Skip to main content

What are 10 important items to Dave Packer?

We know that Dave is a thoughtful boy, someone who's not overly attached to objects or possessions. But if we consider anyway the items that may be of importance to him, we can understand his character better. Here are some suggestions:

1. Dave's library books about India and Gandhi. These open his mind to the new ideas that really get this story going.


2. His own hands. Dave discovers at the end of Chapter 2 that he can communicate very well just by doing a thumbs-up or a high five, or even by sliding his hands into his pockets to show that he doesn't want to talk.


3. Pizza and fruit cups. These are the foods that he chooses out of all the others in the lunch line, so he must like them best.


4. A baseball, a soccer ball, or a football. Dave loves sports, and he loves talking about sports, too.


5. Rocks. We also learn in Chapter 3 that Dave enjoys looking for interesting rocks.


6. His Playstation, Nintendo, or Xbox. Like most American boys his age, Dave loves playing video games.


7. Comic books. Of course Dave loves these! Again, he's an American kid in the fifth grade.


8. An iPod. Although Dave doesn't actually have one, he wishes for one in Chapter 3 so that he could block out the sounds of Lynsey talking on and on.


9. Candy and gum. In Chapter 7, we find out that Dave found it really hard to follow the school rules against chewing gum or eating candy on the school bus or on campus. He must really like this stuff!


10. His voice. By learning to use it more selectively instead of just chattering, Dave understands better how powerful it is.


Finally, just for fun, let's finish up by thinking about the objects Dave definitely doesn't like: Mrs. Escobar's bull horn, memos sent home about how noisy he is in class, and Lynsey's notebook where she records all the mistakes that the boys make!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Can you analyze the poem "Absolution" by Siegfried Sassoon?

Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and... Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and the v...

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...