Jack tells his parents that he didn’t put the bullet in teh rifle. Discuss how a town can change without changing its sense of community. It won the Newbery Medal for children’s literature in 2012 and the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical … This video may be used for an after-reading activity. ( Log Out /  Also, I really enjoyed reading your summary for Dead End in Norvelt. o   Obituary: a notice of a death, especially in a newspaper, typically including a brief biography of the deceased person: o   Paraffin: a flammable, whitish, translucent, waxy solid used in candles, cosmetics, polishes, and sealing and waterproofing compounds. 340, Leading Through Reading: One Book at a Time, Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. But escape comes where Jack least expects it, once his mom loans him out to help an elderly neighbor with a most unusual chore - a chore … Print Word PDF. She asked Dr. Mertz if he could cauterize the inside of Jack's nasal passages because he'd been bleeding a lot. A lot of ideology referenced throughout the book centers around much of what Eleanor Roosevelt is famous for advocating for. Bunny Huffer is Jack’s best friend. Eleven-year-old Jack Gantos lives in the dying town of Norvelt, located in western Pennsylvania. According to one reviewer, the "real hero" is "his home town and its values", a "defiantly political" message. It is early summer in 1962. In what ways is Jack’s father still a boy? Trace their relationship from the beginning of the novel to the end. Overall, I believe in all of your other blog postings, you developed great examples of how the text can help students think and respond to their reading and learning. There, Jack, who likes history and adventure books, reads about Pizarro's conquest of the Incas in Peru. What does Mrs. Gantos miss most about the “old” Norvelt? This Study Guide consists of approximately 41 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - People didn't need much cash. Debate whether he is jealous of Jack’s relationship with Miss Volker. A … It turns out that his Uncle Will is a deer poacher, and it was he who loaded the gun. Which character is most responsible for his coming of age? Dead End in Norvelt - Chapters 7 and 8 Summary & Analysis. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. At what point does he become her friend? Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. In the historic town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania, twelve-year-old Jack Gantos spends the summer of 1962 grounded for various offenses until he is assigned to help an elderly neighbor with a most unusual chore involving the newly dead, molten wax, twisted promises, Girl Scout cookies, underage driving, lessons from history, typewriting, and countless bloody noses (Gantos, Jack). For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. It features a boy named Jack Gantos and is based in the author's hometown, Norvelt, Pennsylvania. He finds it tragic that, because the conquistadors were blinded by their lust for gold, a whole civilization was destroyed. Mrs. Emma Deavers Slater, one of the few remaining original Norvelters, has just passed away. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. - pp. everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Dead End in Norvelt. ( Log Out /  Jack tells his mother that his dad made him mow down the corn. And then, he gets caught up in the middle of a war between his parents, and mows down his Mom's cornfield. "The reason you remind yourself of the stupid stuff you've done in the past is so you don't do it again." On the way home, Mrs. Gantos told Jack how it used to be in Norvelt. And Jack? Readability Scores: Comical | Historic | Entertaining | Mysterious | Witty. The government called this luxury living. Cite evidence that Jack’s mom “wears the pants in the family.”. The book, which is based in part on the author’s own childhood, follows the adventures of an 11-year-old boy named Jack, in the small town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania. Also, Mr. Spizz confesses to poisoning the old ladies in an effort to fulfill a promise Miss Volker made to him in their youth: that she would marry him after all of the original Norvelters have passed on. As the body count rises, Jack has a lot on his plate. Jack's been in trouble. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from Shmoop and verify that you are over the age of 13. 15-16). Why? Dead End in Norvelt is an autobiographical novel by the American author Jack Gantos, published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux in 2011. Soon, Jack finds himself right in the middle of a mystery. ( Log Out /  Explain how Bunny contributes to Jack’s fears. Change ). Why does it take Mr. Gantos a while to admit that Jack is telling the truth? What quotes state the main character's strength? How does she also help him gain courage? (Triple oops?). The story takes place in the early 1960s and opens with Jack standing on a bench in his backyard trying to see the movie playing at the nearby drive-in. Students will be able to relate to Gantos, who speaks directly to his young readers, even including an anecdote about how he stole his sister's diary! Double oops, because he didn't know that it was loaded. It's the summer of 1962, and Jack's vacation is ruined when his Mom grounds him for the entire summer. Why was Norvelt named after Eleanor Roosevelt. ( Log Out /  Would you recommend this story? In this video from Reading Rockets, Gantos talks about how writing journals as a child have contributed to his stories today (until 3:48), and how he started journaling in the first place. The American Library Association awarded Gantos and Dead … He has to (1) get to the bottom of the sinister events; (2) stay out of trouble; (3) keep his friendship going with Bunny Huffer, a spunky tomboy whose Dad is the owner of the town's funeral parlor. Why? Anytime that Jack is anxious or fearful, his nose bleeds. Ask students what effect this gives to a novel. In answer to Jack's question about the relevance of this section, Miss Volker says that Tyler's story relates to Norvelt's situation because the town is populated by common people who "share the same history of being kicked around by the rich." She was going to take him out for some fresh air. With unbridled passion, the feisty lady notes that Emma Devers Slater died on the same day as Wat Tyler, "the heroic leader of the English Peasants' Revolt" who was killed in 1381 for fighting for "equality between peasants...the Royalty and the Church." At different times in the novel, Bunny and Miss Volker tell Jack that he needs to be a man. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. You implemented text-to-world connections when you asked students to pick a journal entry and relate it to a moment in history and you included an example to model what students should do. Debate whether Norvelt has lost its true sense of community. First, he accidentally fires his Dad's Japanese sniper rifle at the town's drive-in movie theater screen—um, oops. She hadn't made an appointment but timed their arrival for the end of his work day. Dead End in Norvelt is a 2011 novel written by American author Jack Gantos. What was your favorite part of the story? Dead End in Norvelt - Chapters 7 and 8 Summary & Analysis Jack Gantos This Study Guide consists of approximately 41 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Dead End in Norvelt. Jack reports to Miss Volker's house the next morning at six as directed. The novel earned many critical accolades at the time of its publication. Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, Dead End in Norvelt is the story of an incredible two months for a boy named Jack Gantos, whose plans for vacation adventure are suddenly ruined when he is grounded by his feuding parents for what seems like forever. Jack lives with his Mom and Dad in Norvelt, a small town big on quirky neighbors. o   Vietnam War: a war between communist North Vietnam and US-backed South Vietnam. Here are some ways to help students comprehend the history behind the novel. The author, Jack Gantos, has a personal website that could be viewed as a class. Eleven-year-old Jack Gantos lives in the dying town of Norvelt, located in western Pennsylvania. Why or why not. Dead End in Norvelt is the winner of the 2012 Newbery Medal for the year’s best contribution to children’s literature and the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction! How do they lie to themselves and to the entire community? Who are the most honest and trustworthy characters in the novel? Dead End in Norvelt Summary. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. An ambulance drives up to Miss Volker's house down the way, and for a moment, Jack is afraid that the stray bullet has killed her. You incorporated activities such as comparing New Deal towns and what they were like. Dead End in Norvelt is an autobiographical novel by the American author Jack Gantos, published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux in 2011. Students may then discuss how writers use experiences from their everyday lives in their books and how “Dead End in Norvelt” is a mesh of fact and fiction. What can students learn from these mistakes. People traded goods and services for the goods and services they needed.