SHORT STORY
President Cleveland,
Where Are You?
by ROBERT CORMIER
Connect to Your Life
Costly Choices Making your own choices takes courage. Think
of a time when you chose to do something different from what
someone else wanted or expected. Or think about someone in a
book or movie who made a difficult choice. What was so difficult?
Build Background
HISTORY
“President Cleveland, Where Are
You?” is set in the 1930s. In that
decade, the United States suffered
through the economic crisis now
known as the Great Depression.
Thousands of people lost their
jobs, and banks and businesses
closed all over the country.
Despite hard times, the 1930s
was also a great decade for
entertainment. Children enjoyed
the Sunday “funny papers,” fourhour movie matinees, and radio
programs like Little Orphan Annie
and Dick Tracy. Many children,
like the boys in this story,
collected trading cards that
featured the heroes of movies
and sports.
WORDS TO KNOW
Vocabulary Preview
allot
incredulous
betrayed
indignant
contempt
lethargy
divulge
obsess
dwindle
stalemate
Focus Your Reading
LITERARY ANALYSIS PLOT
The series of events in a story is called the plot. A plot usually
revolves around a conflict, or problem, faced by the main
character. Plots usually develop in four stages. During the
exposition stage, the characters and setting are introduced. The
conflict develops and the story becomes more complicated
during the rising action. The climax is the turning point of the
story. The falling action follows, as the characters deal with the
conflict’s resolution, and the story ends. As you read, try to
identify the main conflict and its resolution.
ACTIVE READING SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
To understand a story, you must be able to follow the
sequence of events in the plot. Look for events that help to
move the plot along. Some may seem unimportant at first but
turn out to be significant.
READER'S NOTEBOOK As you read,
use a story wheel like the one at the
right to keep track of six important
events. The wheel will help you
see how events move the
6.
plot forward.
1.
Jerry
saves 35¢
for cowboy
cards.
2.
3.
5.
4.