schuyler

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 * 1. Do you think The House of Dies Drear is an appropriate and relevant title for this book? Explain in detail, the meaning, the background and the legend behind this title. Using examples from the book, give your reasons for the relevance and appropriateness of this title. Would you have chosen it, if you were the author? Give reasons for your answer and give an alternative title if you would not have chosen it.**=====

==== I do think that for part of the book //**The House of Dies Drear**// as a title is appropriate. There are certain parts of the book that do not fit the title. When you begin the book the title fits because there is a lot about Dies Drear. When you get a little bit more into the book there seams to be less and less about him. This is part of the old legend from the beginning of the book. “Thomas made up his mind that the two ghosts had to be the two slaves killed by bounty hunters. And then the two ghosts had then killed Drear in revenge of their own deaths.” A little bit later in the book there is almost nothing about Dies Drear at all. If I had been the writer I would have called the book //House of Dies Drear// too, because there really isn’t another name that would really fit the book. I think if there was more in the book about dies drear I would have no hesitation to name the book the same as it is. I would have had a different picture though the picture I would have chosen would be a picture of Thomas, Mr. Small, Mayhew, Pesty and Mr. Pluto. I also think the picture has to be bigger. I would choose these five to be in the picture because they are the main characters in the book. That would fit the book more. I also think they should be on the cover because if this book was never in book group I would never have read it. That’s because there is nothing inviting about the cover. I know that the saying goes “don’t judge a book by its cover” but who doesn’t judge a book by its cover. That’s how books become famous because of how the cover looks. ==== Comments from Shirley: You have made some interesting points in this response and given some neat examples to suppport your answer. I like your picture ideas!

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 * 3 . Mr. Pluto is a very strange character whom we get to know quite well by the end of the book. Do you think he handled this whole situation about the house and its treasures in an appropriate way? Give specific examples from the book to clarify your response and include a detailed character description of Mr. Pluto.**=====

====I think that Pluto is just misunderstood and not mean. Pluto has a cane, and that’s why they call him Pluto because Pluto in another name for Hades. (because of the cane?) He also has white hair and a white beard. He has sharp green eyes. I do not think that Pluto acted in an appropriate way, but for the situation he was in, he acted in the right way. Pluto was scared that the Small family would want to steal the treasure and keep it for themselves. I think he could have given them a chance and get to know them before he started to judge them. Near to the end of the book Mayhew s ays when his father “when he grew ill, that all changed. He was desperate with fear that they might see how weak and sick he was. When the foundation told him you folks were moving in, he was terrified of what the Darrow’s might do to you. “ So you see Pluto was only trying doing the right thing even if what he did was wrong!==== Comments from Shirley: Another interesting answer but not as clearly written as the first. Please read over the blue writing and fix the best you can.

1.What do think is in the black chest suspended by the chain? Give reasons for your answer.
When I read about the chest I thought that the story was going to go on for longer than it did. I was sort of upset when they did not see what was inside. I imagine that if the book had gone on for longer and the box was shown what was inside of it would not be very important to the world. But I bet that it will be important to Thomas, his father, Mr. Pluto and Pesty. I think to them the treasure would be unimaginable.

2. If you were in Thomas' place in the woods, would you have been scared? Give reasons for your answer.
If I had been in Thomas' place I would be scared. First of all because I would be too cold to even move and second of all I was frightened just reading the book **The House of Dies Drear.** When Mr. Pluto came out and looked like a bat I went under the covers. I think that Thomas was very scared but he was also very brave for going out there. I believe that it was good to be unsettled with the situation because it made the Darrow's more frightened.