L I T E R AT U R E G U I D E
GRADES 4–8
The Cay
by
Theodore Taylor
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Written by Linda Ward Beech
Cover design by Vincent Ceci and Jaime Lucero
Interior design by Robert Dominguez and Jaime Lucero for Grafica, Inc.
Original cover and interior design by Drew Hires
Interior illustrations by Eric Angeloch
Photo research by Nia Krikellas
Photo Acknowledgments
Cover: Jacket cover from THE CAY by Theodore Taylor. By permission of Avon Books.
ISBN 0-590-36643-2
Copyright © 1997 by Scholastic, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Printed in the U.S.A.
Scholastic Literature Guide: The Cay © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Table of Contents
BEFORE READING THE BOOK
Summary ........................................................................... 3
Characters .......................................................................... 3
About the Author ............................................................... 4
Vocabulary ......................................................................... 4
Thinking About Setting ....................................................... 5
Getting Started .................................................................... 5
EXPLORING THE BOOK
Chapters 1–6
Summary and Discussion Questions .................................... 6
Cross-Curricular Activities: Social Studies,
Art, Science ........................................................................ 7
Chapters 7–12
Summary and Discussion Questions .................................... 8
Cross-Curricular Activities:
Language Arts, Health, Science ........................................... 9
Chapters 13–19
Summary and Discussion Questions .................................. 10
Cross-Curricular Activities: Science,
Social Studies, Science ...................................................... 11
SUMMARIZING THE BOOK
Putting It All Together ....................................................... 12
Class, Partner, and Individual Projects ................................ 12
Evaluation Ideas ............................................................... 13
STUDENT REPRODUCIBLES
Islands in the Sea ............................................................. 14
Timothy ........................................................................... 15
How Did They Use It? ....................................................... 16
Answers for Worksheets ................................................... 13
Scholastic Literature Guide: The Cay © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Before Reading the Book
SUMMARY
An American boy, Phillip Enright,
lives with his parents on the island
of Curaçao, part of the Dutch West
Indies in the Caribbean Sea. It is
1942 and German submarines are
attacking the region’s oil refineries
and the tankers that carry oil to the
Allied forces. Mr. Enright is aiding
the war effort by working as an
adviser to a Dutch oil company, but
Mrs. Enright insists that she and her
son return to the United States. Their
ship is torpedoed, however, and
Phillip finds himself on a raft with
Timothy, one of the ship’s hands. At
first Phillip is angry and afraid and
has little respect for his fellow survivor who is a black islander. After
many days at sea, the two land on a
cay surrounded by coral reefs. By this time Phillip is blind from a blow he received
during the attack and very dependent on Timothy. Thanks to Timothy’s skills, the
pair survive for several months on the tiny island. But Timothy, well into his 70s,
has a bout with malaria and his strength is weakened. After protecting Phillip during
a severe hurricane, he dies. Thanks to all that Timothy has taught him, Phillip manages to get along until finally a Navy destroyer sees his signal for help. Phillip is
reunited with his parents and after several operations, also gets his sight back. He
knows that someday he’ll return to visit his friend’s grave on that lonely little island
in the Caribbean.
CHARACTERS
People
Henrik van Boven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phillip’s Dutch friend
Phillip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Main character who gets shipwrecked
Phillip Enright . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Young Phillip’s father
Grace Enright . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phillip’s mother
Timothy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . West Indian man who saves Phillip
Herr Jonckheer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phillip’s teacher on Curaçao
Scotty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sailor who finds Phillip on the island
Navy captain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Captain of the destroyer that rescues Phillip
Animal
Stew Cat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ship’s cat that lives with Phillip and Timothy
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Theodore Taylor was born in 1921. Before he began to write fiction for young
people, he worked in the film industry. Taylor is the author of several novels
as well as a nonfiction book, People Who Make Movies. However, he is best
known for The Cay, which won numerous awards when it was first published.
Among these honors are the Jane Addams Book Award, the Lewis Carroll Shelf
Award, and the Commonwealth Club Award. The Cay has also been on The Horn
Book Honor List, New York Times Best Books of the Year, and the School Library
Journal’s Best Books of the Year.
LITERATURE CONNECTIONS
Other books for young readers set during World War II include:
• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
• When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr
• Escape from Warsaw by Ian Serraillier
• Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
• The Upstairs Room by Johanna Reiss
VOCABULARY
The list of words below may be unfamiliar to some students. To introduce the words
to the class, have students play this game: Number the words. Assign one or two
words to a student and provide an index card for each word. Have students write the
number for each word and its meaning on the cards. Stress that students should not
write the word itself. Place all the cards in a pile. Write the words without their
numbers on the chalkboard. Then have students take turns picking a card from the
pile, reading the definition, and trying to match the definition with a word on the
board. Use the numbers to check students’ matches.
cay
schooner
ballast
aft
calypso
roused
massive
fronds
anguish
trough
rancid
treacherous
bight
receded
lee
honing
gabled
refinery
distilled
sextant
ebony
scorch
petrel
crowing
reeve
funnel
conniving
crevices
spawning
eerie
bung
scour
pontoon
mutiny
fore
alabaster
lulled
drone
booby
smoldering
catchment
squall
salvaged
sinkers
burrowed
flayed
legacy
bleat
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THINKING ABOUT SETTING
Setting is an extremely important component in many works of fiction. Point out
that setting includes place and time, and that both of these elements figure strongly
in The Cay. Tell students that the story they are about to read takes place in 1942
during World War II. If necessary, review which countries fought with the Axis and
which were the Allied nations. Then remind students that in 1942 racial segregation
still existed in the United States, particularly in the South. (Students may already
know that African Americans fought in segregated regiments in World War II.) Point
out that in the story the main character’s mother comes from the South, and her
views reflect the racial attitudes of that time and place. Ask students to note as they
read how these attitudes affect Phillip, the main character.
GETTING STARTED
You might try the following activities to introduce the book to students:
• Write the word “cay” on the chalkboard and ask students to tell you what it is. (a
small islet composed mainly of coral and sand ) If necessary, review pronunciation:
kee is preferred, but kay is also acceptable.
• Read aloud the book’s dedication. Then ask students to make predictions about the
story based on it.
• Tell students that The Cay is an adventure story. Ask them to describe the elements
they expect in an adventure story. Save these descriptions to review after students
have read the book.
• Discuss with students what they know about the Caribbean and the West Indies. On
poster paper start a KWL chart (What We KNOW, What We WANT to Know, What We
LEARN). Encourage students to add to the last column as they acquire more information—from both the story and from research—about this region of the world.
The Carribean and the West Indies
What We Know
-many different islands
-warm and sunny
What We Want to Know
What We Learn
-What makes up the West
Indies?
TEACHER
TIP
As students read the novel, have them
occasionally close their eyes to visualize
the scene.
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Exploring the Book
CHAPTERS 1–6
WHAT HAPPENS
When German subs begin torpedoing ships and refineries near Curaçao, Phillip’s
mother becomes determined to return to the United States. Finally, Mr. Enright
secures passage for his wife and son on a Dutch freighter. The ship is torpedoed and
Phillip wakes to find himself on a raft with Timothy and Stew Cat. Phillip has been
hit on the head in the commotion and by the following day is blind. Frightened,
angry, and helpless, he must depend on Timothy as they drift at sea. Finally,
Timothy spots an island. In his excitement, Phillip falls overboard and has to be rescued quickly before sharks get him.
QUESTIONS TO TALK ABOUT
C OMPREHENSION AND R ECALL
1. What was going on in 1942? (World War II)
2. Why were the Enrights in Curaçao? (Mr. Enright was an expert in oil production and was borrowed by the Royal Dutch Shell Company to help in the war effort.)
3. Why does Phillip’s mother want to return to Virginia? (It’s unsafe in Curaçao;
she doesn’t like it there; she’s homesick and afraid.)
4. How does Timothy help Phillip on the raft? (He comforts him, builds a shelter
from the sun, uses his knowledge and skill to survive.)
5. Why can’t Phillip see? (He was hit when the ship was torpedoed.)
H IGHER L EVEL T HINKING S KILLS
6. Why was oil important in World War II? (aviation, ships, war machines)
7. Why does Phillip want to stay in Curaçao? (He likes Curaçao, has lived there
since he was 7, will miss his friend Henrik and his father; he likes the excitement.)
8. How has Phillip’s mother’s attitude about black people affected him? (She has
said they are different because she doesn’t really know them. Phillip assumes the
same attitude when he finds himself with Timothy and doesn’t appreciate
Timothy’s skills and abilities.)
9. Why does Phillip get angry at Timothy on the raft? (He is afraid after what
happened; Timothy is a stranger and black; Phillip doesn’t understand why he
can’t have more water or has to eat raw fish. )
10. What does Timothy mean when he says, “Tis a good ting not to harass d’soul
ovah dis.” (It’s best not to worry, but keep a positive attitude.)
11. How does Phillip use his other senses when he is blind? (He feels the water,
cool air; listens to sounds.)
12. Why does Timothy get so angry when Phillip falls overboard? (He’s frightened—knows how dangerous it is because of sharks.)
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L ITERARY E LEMENTS
13. Tone: How does the first sentence of the book set the tone? (Mentions war,
torpedoes, and sharks—all ominous and dangerous.)
14. Dialect: Why do you think the author chose to have Timothy speak the way
he does? (To show what a West Indian dialect is like; using dialect makes the story
more realistic.)
P ERSONAL R ESPONSE
15. Would you have chosen to stay on the raft — as Phillip wanted — or go to the
island? Why?
16. Do you think Phillip really believes the Navy is looking for him? Why or why
not?
CROSS-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
SOCIAL STUDIES: Researching the Dutch West Indies
Have students research the history of the Dutch in the Caribbean, focusing on two
groups of islands known as the Netherlands Antilles. Have students answer questions such as: When did the Dutch first arrive? What islands did they claim? How
have they influenced life there? Why were these islands of interest to the Germans
during World War II? What is the relation of these islands to the Netherlands today?
Students might prepare reports to share with the class. They might include the reproducible map on page 14.
ART: U-Boat and Tanker Diagrams
Suggest that interested students draw diagrams of German U-boats or contemporary
oil tankers. Have students label their diagrams and be prepared to give a talk to the
class explaining the various parts of these ships.
SCIENCE: Shark Charts
Although there are many misconceptions about sharks, they are a real danger to
Timothy and Phillip in the story. Ask students to read up on these creatures and then
make charts showing Facts About Sharks and Myths About Sharks.
O
Facts About Sharks
Myths About Sharks
Sharks are fish.
All sharks are dangerous.
Only some kinds of sharks are
dangerous.
All sharks are aggressive predators.
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CHAPTERS 7–12
WHAT HAPPENS
Timothy and Phillip land on a cay surrounded by a coral reef. Timothy sets up a
camp, building a hut from palm fronds. Phillip learns that Timothy is old—more than
70. He also finds out that Timothy can’t read, but is too proud to
admit it. They use rocks to spell out H-E-L-P in the sand,
weave sleeping mats, and make a rope so that Phillip can get
to the beach by himself. When Phillip becomes frustrated and
calls Timothy ugly names, the old man strikes him. Phillip
suddenly realizes that Timothy has been protecting him
all along; they agree to be friends. After many days
on the island, Timothy says it has a jumbi—an
evil spirit—because no aircraft have flown
over them. He says that Stew Cat is the
jumbi and makes a wooden carving of a
cat to scare off the jumbi. One morning
after they’ve been on the island for several weeks, Timothy wakes with malaria
fever. Although he recovers, he never
regains his strength.
QUESTIONS TO TALK ABOUT
C OMPREHENSION AND R ECALL
1. How is the cay a problem in terms of rescue? (It is surrounded by coral banks
making it difficult for ships to come near.)
2. What does Timothy mean by a “jumbi”? (bad luck)
3. How does Timothy try to get rid of a jumbi? (He carves a wooden cat and puts
it on the roof.)
H IGHER L EVEL T HINKING S KILLS
4. Why does Phillip think in a prejudiced way each time Timothy does something
he doesn’t like? (It’s easy to slip back into prejudiced thinking when you don’t
understand something.)
5. Why isn’t Phillip grateful at first for all that Timothy does? (Possible: he’s blind,
has lost his mother, is afraid, is prejudiced.)
6. Why does Phillip ask Timothy to call him by his name instead of “bahss”? (He
suddenly appreciates Timothy and wants to be friends. “Young boss” assumes an
unequal relationship; friends need an equal footing.)
7. Why does Phillip like the rain? (He can experience it with senses other than
sight. It’s also a change—a psychological boost. It means fresh drinking water.)
8. How does Phillip become the stronger one? (Timothy has a bout with malaria
and almost drowns. Phillip saves him, but even though Timothy recovers, his
strength is never the same.)
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L ITERARY E LEMENTS
9. Characterization: How does the author show that Timothy is a proud man?
(He won’t admit he can’t spell.)
P ERSONAL R ESPONSE
10. Have you ever camped out? Would you want to do it for many days on a deserted island? Why or why not?
CROSS-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
LANGUAGE ARTS: Words and Meanings
Draw students’ attention to Timothy’s use of the word “outrageous.” Discuss how he
uses it as different parts of speech. For example, he uses it as an adverb when he
says, “outrageous good” and as an adjective when he says “outrageous mahn.”
Discuss the meanings that Timothy’s use of outrageous has in its different contexts.
Challenge students to find as many different nuances of meaning as they can.
HEALTH: A Sense of Sight
Remind students that Phillip loses his sight suddenly and has to learn to compensate
for this important sense. Have students take turns closing their eyes as you put various objects into their hands. Can they determine what the objects are? Is it easier if
they can hear and smell as well as feel an object? Try the same activity with food
such as crackers, grapes, and popcorn. Which foods are easier to identify without
sight? Why?
SCIENCE: Wildlife of the Caribbean
Many different kinds of sea life are mentioned in The Cay including parrot fish,
langosta, pompano, sea urchins, mussels, skates, scallops, octopus, barracuda,
moray eels, brain coral, and organ-pipe coral. Have students find out more about
these and report to the class. Suggest that students visit a fish store, use encyclopedias and other references, and look for photographs or illustrations to gather their
information.
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CHAPTERS 13-19
WHAT HAPPENS
Timothy teaches Phillip to fish off the coral reef, and Phillip learns to climb the trees
to get coconuts. One day in July, a fierce hurricane hits the island. Phillip survives it
because of Timothy’s preparations and bravery. However, Timothy dies. Alone on
the cay with Stew Cat, Phillip finds that Timothy has taught him how to survive
even without sight. He rebuilds the camp, fishes and hunts for food, and keeps track
of the days with pebbles, just as Timothy showed him. When a plane flies over and
doesn’t see his smoke signal, Phillip realizes that he needs black smoke to stand out
against the sky. One day in August, he hears explosions from a destroyer. This time
he succeeds in sending signals that are noticed, and eventually a small boat rescues
him and takes him to a destroyer. Phillip is reunited with his parents and after several operations, gets his sight back as well. After the war, he and his parents leave
Curaçao, but Phillip knows that someday he will return to the cay.
QUESTIONS TO TALK ABOUT
C OMPREHENSION AND R ECALL
1. Why does Timothy teach Phillip how to fish on the reef? (In case something
happens to Timothy; he doesn’t know if they’ll ever get off the cay.)
2. How does Stew Cat help Phillip on the beach? (He fights off the birds that are
attacking him.)
H IGHER L EVEL T HINKING S KILLS
3. How would you compare Timothy’s knowledge with Phillip’s? (Timothy has
practical life skills that help him survive; Phillip has facts and information.)
4. How does Phillip start to use his own intelligence to survive? (He realizes that
the planes can’t see white smoke.)
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5. How does Phillip think his tanned skin could keep him from being rescued?
(Pilots might think he was a native fisherman.)
6. Why is it hard for Phillip to tell his parents about Timothy and the cay? (It was
a traumatic and profound experience.)
7. Why doesn’t Phillip see so much of Henrik when he returns to Curaçao?
(Henrik seems young; the months on the cay have changed Phillip.)
L ITERARY E LEMENTS
8. Character Growth: Why does the story end with Phillip thinking in Timothy’s
words? (The author wants to show that Phillip has been greatly influenced and
moved by Timothy, that the experience will never leave him, and that he will
always remember this special man.)
P ERSONAL R ESPONSE
9. Have you ever been in a hurricane? What was it like?
10. What would you have done if you’d been Phillip after the storm?
11. Phillip says, “It was as if my blindness were protecting me from fear.” Is it
always good to know everything?
12. Was Phillip brave or foolish to dive to the bottom of the fishing hole by himself? Why?
CROSS-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
SCIENCE: Hurricane Maps
A hurricane causes severe damage to the cay and is even responsible for Timothy’s
death. Recall with students recent hurricanes that have been in the news and the
kinds of destruction they can cause. Have students locate on a map where most hurricanes begin and the paths that they take. Students might also find out how hurricanes are named and share the names of significant hurricanes in recent times.
SOCIAL STUDIES: Story Timeline
Have students review The Cay and note when it begins (February 1942) and when
it ends (the end of the war in 1945). One group of students might make a timeline
showing important events in the story while another group makes a timeline for a
similar period that shows important real-life events in the war.
SCIENCE: Day by Day
Remind students that Timothy and Phillip have no calendar on the cay. Ask students
to recall how they kept track of time. (by putting a pebble in a can to mark each
day) Have students brainstorm other ways of keeping track of time without a calendar. Then discuss how the story characters kept time during one day. How did they
know it was morning, noon, and afternoon? (by the sun) Remind students that
Phillip couldn’t see. How did he keep track of the sun? (by noting where its warmth
was) Review with students how Earth rotates to create day and night.
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Summarizing the Book
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Use one or more of the following activities to help students summarize and review
The Cay.
CLASS PROJECT: Radio Drama
Remind students that because he is blinded from a blow, Phillip has to rely on his
other senses. Ask students what sense they need when they hear a radio program.
Point out that in addition to hearing, a listener uses visual images to imagine the setting, characters, and action. Have students work together to write a radio script based
on The Cay. You might assign groups to cover different sections of the book so that
the radio drama is in several installments. Challenge students to think of ways to
illustrate the various sounds in the story—the torpedoing by the subs, the sounds of
the sea, the creatures on the cay, the hurricane, and so on. Students might also want
to consider adding a role of narrator to fill in some of the background information.
After practicing, students might then present their radio play to another class.
PARTNER PROJECT: Needed for Survival
Have students work with a partner to make a chart like the one shown here. They
should begin by listing 10 or more things that Timothy and Phillip used to survive. In
the second column, students should list 10 things that they would want to have on
hand if they were on a deserted island. Teams can then compare lists and explain their
reasoning. You may also want to introduce the reproducible on page 16 at this time.
10 BEST SURVIVAL ITEMS
What Timothy and Phillip Had
• palm fronds
• a can
What We Would Want
• flashl ight
• tools
• pebbles
• coconut
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INDIVIDUAL PROJECT: A Diary
Point out that the story is told in the first person by Phillip. Then have students
select their favorite part of the book and write a diary entry that Phillip might have
made telling about this time. Encourage students to add plausible details not in the
book and to include Phillip’s feelings about the event.
EVALUATION IDEAS
Ask students to think of a set of rubrics to use in assessing one of the summarizing
projects. For example, a rubric for the diary entry might include these points:
• Did the writer include vivid details?
• Did the writer refer to Phillip’s feelings about the event?
• Did the writer show originality?
• Is the diary entry really believable as something that Phillip would write?
Possible Answers for Worksheets
page 14: 1. South America; Venezuela 2. Check to see that students color Bonaire
and Curaçao. 3. Venezuela 4. south and west. 5. Check to see that students draw
lines from the Panama Canal to San Andres and Providencia. 6. Students should
show the cay in a reasonable place such as up near the North Cay or Roncador Cay.
page 15: Possible: What He Looks Like—old and powerful, muscular, thick chest
and neck, skin tough with age and weather, flat lips, black; His Background—from
Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas, raised by Hannah Gumbs who was not his mother,
never gone to school, worked on fishing boats since he was 10; What He Can Do—
sail, make a shelter, fish, weave, make a rope; Things That He Knows—about birds
and sea creatures, how to survive a storm, how to find food
page 16: 1. rope 2. to mark days as calendar 3. shelter on raft 4. hut 5. food and
drink 6. bait for fishing
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Name: ____________________________________________________
Islands in the Sea
The story of The Cay takes place in different parts of the Caribbean. Use the map to answer the
following questions about this area.
North Cay
Roncador Cay
NICARAGUA
NETH
C a r i b b e a n
Curaçao
S e a
Providencia
ERLAND ANT
IL
LES
Aruba
Bonaire
San Andres
COSTA
RICA
North
Lake
Maracaibo
VENEZUELA
COLOMBIA
PANAMA
Panama
Canal
SOUTH
AMERICA
Find Curaçao. Near what continent is this island? _____________________________________________
Near what country? __________________________________________________________________________
Curaçao and Bonaire are part of the Netherlands Antilles. Color them red to show that they are in
this group.
Ships bring oil from Lake Maracaibo to Curaçao. In what country is Lake Maracaibo?
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Phillip and Timothy were on the S.S. Hato which sailed first to Panama. In what direction is Panama
from Curaçao? ______________________________________________________________________________
When they are on the raft, Timothy thinks they are near the islands of Providencia and San Andres.
Draw a line from the Panama Canal to these islands.
Based on the story, where do you think the cay Timothy and Phillip landed on is located? Draw it
and label it on the map.
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Name: ____________________________________________________
Timothy
Timothy becomes very important to Phillip. Who is Timothy and what is he like? Fill in the character
map with information from the story. Give at least two details for each heading.
What He Can Do
His Background
1.
1.
2.
2.
Timothy
Things That He Knows
What He Looks Like
1.
1.
2.
2.
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Name: ____________________________________________________
How Did They Use It?
Timothy and Phillip had to use what they had or found on the raft and cay in order to survive. Write
one way that they used each of the things shown below.
1. vine
2. pebbles
3. shirt
4. palm frond
5. coconut
6. mussel
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