Behind the Eyes Independent Novel Study
Comprehension and Extension Questions
1. Read the back cover of the novel. Do you think you will enjoy this novel? Evaluate it.
2. Take a look at the title of the novel. What does it mean to you? Make a prediction about what you think will happen.
3. Read the poem “Light Breaks Where No Sun Shines” by Dylan Thomas. Break it down line by line. What is this poem
really saying?
BOOK 1, Chapter 1 (pgs. 3-9)
1. Who is the protagonist and what was revealed to us as the novel opens?
2. Why didn’t Hector want is his sister (Aurora) to bring their mother to the hospital?
3. Who are the Discípulos? Who are the Mejicanos?
4. Why isn’t it safe for Hector in El Paso anymore?
5. Who is Mrs. Garza and what is her idea to get Hector out of trouble?
6. How did Hector react to Mrs. Garza’s offer?
BOOK 1, Chapter 2 (pgs. 10-16)
1. Analyze the following quote: “On a normal day, Hector would be headed over to church to help father Ochoa by
now” (10). What does this tell you about who Hector is as a person?
2. Why do you think Hector started going to church after his father died?
3. Who is Filiberto and what is his relationship to the other characters?
4. How do Hector, Filiberto, and Papá deal with their problems?
5. Who is Conchita and what is her relationship to the other characters?
6. What decision does Hector make as the chapter closes? Do you agree with his decision?
BOOK 1, Chapter 3 (pgs. 17-23)
1. Describe Colonel Hal Taylor.
2. Briefly describe Colonel Taylor’s explanation of how the military school will be.
3. What was Hector’s main concern about his living conditions? Why?
4. On page 20, the narrator states the “[t]he extenuating circumstances didn’t matter.” What does this mean?
5. Give an example of a flashback that occurs in this chapter? How does the flashback impact the chapter?
6. What does the firecracker incident tell you about who FIliberto is as a person?
BOOK 1, Chapter 4 (pgs. 24-33)
1. Who is X-Lax? How did he get that name? Describe his character.
2. What disturbing incident happened to X-Lax when he was a child?
3. Why do you think X-Lax speaks to Hector the way he does? (cursing and changing the ways words are said)
4. What happened with Hector’s dad that made Conchita feel guilty?
5. What happened to turn her guilt around?
6. What promise did Conchita want Hector to make her? Why?
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BOOK 1, Chapter 5 (pgs. 34-42)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Who is Dr. Luna and what was he trying to accomplish?
Who were “the Nortons”? What did they try to accomplish?
Who are the Carnales? Who are the Mayates?
How did Hector prefer to play basketball? Why?
On page 40, the narrator states that “[e]ven as he says it, he feels a pang of remorse.” What does this mean? Why does he
feel this way?
6. Evaluate Hector and Aurora’s argument at the end of the chapter. What happened? Whose side are you on? Why?
BOOK 1, Chapter 6 (pgs. 43-51)
1. Analyze the following quote: “…an almost imperceptible, reluctant acquiescence” (43). Use context clues to
determine what this means.
2. What extracurricular activity does Hector choose? What was the source of his disappointment?
3. What is ironic about Hector’s interaction with Sansón? (think about weight lifting and reading…)
4. Explain the symbolism of the flashlight “shining the light on the garbage inside my head” and “turds on the
conveyor belt.”
5. Why did X-Lax feel that most of the foster homes he had been to was “run by black folks” (50)?
6. Chapter six ended with X-Lax asking what Hector had on his “conveyor belt.” Hector responded by saying
“Nothing,” but that wasn’t true. What do you think was on Hector’s “conveyor belt”?
BOOK 1, Chapter 7 (pgs. 52-63)
1. What grade is Hector in? What does Mr. Ortíz want Hector to do?
2. Analyze this quote: “Happiness is the fulfillment of duty” (53). What does it mean? Apply it to your life.
3. Why does the thought of Hector’s dad wearing a Mexican straw hat to Hector’s award ceremony scare Hector?
4. How does Hector feel about his family? How do his feelings about his family compare with your feelings about
your family?
5. Why does Hector start crying during his speech? What does this tell you about him as a person?
6. Why did Hector agree to help Sansón with his reading? What are they going to read?
BOOK 1, Chapter 8 (pgs. 64-70)
1. What was Sansón’s way of paying Hector back? Is that fair?
2. Why was the basketball game taken so seriously?
3. Why was the referee useless?
4. Analyze the following quote: “By the looks of him, the word juvenile did not apply, but the word delinquent did”
(67). Who is being described? What does this quote mean?
5. Describe the struggle between Hector and Curly during the game.
6. How do we know that Hector earned respect at the end of the chapter? Do you think he was worthy of gaining
respect?
BOOK 1, Chapter 9 (pgs. 71-75)
1. What are the two ways to “escape” from Furman? Why would a person want to escape?
2. How did Hector get selected for outside detail?
3. What did the wildflowers remind Hector of? Describe this.
4. What was the main danger involved with working outside detail?
5. Why would Hector “not in a million years be able to tell in Sansón was pulling his leg”?
6. How would you describe the developing relationship between Hector and Sansón? Explain.
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BOOK 1, Chapter 10 (pgs. 76-79)
1. What “disaster” happens with Hector as the chapter opens?
2. Why was Hector surprised to hear emotion in Díaz’s voice with the way he said “so long”?
3. In this chapter, Díaz says, “You don’t have to understand how the process works in order for it to work” (78).
Apply that quote to your life.
4. Do you think Díaz inspired Hector? Why or why not?
5. When Díaz says, “…you’re fortunate – you can have what he has” (78). What does he mean?
6. Explain the “rare peace” that Hector felt in the final paragraph of the chapter.
BOOK 1, Chapter 11 (pgs. 80-84)
1. What was troubling about the new kid? What does Hector infer about him?
2. What is the rule about staring? Are there “rules” like that here at James Martin? What do you think of these
rules?
3. Why was El Topo staring at Hector?
4. Describe (in detail) how the game went. Focus on the interaction between Hector and El Topo.
5. What is “peripheral vision” and why is it important to have in general?
6. How did Hector know that El Topo “had some smarts”?
BOOK 1, Chapter 12 (pgs. 85-86)
1. Pretend you are Aurora. Write a response letter to Hector from Aurora’s perspective. Make sure that you
respond to each of the things that he mentioned in his letter.
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BOOK 2, Chapter 1 (pgs. 89-95)
1. What happened to Hector’s ball?
2. Analyze the following quote: “The cheetah had latched on to the gazelle’s neck” (90). What does it mean?
3. Describe the conflict at the basketball court. What would you have done? Why?
4. Why was it such a mistake for Filiberto to insult Chava? What would you have done?
5. In this chapter, Hector says, “I think to be actually pretty you also have to be smart.” Do you agree with him?
What does this tell you about Hector as a person?
6. Why is Hector so concerned about FIliberto’s decision to pursue a relationship with Gloria?
BOOK 2, Chapter 2 (pgs. 96-99)
1. What happened as the chapter opened?
2. What internal conflict did Hector experience? How would you have handled it?
3. As the reader, we know how Hector felt about Gloria. Understanding that, why do you think Hector asked if
Gloria wanted to leave a message for Filiberto?
4. Why was it important that Gloria make the first move?
5. Would you have flushed the note that Gloria left for Filiberto? Why or why not?
6. Make a prediction based upon what is happening with Gloria.
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BOOK 2, Chapter 3 (pgs. 100-108)
1. What did Sunday dinner remind Filiberto of? Why?
2. Why was Filiberto acting so strangely as this chapter began?
3. Analyze this quote: “Hector read Conchita’s rapid judgment. This was not the kind of girl who would turn
Filiberto into the kind of man she wished him to be” (103). What does this say about Gloria?
4. Describe Aurora’s perspective during the dinner table conversation.
5. Describe Hector’s perspective during the dinner table conversation.
6. What was the climax on the dinner table conflict? How did the conflict end (and the chapter) end?
BOOK 2, Chapter 4 (pgs. 109-112)
1. Why did Gloria want to break up with Chava?
2. According to Sammy, why would it have made more sense for Filiberto and Gloria to set up a meeting with
Chava in person instead of around a bunch of Discípulos?
3. According to Rosa Linda, “…Gloria’s mom is used to La Gloria spending the night out, which tells you a lot right
there.” What does that tell you?
4. What are some of the major differences between Sammy and Rosa Linda’s account of what happened?
5. What would you do if you were Filiberto? If you were Gloria? Why?
6. Make a prediction of what you think will happen next.
BOOK 2, Chapter 5 (pgs. 113-118)
1. Why is Hector so uptight as the chapter begins?
2. Why does Hector think that it was a bad idea for Aurora to go to the police?
3. Analyze this quote: “Nobody in this family ever does anything” (116). Who said it and what does it mean?
4. What did Aurora think that Mrs. Garza was going to do for them? Do you think that would have been a good
decision?
5. Analyze the quote: “Hector, why do you protect her so much?” (116). Aurora thinks that Hector protects his
mother. Do you agree? Why or why not?
6. Why does Hector feel that it’s a bad idea if Chava is sent to jail?
7. What does Hector want to become (for his profession)?
BOOK 2, Chapter 6 (pgs. 119-126)
1. What was it important for the author to mention that the woman Hector’s assumed was Gloria’s mother held a
“diaperless baby” in her arms?
2. What was Hector’s purpose for visiting Gloria’s home? Do you think it was a good decision?
3. What kind of relationship do you think Gloria has with her mother? Why?
4. What is Hector trying to accomplish in his conversation with Gloria? Do you think it will work? Why or why not?
5. Why does Gloria really like Filiberto? Does it make sense to you? Why or why not?
6. Analyze this quote: “Hector now realized that the situation was more complicated, more difficult, and more
dangerous than he had imagined” (126). Why?
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BOOK 2, Chapter 7 (pgs. 127-135)
1. What was Hector doing when the chapter opened? What does that tell you about him?
2. What did Filiberto want to do when he arrived? What was Hector’s response?
3. Who is Sandra? Why was it important enough for the author to mention her in this chapter? What does she
add to the plot?
4. What does Filiberto say to make Hector concerned?
5. Analyze Filiberto’s words: “We’re all slaves, Hector, to something or other” (133). What does that mean? Apply
that quote to your own life.
6. What did Filiberto give Hector toward the end of the chapter. What was he supposed to use it for?
7. What does Hector fear will happen to Filiberto? Why?
BOOK 2, Chapter 8 (pgs. 136-141)
1. Analyze this quote: “The absence of his brother flapped through his empty chest like a hapless bird trapped
inside a church” (137). This is an example of what figurative language device? How does it impact your
understanding of what is going on?
2. Write about the connection between Sandra and Hector.
3. When Hector opened the green savings account book, it revealed “an incredible amount of money.” Why don’t
you think the author revealed exactly how much it was?
4. According to what we learn in this chapter, how did Filiberto die? Is this what you were expecting? Why or why
not?
5. How did Hector react to the news?
6. How did the chapter end?
BOOK 2, Chapter 9 (pgs. 142-149)
1. Analyze the quote: “It was strange how he could find things funny even after someone he loved had just died”
(143). Does this make sense to you? Why or why not?
2. How would you describe Hector’s ride home with Sandra? How did he feel about her? How do you know?
3. What was Hector’s main regret when he returned home?
4. Why does Hector decide to try to contact Mrs. Garza?
5. As the chapter came to a close, what regret does Hector experience?
6. Analyze this quote: “Inside, something opened, and pain oozed out thick and slow, like honey from a broken jar”
(149). This is an example of what figurative language device? How does it impact your view of Hector?
BOOK 2, Chapter 10 (pgs. 150-155)
1. Who are “the crows”? Why do you think they are called this?
2. Why did Mrs. Garza prevent Conchita from seeing Filiberto’s remains? What would you have done?
3. How exactly did Filiberto die?
4. What did Mrs. Garza want to prevent Hector from doing? Why?
5. Analyze this quote: “It was kind of flattering to be seen as someone capable of avenging his brother’s death”
(153). Why did Hector feel this way? What does this tell you about how he views himself?
6. How did the chapter end? Make a prediction about what you think will happen next.
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BOOK 2, Chapter 11 (pgs. 156-161)
1. Analyze this quote: “All his life Fili doesn’t give a shit, and the first time he cares about something, You kill him”
(156-157). Explain this quote to a person who hasn’t read any of this book.
2. Hector came to the conclusion that “[t]he church was not the place where he would find solace” (157). Use
context clues to determine the meaning of solace.
3. On page 158, we see the same excerpt found on the back over of the novel. Why do you think that excerpt was
chosen for the back cover of the book? What is the significance of it?
4. Before Hector attacked Chava, he remembered some of the Dylan Thomas poem (you should remember it from
the very beginning of the novel). Reread the poem. How does it connect to what happened at that point of the
novel?
5. Describe the fight. Does it seen to you that this fight was bound to happen? Why or why not?
6. At the end of the chapter, did Gloria’s words to Hector surprise you? Why or why not?
BOOK 2, Chapter 12 (pgs. 162-165)
1. As the chapter opens, what was Hector experiencing and what was he doing to try to make it better?
2. What definition was given for “Onomatopoeia”? How does it relate to this chapter?
3. Why did Hector say “Daddy”?
4. Analyze the quote: “…when a bee stung Daddy in the neck, Hector saw him pluck the bee out gently, trying to
save the bee from losing its stinger and certain death” (164). What does this tell you about the kind of person
Hector’s dad was?
5. What did Hector realize was going on when he opened his eye?
6. How did the chapter end?
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BOOK 3, Chapter 1 (pgs. 169-177)
1. As this chapter begins, Hector remembers his father saying, “You can tell a lot about a person from the way they
work when they think nobody’s watching” (170). What does this mean?
2. Why was El Topo continuing to follow Hector around?
3. What is a centaur? How does it relate to this chapter?
4. Hector viewed his father and brother as “incredibly ignorant” (174). Why? Do you feel this way about anyone?
5. Hector say something familiar in El Topo’s eyes. What was it?
6. The chapter ended with a shocking and haunting comment. What was it? Do you believe it will happen? Why?
BOOK 3, Chapter 2 (pgs. 178-185)
1. What did El Topo have in his possession that concerned Hector? What was Hector’s plan to deal with it?
2. From Hector’s perspective, what was unfair about El Topo’s threat, making it “cruel and unusual” (180)?
3. Describe the accident with Sansón. Why did it happen?
4. What is surprising about Sansón’s response to his reading of The Old Man and the Sea?
5. Who did Sansón remind Hector of? Why?
6. The “fish metaphor” was used quite a bit in this chapter. Think of a time when you were going through
something tough in your life. What animal metaphor could be used in that situation?
7. How does the chapter end? What do you think is going to happen?
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BOOK 3, Chapter 3 (pgs. 186-193)
1. Hector was having trouble focusing as the chapter began. Why?
2. What crime did Díaz commit? Why?
3. What was “the way of the jaguar”? How do you think it connects to Hector?
4. Analyze this quote: “That’s when I asked for clemency” (189). Use context clues to determine the meaning of
clemency.
5. Analyze this quote: “…there was nothing wrong with being a coward as long as you didn’t act like one” (190).
What does this mean? Why is this important for Hector?
6. Analyze this quote: “…true courage – true fearlessness – comes from love” (190). What does this mean? Why is
this important for Hector?
7. How does the chapter end? What impact do you think it will have on Hector’s future?
BOOK 3, Chapter 4 (pgs. 194-201)
1. What does the author do to create suspense as the chapter opens? What happens? What do you think is going
to happen?
2. What does Hector end up doing?
3. What is ironic about the interaction between Hector and El Topo?
4. Why doesn’t Hector kill El Topo when he had the chance? What would you have done?
5. Analyze this quote: “You don’t have to worry about the wire. It’s not going up anymore” (199). What does this
mean? How is this a breakthrough for Hector?
6. Analyze this quote: “The benefits don’t outweigh the risk” (200). What is Hector talking about here? Think of a
situation is your life where the benefits outweigh the risk. Briefly write about it.
BOOK 3, Chapter 5 (pgs. 202-215)
1. Analyze this quote: “You need to see how bad it could be to realize how good you have it” (202). How is this
true? Apply it to your own life.
2. What five (5) adjectives would you use to describe the medium-security prison? Why? How did the Furman kids
react?
3. What does Díaz reveal during his conversation with Hector, Sansón, and X-Lax? How do they react?
4. Díaz indicated that it was hard to live without “the soul of a woman.” What does he mean by that?
5. Analyze this quote: “This place has its own unwritten rules” (209). What do you think they are? What unwritten
rules exist in your life?
6. Analyze this quote: “It helps to think to the battlefield as the mind” (210). How does this quote connect to
Hector’s experience?
7. Díaz offers many words of wisdom in this chapter. Which piece of advice do you think would help Hector the
most? Sansón? X-Lax? Why?
8. What gift Díaz give to Hector before the visit ended? Why?
9. How did the chapter end? Predict what you think will occur in the next chapter.
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BOOK 3, Chapter 6 (pgs. 218-224)
1. What conflict emerges as the chapter begins?
2. What does Sansón mean when he asks, “You think El Topo’s mean or just stupid?” What distinction is he trying
to make? Why is the distinction important?
3. Sansón made a comment that impressed Hector. What was it? Why did it impress Hector?
4. What did Hector suspect of El Topo from “day one”? Why?
5. What was Sansón’s plan to determine whether or not El Topo is “mean or stupid”? What do you think of his
plan? Why?
6. Who was compared to a rattlesnake with its head cut off? Explain the comparison.
7. Analyze this quote: “Hector and Sansón tried hard to contain their laughter” (222). What reason would they
have to contain their laughter? Explain.
8. What happened to El Topo in the trench they were digging? Why?
9. Analyze the final sentence of the chapter: “They fell on the grass, laughing as they tried to hold their noses”
(224). Why were they laughing? Use the context of chapter six to explain.
BOOK 3, Chapter 7 (pgs. 225-235)
1. What was going on as the chapter opens?
2. Analyze this quote: “He had been trying to ignore the revulsion he felt toward El Topo…” (226). Use context
clues to determine the meaning of revulsion.
3. Analyze the paragraph on page 228 the starts with “From the sidelines…” and ends with “…the black whistle to
do…” Explain the situational irony that occurs in this paragraph.
4. Describe the misinterpretation that occurred during the basketball game.
5. How did the chapter end? What impact do you think it will have on Hector’s life?
BOOK 3, Chapter 8 (pgs. 236-241)
1. Analyze this quote: “But just because something’s good doesn’t mean it’s happy” (237). What does this mean?
Apply it to your own life.
2. What news did Manuel Martínez bring? What was Hector’s response? Evaluate his response.
3. Write about Hector’s internal struggle after Mauel Martínez’s offer. How do you think he should have reacted?
Why?
4. Of the eight scenes illuminated by Hector’s “mental flashlight” (240), which is the most powerful? Why?
5. This chapter ends with a cliffhanger. What do you think is going to happen?
BOOK 3, Chapter 9 (pgs. 242-246)
1. Write about the chess battle between Dr. Luna and Hector. What is Dr. Luna’s perspective? What is Hector’s
perspective?
2. What decision does Hector make about attending SMU? How do you feel about his decision? What do you
think will end up happening?
3. Write about the “vision” Hector had after Dr. Luna told him to close his eyes. What do you think that vision
really means for Hector?
4. What ends up happening with X-Lax? El Topo? Sansón? The prison visits with Díaz?
5. Write about Pelón. How do you think things will end up with him? Why?
6. If you had the opportunity to convince Francisco Stork to change the ending of Behind the Eyes, how would you
change it?
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