Name ______________________________________
Dragonwings Discussion #1 Preparation
Read chapters 1-4 (p. 1-97). Answer the following questions in complete
sentences and complete the chart.
Chapter 1
1) What do you think Laurence Yep’s purpose is in writing this book?
2) Why does Moon Shadow’s mother take such care to teach him to fly a kite?
3) Why are Moon Shadow’s mother and grandmother reluctant to send him to
America? Use details from the text to explain your answer.
Chapter 2
4) What do the gifts given to Moon Shadow show about these men and their values
and concerns?
(Chapters 1 and 2)—What are Moon Shadow’s first impressions of these things in
America? Give as many details as you can.
New encounter
First impressions
American
houses
His father
The Tang
people’s town
The Company
Chapter 3
5) What is Moon Shadow’s reaction to his father’s technology? Why?
6) Summarize Father’s story, which may or may not have been a dream.
Chapter 4
7) Why isn’t Moon Shadow’s entire family in the United States?
8) What was the most surprising or interesting thing to you in these first four
chapters? Explain why.
Use this chart to keep track of the people Moon Shadow meets in the Company.
Include details about both personality and appearance.
Character
Distinguishing Traits
Hand Clap
Uncle Bright
Star
White Deer
Lefty
Black Dog
Answer ONE of the following questions in a COMPLETE, HAMBURGER MODEL
paragraph in final draft form on separate paper. Use evidence from the book to
support your reasons.
1) What role does the dragon have in Chinese culture, and how do we see this in the book?
2) What roles does the Company and the brotherhood play for the men in the story?
3) Why do you think relations are strained between Uncle Bright Star and his son, Black Dog?
Name ______________________________________
Dragonwings Discussion #2 Preparation
Read chapters 5-8 (p. 98-188). Answer the questions in complete sentences.
Analyze setting: Identify the following locations and their relationship to the story.
Location
Description
Relationship to story
Dragon Kingdom
Middle Kingdom
Canton
Chinatown
Dupont Street
Golden
Mountain
San Francisco
Polk Street
Chapter 5
1) What does the conversation and conflict in chapter 5 between Black Dog and Moon
Shadow reveal about each of their values or perspective? (What does each find
important? Why?)
2) Explain the following connected events: Why does Lefty spend the night outside
their door? Why does Father escape? Why does Moon Shadow follow him?
3) Why do they leave the Company? Use a direct quotation from the text to support
your answer.
Chapter 6
4) Moon Shadow encounters many surprises when he first meets Miss Whitlaw. List
several things that were unexpected or new for him and how he felt about them.
5) What does Moon Shadow admire about Miss Whitlaw, her values, and /or her way
of life?
Chapter 7
6) Moon Shadow sets out to teach Miss Whitlaw about several things. Identify at least
two and why he wants to change her mind about them.
7) What common interests do Robin and Moon Shadow find in this chapter? How do
these draw them together?
8) What does the communication with the Wright Brothers show about Miss Whitlaw,
Moon Shadow, and Father?
Chapter 8
9) Why does Father let the glider go?
10) Does the growing friendship between Moon Shadow and his father and the
Whitlaws seem true to life? Why or why not?
11) Do you think Moon Shadow handled his differences with Jack in the best way?
Why or why not?
Each of these characters somewhat of an outcast. Explain the isolation each
experiences.
Character
Type of Isolation
Windrider
Moon Shadow
Miss Whitlaw
Robin
Answer ONE of the following questions in a COMPLETE, HAMBURGER MODEL
paragraph in final draft form on separate paper. Use evidence from the book to
support your reasons.
1) How does Yep make the Whitlaws seem different from other “demons”?
2) What evidence exists that pride is an important value for the Chinese Americans depicted
in the book?
3) What does the Chinese saying “Be silent, be cunning, be invisible” mean, and how do we
see its importance in the book?
Name ______________________________________
Dragonwings Discussion #3 Preparation
Read chapters 9-12 and the Afterword (p. 189-317). Answer the following
questions in complete sentences and complete the chart.
Chapter 9
1) Why does Old Deerfoot invite Moon Shadow and Windrider to the Feast of Pure
Brightness?
2) What surprised you or disturbed you about the description of the earthquake
and/or how people reacted?
3) Miss Whitlaw says, “This earthquake’ll bring out the best and worst in folk.” Give
at least two examples for each from this chapter.
4) What problems caused by the earthquake were worse than the earthquake itself?
Explain each.
Chapter 10
The lives of the people in these groups are changed by the earthquake. How does each
group survive/react?
Person or Group
Survival Tactics or Behavior
wealthy whites
poor whites
Chinese
soldiers
police
5) There are several interesting examples in this section of people manipulating a
situation or saying something they don’t mean in order to save face. Identify two
and explain what is going on.
6) Why are the Chinese excluded from the city? How do they get the right to come
back?
7) Why do Moon Shadow and Windrider choose to leave the Company and pursue
Windrider’s dream? (What motivates each one?)
Chapter 11
8) Windrider says that White Deer says, “you can only follow the course of your own
nature.” What is Moon Shadow’s nature? Does he follow its course during this
chapter? Explain.
9) What motivates Black Dog to attack and rob them? Give several reasons.
Chapter 12
10) Launching Dragonwings literally brings the characters together. How does it also
metaphorically bring them together?
11) Why does Father choose not to build another plane? Use a direct quotation to
support your answer.
12) What do you think will happen to Moon Shadow’s family when his mother moves to
San Francisco?
Answer ONE of the following questions in a COMPLETE, HAMBURGER MODEL
paragraph in final draft form on separate paper. Use evidence from the book to
support your reasons.
1) What did you learn about Chinese culture and American history as you read
Dragonwings?
2) Identify one of the main themes of Dragonwings. How is this theme demonstrated
and developed in the story?
3) What did you find most difficult about reading this book?
4) What qualities of the main character do you most admire? Why?