Amelia

= __The House of Dies Drear__ This is my page where I will write the answers to the questions from each week. Enjoy the book! =

@Book Group Test
**__Question 1:__** I think that __The House of Dies Drear__ is an appropriate name for this book because the house is the main object of the book. The title tells the reader what the book is about, and this title does tell the reader that the book is about someone named Dies Drear and his house. The house was in Ohio, a part of the Underground Railroad, and it has a spooky past. The legend is that bounty hunters killed two slaves whom were at the house of Dies Drear, and were trying to run. There were originally three slaves, but the third escaped before he would have been killed and no one knows what became of him. The Small’s discovered later that the slave got to Canada, and that Pluto was his grandson. The people who didn’t know what happened, think that he ran to freedom and others think that he hid out in the woods until he met his death. The spookiest part of the legend is that the slave’s ghosts murdered Dies Drear. Many are afraid of this house because they believe that it is haunted by ghosts.
 * The House of Dies Drear Book Group Test Amelia Coleman **

This title is very plain, but at the same time it gives off a spooky vibe. There is something mysterious about the way that the author, Virginia Hamilton, wrote it. It gave me a hint that the book was mysterious, but simple at the same time. If I were Virginia Hamilton, I would have titled the book __the House of Dies Drear__, as well. I would have done this because the title “sparks” the interest in the reader, which might attract someone to read the book. Having an intriguing title, especially if it is plain and simple, but also invites the reader to read more, is essential in order to write a book. I might have chosen another title with a few more adjectives. My alternative title would have been “**The Mysterious death and the House of Dies Drear**.” I would add the part about his death, because that is the mystery that is un-solved throughout the book. In conclusion, the title fits the book well, but Virginia might have wanted to add some adjectives in the title to attract more readers. Comment from Shirley: I enjoyed reading your response. You have covered all aspects of the questions clearly and well. I like your ideas for another title and you have explained your reasoning with great adjectives. Nice work!
 * __Question 3:__** My impression of Pluto is that he is a nice but greedy old man. With his large white beard and his way of sneaking around and keeping large secrets, someone might falsely accuse him of being Satan, or the Devil. Pluto was the grandson of the third slave, who got to Canada. The treasures inside the magnificent cavern were claimed by Pluto rightfully, as it was explained in the end of the book. Dies Drear’s cavern is in the cave that Pluto lived in, and Dies Drear also wrote a note explaining to whoever found it, that the treasure was theirs to keep. Mayhew, Pluto’s son, reminded Pluto that the treasure was rightfully his, when Pluto was unsure that the treasure was actually his to keep. Pluto grew up in a time when medicine wasn’t advanced, so he refuses to see a doctor, even though he is sick.

In the beginning of the book, I felt that Pluto seemed to act suspiciously, however Thomas thought that Pluto was no good and was a complete Devil. The congregation in the town that Dies Drear’s House was in, seemed to have respect for Pluto in Church, purely because they were afraid of them. There was a family that had four boys, whom were not afraid of Pluto at all. One of the members of this family came up to Pluto, while he was reciting a prayer on his knees, and without touching him, tried to make him get up by making rude comments about how this church was Methodist, not Baptist. The minister told the family member to stop and return to his seat. In conclusion, Pluto is a nice man who is kind of old fashioned, but can scare some with his appearance and his ways of sneaking out of the room and keeping very large secrets.

Comment from Shirley: Another well written answer with excellent descriptions and interesting comments. You know the character of Pluto and have included well chosen examples to support your answer. Please edit your tenses. Well done!


 * __Book Group Questions 6: Questions by Emily, Schuyler, and Kristi

1. What do think is in the black chest suspended by the chain? Give reasons for your answer. (Question by Emily) __** I have many ideas about what is in the black chest, both logical and illogical. I will only share the logical ones, though. One of my logical ideas is that there is nothing in the chest, but that the chest will trigger an unexpected event. Perhaps, pulling down the chest will make the chain move down, and a wall or floorboard move up, revealing another way to the cavern or to another undiscovered part of the house. This may have been how Mayhew disappeared so quickly when the Smalls discovered the cavern. Pluto didn’t tell the Smalls what was in the chest, so he might be hiding something, as he has done in the past.

My other logical idea is that the chest is the most valuable item in the cavern, because there were chests in the cavern when Thomas and his father first discovered it. There might also be smaller, less valuable items inside the chest. My final idea is that the chest held one of the greatest possessions of Dies Drear, maybe the secret to the success of the Underground Railroad.

The item could be a poem, money or something of value, maybe even a triangle, like the one Thomas and his father found, that was used by Dies Drear. I feel that Virginia Hamilton made the reader think about what was in the chest, as she did with the captain’s chair, and she lets the reader make up the rest of the story.

2. What did you think about the end of the book? Do you think it should have been different? Explain in detail with examples. (Question by Schuyler) I think that Virginia Hamilton ends the book well, but she could have told us about the captain’s chair and the chest. On the other hand, I think that it was good that she didn’t tell us the facts about the chair and chest, but she lets the reader end the book in their minds. Virginia eased into the ending and gave the reader clues that the book was ending, instead of ending the book abruptly. Her last few paragraphs were closing paragraphs that were well written and thought out. Some authors try to pack a whole other chapter into the last paragraph, which makes the ending rushed, instead of relaxed. Virginia almost lets the reader write the epilogue, instead of her writing it.

Parts of the storyline of the ending were very interesting, but some were not. The last few paragraphs could have been more exciting, and I felt like they were just gloomy and dark, not intriguing and light. After finishing the House of Dies Drear, I summarized the interesting parts of the whole book. I found that Virginia Hamilton’s writing was the strongest in the middle and beginning and the ending was strong in some parts. In conclusion, I liked the end of the book, but I think Virginia could have used more captivating language in the closing paragraphs.

@Book Group Questions 5

 * 3.** **Give some reasons why you think that Mr. Pluto was keeping the cavern secret.**

Mr. Pluto is keeping the cavern a secret because it holds a lot of valuable items and if the whole town knew about it, he would have to guard it and take the risk of the beautiful treasures being stolen. He could also have stolen the treasures and if everyone knew that, he might get in big legal trouble. Pluto could be acting selfish and not wanting to share the treasure with anyone, even if it is not rightfully his. It could be that he doesn’t want many people coming into his house and invading his privacy just to see the treasures. Perhaps Pluto has a purpose for the furniture and rugs; maybe he could be giving it to poor people who live in small, cold houses with very limited amounts of furniture.

From Grace: Amelia I like how you describe how the whole town knew about Pluto's place. I also liked how you were really descriptive and how you described maybe how Pluto was feeling.