- Paragraph 1: What do you notice about Dad? Think about some words to describe Dad – such as parsimonious/frugal. How do we know that he is stingy? What examples does the author give?
- What are the children’s names?
- Note the American references – Super Bowl is America’s National Football League. Thanksgiving is celebrated as a means of giving thanks for family, friends, food, health and other positivities. Some families incorporate religion by giving thanks in prayer, but Thanksgiving is a federal holiday and celebrated nationwide.
- Identify a change in tone between the first and second paragraphs.
- Why does the tone change?
- Why did the narrator simply blink when his date asked him about his father’s sticks?
- Similarly, to what extent should we look for symbolism in the father’s choice of garments and trinkets to adorn the sticks? eg. the metal poles suggests a kind of ‘crucifix’ (Christianity/ Super Bowl/sport)
- Why is he searching for love or forgiveness? The question mark changes the meaning – how? To whom does he appeal? Note how he had previously taped notes to the sticks, notes which are described as letters of apology, admissions of error, and pleas for understanding).
- Who is he seeking forgiveness from and why?.
- Give a recount of an object that also has varied significance for members of a family.
- What is ironic about the pole/crucifix? (contradictory)?
- Why is he is so desperate to gain forgiveness?
- Write one paragraph on someone you know who is obsessive, has idiosyncracies or shows odd behaviour…
- Write about someone you know who has a fixation with an object – show contrasts and contradictions.
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