Literature Response Journals Ch. 8-10
Questions
Notes
1. Why might there not be a search
party out looking for the 2
survivors? (ch 8)
All the ships and aircraft were needed to fight the U-boats.
2.
a. They had their place and we had ours.
b. Timothy was more than 70
c. It was difficult to understand Timothy because he wasn’t always clear
d. Timothy couldn’t spell
e. He was too stubborn to admit he couldn’t spell
In this chapter, you learn several
different things about Timothy. List
them: (Ch 8)
3. What was the purpose of the rope?
(ch 9)
4. How did Timothy expect Phillip to
help? (ch 9)
The rope would be for Phillip to follow if he heard an airplane. He could
take a light from the campfire and follow the rope down and off of the big
fire.
To help weave the vines into a rope.
5. How did Phillip begin to change?
(ch 9)
Phillip began accepting Timothy as a friend.
6. Give two reasons why they were
glad to have rain: (ch 10)
a. To get drinking water
b. To cool the air
7. Compare and Contrast Timothy and
Timothy
Phillip’s childhood: (ch 10)





Phillip
No School
Cannot read
No Parents
Worked on
Fishing
boats since
age of 10
Liked the
carnival


Both grew
up in the
Caribbean
Both had
friends
growing up





Went to school
Learned Dutch
Had a mom
and dad
Lived in
Sharloo
Grew up
seeing colored
people as
different
Literature Response Journals Ch. 10-12
1. Theodore Taylor ends this section of the
book with the following words:
“Where is the raft, Timothy?”
“’Twas off d’shore, Phill-eep. ‘Tis back now. An’ our luck is change.” But it
didn’t change. It got worse.
What do you think will happen to
Timothy and Phillip? Why do you think
Theodore Taylor ends the chapter this
way?
2. In Chapter 11, why does Phillip think he
can no longer trust Timothy?
Describe a situation in which you
questioned your trust in someone. How
do people build trust in each other?
3. Why did Timothy think stew cat was
‘d’jumbi’?
4. What things did Timothy do that
made Phillip suspicious of what he
had done to stew cat?
Timothy thinks that cats bring bad luck.
5. What made Timothy run a fever?
a. Tim was at north beach cutting wood
b. Knife was missing
c. Stew cat missing
d. Raft was gone.
He had an attack of Malaria.
6. Why did Timothy run into the water?
Timothy’s head was burning with the fever.
7. Why was the sickness dangerous for
Timothy and Phillip?
Timothy was not aware of what he was doing and could have drowned in
the water, leaving Phillip alone.
8. As Phillip struggles to help Timothy
during the malaria attack, what do the
boy’s actions reveal about his
character? Would Phillip’s reaction
have been the same earlier in the
novel? Explain your decision
Phillip’s actions reveal that he has matured and learned how to care for
his friend Timothy. Earlier in the novel, Phillip would not have been so
caring because of his negative view on Timothy and little knowledge on
how to survive.
9. Because of his feelings for Timothy,
Phillip conquers his fear and climbs
up the coconut tree (symbol). What
obstacles have you overcome in your
life? How did you overcome them?
“It was almost as if I'd graduated from the survival course that Timothy
had been putting me through since we landed on the cay”
Phillip's climbing the tree tells us that he has reached a certain level of
maturation. He is acting as a provider for Timothy now; he has
conquered his fears and can survive on his own.
Literature Response Journals Ch. 13-14
1. How did Phillip keep track of the
date?
Each day he dropped a pebble into an old can.
2. Why is it necessary for Phillip to
learn how to fish? Why did they
Phillip needed to learn to fish just in case Timothy got sick, or stayed sick.
The mussels were used as bait.
need to catch a mussel first? (ch. 13)
3. List the ways Phillip is maturing in
this chapter:
(ch. 13)
4.
5.
6.
7.
a. Learned to fish
b. Able to tell Timothy how the cay came to be
c. Climbed the coconut tree
d. Views timothy as kind and strong
What do you think Phillip meant
Phillip wondered if Timothy was the same black man on the raft because
when he said, “Timothy, are you still he now appears kind and strong, not ugly like he remembered him.
black?” (ch. 13) (ironic)
What made the sound like a rifle?
The ocean waves made the sound. It scared Timothy because it meant a
Why did it scare Timothy? (ch. 14) hurricane is coming.
List the signals that proved to
a. Shot like a rifle
Timothy that a hurricane was
b. Smell change in the air
coming: (ch. 14)
c. Sea smooth like green jelly
d. No birds
e. Sky was yellow
What did Timothy do to prepare?
a. Put water keg in a tree trunk
(ch. 14)
b. Tied a rope around a tree
c. Took everything usable out of the raft
d. Ate a huge meal because they may not eat for days
e. Put tin box high in the trees