The Mountain
by Charles Mungoshi
Interpretive Questions: Be sure to answer all questions in complete sentences using quotes to support.1.) Why is Nharo unable to keep himself from being afraid?
Nahro is like that because he is afraid of the dark and Chemai keeps telling him stories about the mountain
"The gully was black now and in the darmness the path along its rim was witish."(p.144)
2.) Why does Nharo say that he could not be CHemai’s friend “without catching his fever”? (p. 144)
Nharo says he can't be his friend "without catching his fever"(pg.144) because Chemai would always tell stories and creep you out.
3.) Why does Nharo say, “But it would not help us to show Chemai that I was frightened too”? (p. 146)
Nharo says “But it would not help us to show Chemai that I was frightened too”? (p. 146) because he is trying to prove that he is tough and does not believe in the stories.
4.) Why does Nharo ask Chemai why the road couldn’t be constructed across the mountain if Nharo has already heard the reason?
Nharo ask that because he wants to start a conversation because he is scared. "I asked him about the road that I had heard was going to be constructed across the mountain."(p.147)
5.) After Chemai accuses Nharo of insulting the goat, why does Nharo think, “It was no use pretending I didn’t know what I was doing. I knew these goats. Lost spirits”? (p. 149)
Chemai says “It was no use pretending I didn't know what I was doing. I knew these goats. Lost spirits”? (p. 149) because he does not believe in the goat and that it cant do anything but then it starts following him.
6.) Over the course of the story, does Narho’s attitude about the mountain change?
Yes, Narho's attitude does change about the mountain because the goat starts following him so he strays to believe all the superstitions about the mountain."I felt the goat was harmless."(p.151)
7.) At the beginning of the story, why does Nharo say he likes to think of their path “as a question, marked by the mountain”? (p. 143)
Nharo says he likes to think of their path “as a question, marked by the mountain”? (p. 143) because they will never know what the path has on it or what will happen on the path.
8.) Why does Nharo think that only “someone who had gone to school” could be friend with him? (p. 144)
Nharo thinks that only “someone who had gone to school”(pg.144) could be friends with him because he wants them to be smart
9.) Why does Nharo feel “safe and warm” in his grandmother’s hut if his grandmother reminds him of his childhood nightmares? (p. 151)
Nharo feels “safe and warm”(pg.151) because he figures out the goat is harmless and that he is with his grandma.
10.) At the end of the story, what does Nharo mean when he says that “somebody who knew” was taking care of things? (p. 151)
Nharo says “somebody who knew”(p. 151) was taking care of things because he knows that he was going to be ok.
Vocabulary:
1.) Tolerated (p. 143)
Quote: "I tolerated him only for old time's sake"(p.143)
Definition (based on context/in your own words):put up with
Synonym:endure
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I have to tolerate with my little cousin.
2.) Irritating (p. 144)
Quote: "It can be irritating when someone you are walking with..."(p.144)
Definition (based on context/in your own words):annoying
Synonym:irritated
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): My brother can sometimes be irritating
3.) Appease (p. 149)
Quote: "medicine brewing to appease them, to make them go away."(p.149)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): to please
Synonym: satisfy
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I am very appeasing to everyone.
4.) Vigorously (p. 149)
Quote: "I saw his head bob vigorously in the dark."(p.149)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): aggressive
Synonym: aggressive
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I vigorously hit him.
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when Nharo seems superstitious or when Nharo seems logical. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
Nharo seems SUPERSTITIOUS V. Nharo seems LOGICAL
Superstitious
~ After Chemai tells Nharo a story, Nharo believes the story because of holes that prove it.(p.145)
~ Chemai tells Nharo everything he has seen and heard that is superstitious but Nharo still says he doesn't believe.(p.146)
~It starts to get darker and Nharo starts telling himself how funny it would be if some of the superstitions happened at the moment.(p.146)
~Nharo starts to get more scared because he would usually have his father, he is also thinking of scary things like a bush popping out of nowhere.(p.146)
~When they get to his grandma's house he says they are harmless of the goat, he was scared of it because he started believing Chemai.(p.151)
Logical
~ Nharo says Chemai believes in so much rot and superstitions, but Nharo doesn't believe.(p.144)
~ Nharo doesn't believe in what he learned as a kid.(p.145)
~ Nharo tells Chemai the stories aren't true.(p.145)
~ Chemai tells Nharo everything he has seen and heard thatis superstitious but Nharo still says he doesn't believe.(p.146)
~ Chemai tells Nharo about his father meeting witches and Nharo was saying something which sounded like he was going to say you and your stories but Chemai cut him off.(p.148)
Nahro is like that because he is afraid of the dark and Chemai keeps telling him stories about the mountain
"The gully was black now and in the darmness the path along its rim was witish."(p.144)
2.) Why does Nharo say that he could not be CHemai’s friend “without catching his fever”? (p. 144)
Nharo says he can't be his friend "without catching his fever"(pg.144) because Chemai would always tell stories and creep you out.
3.) Why does Nharo say, “But it would not help us to show Chemai that I was frightened too”? (p. 146)
Nharo says “But it would not help us to show Chemai that I was frightened too”? (p. 146) because he is trying to prove that he is tough and does not believe in the stories.
4.) Why does Nharo ask Chemai why the road couldn’t be constructed across the mountain if Nharo has already heard the reason?
Nharo ask that because he wants to start a conversation because he is scared. "I asked him about the road that I had heard was going to be constructed across the mountain."(p.147)
5.) After Chemai accuses Nharo of insulting the goat, why does Nharo think, “It was no use pretending I didn’t know what I was doing. I knew these goats. Lost spirits”? (p. 149)
Chemai says “It was no use pretending I didn't know what I was doing. I knew these goats. Lost spirits”? (p. 149) because he does not believe in the goat and that it cant do anything but then it starts following him.
6.) Over the course of the story, does Narho’s attitude about the mountain change?
Yes, Narho's attitude does change about the mountain because the goat starts following him so he strays to believe all the superstitions about the mountain."I felt the goat was harmless."(p.151)
7.) At the beginning of the story, why does Nharo say he likes to think of their path “as a question, marked by the mountain”? (p. 143)
Nharo says he likes to think of their path “as a question, marked by the mountain”? (p. 143) because they will never know what the path has on it or what will happen on the path.
8.) Why does Nharo think that only “someone who had gone to school” could be friend with him? (p. 144)
Nharo thinks that only “someone who had gone to school”(pg.144) could be friends with him because he wants them to be smart
9.) Why does Nharo feel “safe and warm” in his grandmother’s hut if his grandmother reminds him of his childhood nightmares? (p. 151)
Nharo feels “safe and warm”(pg.151) because he figures out the goat is harmless and that he is with his grandma.
10.) At the end of the story, what does Nharo mean when he says that “somebody who knew” was taking care of things? (p. 151)
Nharo says “somebody who knew”(p. 151) was taking care of things because he knows that he was going to be ok.
Vocabulary:
1.) Tolerated (p. 143)
Quote: "I tolerated him only for old time's sake"(p.143)
Definition (based on context/in your own words):put up with
Synonym:endure
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I have to tolerate with my little cousin.
2.) Irritating (p. 144)
Quote: "It can be irritating when someone you are walking with..."(p.144)
Definition (based on context/in your own words):annoying
Synonym:irritated
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): My brother can sometimes be irritating
3.) Appease (p. 149)
Quote: "medicine brewing to appease them, to make them go away."(p.149)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): to please
Synonym: satisfy
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I am very appeasing to everyone.
4.) Vigorously (p. 149)
Quote: "I saw his head bob vigorously in the dark."(p.149)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): aggressive
Synonym: aggressive
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): I vigorously hit him.
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when Nharo seems superstitious or when Nharo seems logical. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
Nharo seems SUPERSTITIOUS V. Nharo seems LOGICAL
Superstitious
~ After Chemai tells Nharo a story, Nharo believes the story because of holes that prove it.(p.145)
~ Chemai tells Nharo everything he has seen and heard that is superstitious but Nharo still says he doesn't believe.(p.146)
~It starts to get darker and Nharo starts telling himself how funny it would be if some of the superstitions happened at the moment.(p.146)
~Nharo starts to get more scared because he would usually have his father, he is also thinking of scary things like a bush popping out of nowhere.(p.146)
~When they get to his grandma's house he says they are harmless of the goat, he was scared of it because he started believing Chemai.(p.151)
Logical
~ Nharo says Chemai believes in so much rot and superstitions, but Nharo doesn't believe.(p.144)
~ Nharo doesn't believe in what he learned as a kid.(p.145)
~ Nharo tells Chemai the stories aren't true.(p.145)
~ Chemai tells Nharo everything he has seen and heard thatis superstitious but Nharo still says he doesn't believe.(p.146)
~ Chemai tells Nharo about his father meeting witches and Nharo was saying something which sounded like he was going to say you and your stories but Chemai cut him off.(p.148)