The Parsley Garden
By William Saroyan
Interpretive Questions: Be sure all questions are answered in complete sentences and include quotes.
1.) Why does Al try to steal the hammer?
Al tries to steal the hammer because he wants to build something with it. "Now, with the ten-cent hammer he beloved he could make something out of box wood ant the nails, although he had no idea what." (Pg.79)
2.) Why does Al say that he didn’t mean to steal the hammer?
He said he didn't mean to steal it probably because he did not want to get in trouble.
" I didn't mean to steal it" (pg.80)
3.) Why is Al “deeply ashamed” after he leaves the store? (p. 81)
Al is "deeply ashamed"(pg.81) because he got in trouble for shoplifting and because he knows better.
4.) Why won’t Al accept his mother’s money to buy the hammer?
Al will not accept his mother's money because he feels that he can get the hammer on his own. " No, Al Condraj said. I won't take your money for something I don't really need."(pg.83)
5.) Why does Al use the hammer to make a bench for his mother’s parsley garden?
Al uses the hammer to make a bench because he want a place to sit and eat while smelling the garden. "It looked like a bench."(pg.85)
6.) Why does Al refuse to accept the job at Woolworth’s?
Al refuses to accept the job because he does not like the men he would be working for.
" Because I hate both of them"(pg.87)
7.) What does Al mean when he says he would never work for “people like that”? (p. 87)
Al would not want to work for "people like that" because all they care about is money.
8.) When Al walks out of Woolworth’s, why does he refuse the dollar but take the hammer?
Al refuses the dollar because he does not think he deserves it and that he cares about the hammer more. " I left the dollar on Mr. Clemmer's desk"(pg.87)
9.) At the end of the story, why doesn’t Al feel humiliated anymore?
Al does not feel humiliated anymore because he feels that he has accomplished something by doing a good thing. "Didn't feel humiliated anymore." (Pg.87)
10.) Why can’t Al stop hating the two men “even though he knew they hadn’t done anything they shouldn’t have done”? (p.87)
Al could not stop hating the men because they humiliated him at that time. “even though he knew they hadn’t done anything they shouldn’t have done”? (p.87)
Vocabulary:
1.) Monotony (p. 79)
Quote: " He believed it was just what he needed by which to break the monotony and with which to make something. (Pg.79)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): repetition
Synonym: not much interest
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I hate the monotony of school.
2.) Humiliated (p. 81)
Quote: "The first thing he did when he was free was laugh, but he knew he had been humiliated, and he was deeply ashamed." (Pg.81)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): embarrassed
Synonym: no pride
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I was humiliated when I got in trouble for not following rules.
3.) Systematically (p. 84)
Quote: "He also believed it would be necessary for him to steal systematically and successfully the rest of his life."(pg.84)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): To plan something
Synonym: orderly
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I was systematically for a test.
4.) Indicated (p. 86)
Quote: "They drank the coffee and smoked a cigarette apiece, and told one another stories about experiences in the old country and here in Fresno, and then they looked into their cups at the grounds to see if any good fortune was indicated, and there was; health and work and supper out of doors in the summer and enough money for the rest of the year."(pg.86)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): To talk and tell.
Synonym: To get attention
T-Chart:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when Al deals with his problems in a P/positive way or a N/negative way. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
Al deals with his problems in a P/positive way V. Al deals with his problems in a N/negative way
1.) Why does Al try to steal the hammer?
Al tries to steal the hammer because he wants to build something with it. "Now, with the ten-cent hammer he beloved he could make something out of box wood ant the nails, although he had no idea what." (Pg.79)
2.) Why does Al say that he didn’t mean to steal the hammer?
He said he didn't mean to steal it probably because he did not want to get in trouble.
" I didn't mean to steal it" (pg.80)
3.) Why is Al “deeply ashamed” after he leaves the store? (p. 81)
Al is "deeply ashamed"(pg.81) because he got in trouble for shoplifting and because he knows better.
4.) Why won’t Al accept his mother’s money to buy the hammer?
Al will not accept his mother's money because he feels that he can get the hammer on his own. " No, Al Condraj said. I won't take your money for something I don't really need."(pg.83)
5.) Why does Al use the hammer to make a bench for his mother’s parsley garden?
Al uses the hammer to make a bench because he want a place to sit and eat while smelling the garden. "It looked like a bench."(pg.85)
6.) Why does Al refuse to accept the job at Woolworth’s?
Al refuses to accept the job because he does not like the men he would be working for.
" Because I hate both of them"(pg.87)
7.) What does Al mean when he says he would never work for “people like that”? (p. 87)
Al would not want to work for "people like that" because all they care about is money.
8.) When Al walks out of Woolworth’s, why does he refuse the dollar but take the hammer?
Al refuses the dollar because he does not think he deserves it and that he cares about the hammer more. " I left the dollar on Mr. Clemmer's desk"(pg.87)
9.) At the end of the story, why doesn’t Al feel humiliated anymore?
Al does not feel humiliated anymore because he feels that he has accomplished something by doing a good thing. "Didn't feel humiliated anymore." (Pg.87)
10.) Why can’t Al stop hating the two men “even though he knew they hadn’t done anything they shouldn’t have done”? (p.87)
Al could not stop hating the men because they humiliated him at that time. “even though he knew they hadn’t done anything they shouldn’t have done”? (p.87)
Vocabulary:
1.) Monotony (p. 79)
Quote: " He believed it was just what he needed by which to break the monotony and with which to make something. (Pg.79)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): repetition
Synonym: not much interest
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I hate the monotony of school.
2.) Humiliated (p. 81)
Quote: "The first thing he did when he was free was laugh, but he knew he had been humiliated, and he was deeply ashamed." (Pg.81)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): embarrassed
Synonym: no pride
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I was humiliated when I got in trouble for not following rules.
3.) Systematically (p. 84)
Quote: "He also believed it would be necessary for him to steal systematically and successfully the rest of his life."(pg.84)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): To plan something
Synonym: orderly
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I was systematically for a test.
4.) Indicated (p. 86)
Quote: "They drank the coffee and smoked a cigarette apiece, and told one another stories about experiences in the old country and here in Fresno, and then they looked into their cups at the grounds to see if any good fortune was indicated, and there was; health and work and supper out of doors in the summer and enough money for the rest of the year."(pg.86)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): To talk and tell.
Synonym: To get attention
T-Chart:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when Al deals with his problems in a P/positive way or a N/negative way. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
Al deals with his problems in a P/positive way V. Al deals with his problems in a N/negative way
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