucky Star sign? 2. Why didn t Rob care if he ever saw the sun again? 3. Describe Rob s father. What character traits would you use to describe him? Chapter 10 1. Who is Willie May? 2. What did Willie May tell Rob the reason was his legs were broken out? 3. What did she tell him he needed to do to clear it up? 4. How could he let the sadness rise? Chapter 11 1. What do you think made Rob want to tell Sistine about the tiger? 2. How did Rob know he picked the right person to tell about the tiger? 3. What conclusion can you come to about Sistine s torn dress and bloody knuckles?
Chapter 12 1. How did Sistine compare Rob to Michelangelo? 2. What has Rob received that he had been afraid to wish for? 3. How does whittling help Rob cope with life? Name some of the objects he whittled. 4. How did Sistine react to the carving of her? Chapter 13 1. What figurative language describes how Rob felt when Sistine said she would be leaving Lister? What does it mean? 2. What does Sistine reveal about her parents? 3. Why does Rob decide to open up to Sistine about his mother? Chapter 14 1. How is the tiger in the cage like Rob and Sistine? 2. What did Sistine want to do with the tiger? 3. What feeling was pushing up inside of Rob? Why do you think he didn t recognize it at first? Chapters 15 1. How did Rob feel as he walked toward his room? 2. How was his world different when his mother was alive? 3. Why did Rob scold himself for opening his suitcase?
Chapter 16 1. Why was Rob trying to keep his suitcase closed when Sistine asked him about his mother? 2. What figurative language describes how it made Rob feel when Sistine made him say his mother s name? 3. Who is Mrs. Bailey? Describe her. Chapter 17 1. Why do you think Rob s father always tells him not to cry? 2. What does Willie May think about setting things in cages free? How do you know? 3. Do you think Willie feels like she is in a cage? How? Chapter 18 1. What does Beauchamp tell Rob he needs him to do? 2. How does it make Rob feel that Beauchamp is going to show him the tiger? 3. What do you think Beauchamp s plans for the tiger are? Chapter 19 1. Where did Beauchamp get the tiger? 2. Why did Beauchamp give Rob the keys to the cage? 3. What does Beauchamp plan to do with the tiger? 4 Why did the tiger remind Rob of Sistine?
Chapter 20 1. What figurative language describes Sistine s attitude when she got on the bus? 2. What did Sistine tell Rob about tigers? 3. Why do you think Sistine rattled the cage as if she were the one locked up? Chapter 21 1. What did Willie May see in Sistine that she recognized? 2. Why did Willie May say ain t that just like God, throwing you two together? 3. What did Sistine mean that Willie May is a prophetess? Chapter 22 1. Why was Rob s dad angry about the meat? 2. What does Rob not understand about his father? 3. What did Rob whittle? Chapters 23 1. What does it say about the way Rob feels about Willie May that he whittled a bird for her? 2. Did she like the bird? How do you know? 3. Do you think Rob will open the cage and let the tiger go? Why or why not?
Chapter 24 1. How did Sistine look when she got off the bus? Why? 2. What did Rob realize Sistine did when she saw something beautiful? 3. Why do you think Willie May wants to see the tiger? Chapter 25 1. Why does Rob think Sistine s father is not coming for her? How did she react when he told her this? 2. When Willie May says, Sometimes right don t count what does she mean? 3. How are the tiger and Rob s sadness alike? Chapter 26 1. Why do you think Rob has decided to let the tiger go? 2. How did Sistine react to Rob s decision to let the tiger go? 3. What evidence do Rob and Sistine see that indicates Beauchamp is afraid of the tiger? Chapter 27 1. What fears did Rob have about unlocking the cage? Did Sistine share those fears? 2. Describe the tiger as it finally leaped away. How did Rob feel as he saw it? 3. Do you think Rob and Sistine realize they too can be free?
Chapter 28 1. What happened to the tiger? 2. How did Rob react? 3. What did the tiger s death release in Rob and his father? Chapter 29 1. What did Sistine recite over the tiger? 2. Why do you think Rob feels as if he has set something heavy down and walked away from it? 3. How are Rob and the tiger alike? Chapter 30 1. How have Rob s feelings about going to school changed? 2. Why does Rob say his father has complicated hands? 3. How has Rob s relationship with his father changed? Symbolism 1. What does the green parakeet flying away symbolize? 2. What is the literal and figurative meaning of Rob s dad s statement that the clouds are gone? 3. What does open the suitcase mean? What allows Rob to open his suitcase?
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