The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

by

Avi

A novel packet for ________________________________________

Use the diagram in your novel to label the parts of the ship on which Charlotte will be sailing.

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Before you read Chapters 1-8 of The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle respond to the following questions in at least two paragraphs in the space provided below. Use complete sentences, correct spelling and grammar.

Think about a time when you were in an unfamiliar or unusual situation. How did you feel and react? How did you get through the experience? How do you feel looking back at the situation? What would you do differently, if anything?

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Vocabulary Ch. 1-2Define the following vocabulary words from Chapters 1-2 in your own words. Then, complete a five-square vocabulary box for three of the words that were unfamiliar to you and turn it in.

1. Stench

2. Docile

3. Decrepit

4. Permeated

5. Trepidation

6. Gesticulated

After you read An Important Warning, answer the following questions in complete sentences:

1. What is a flashback? What is the purpose of a flashback?

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2. Where is Charlotte’s family? Why is Charlotte still in England?

3. What are the reasons Charlotte gives for her crossing the Atlantic alone?

4. Why is she keeping a journal?

5. What is the “warning” Charlotte gives the reader? What do you think she means by it?

6. Why do you think the author gives us this “warning” before we begin the story (what is the author’s purpose for the prologue)?

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Chapters 1-2 QuestionsFill in the blanks:

1. The story is being told in __________________________________ person by the main character

________________________________________________.

2. The ship’s name is the ____________________________________ and the captain is named

______________________________________________.

3. The second mate is named _______________________________________.

4. The ship’s cook is named _________________________________________.

Answer the following in complete sentences:5. Why do you think Mr. Grummage is so insistent on leaving Charlotte on the ship?

6. What kind of man does Charlotte think her father is? How do you know?

7. What is a porter and what are they afraid of? Why do you think they’re afraid?

8. Describe the ship’s figurehead.

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9. Why is Charlotte upset to discover that she is the only passenger aboard the ship?

10. What do you think of Mr. Keetch? Why, what does the author do that makes you feel that way?

11. What does Mr. Barlow tell Charlotte?

12. What do Mr. Barlow’s actions and words tell you about him?

13. Describe Charlotte’s cabin.

14. What does Zachariah give Charlotte and why?

15. Why does Zachariah think he and Charlotte could be friends and why does Charlotte disagree with him?

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16. To whom is Mr. Keetch speaking to at the end of Chapter Two? What is their conversation about?

17. From your reading of the prologue and the first two chapters, what do you think of Charlotte? What do you like or dislike about her? Why?

18. Society and social class was very different in 1832. What evidence from the novel shows those differences? What social class does Charlotte belong to and how do you know?

19. What do you think will happen when Charlotte wakes up in the morning?

20. Give one example of foreshadowing from Chapter One and Two. Quote the lines and explain what events you think they foreshadow.

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CharacterizationAnswer the questions below to identify the indirect characterization for Charlotte based on the first two chapters.

SPEECH: What does Charlotte say and how does she say it?

THOUGHTS: What are Charlotte's private thoughts and feelings?

EFFECT: How do other characters respond to Charlotte? How do they feel and behave as an effect of Charlotte's words and actions?

ACTIONS: What do Charlotte's gestures, expressions, and movement say about her? What does she do?

LOOKS: What does Charlotte look like? How old is she? How does she dress?

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CharacterizationAnswer the questions below to identify the indirect characterization for Zachariah based on the first two chapters.

SPEECH: What does Zachariah say and how does he say it?

THOUGHTS: What are Charlotte's private thoughts and feelings about Zachariah?

EFFECT: How does Charlotte respond to Zachariah? What effects do Zachariah's actions have on Charlotte at this point of the novel?

ACTIONS: What do Zachariah's gestures, expressions, and movement say about him? What does he do?

LOOKS: What does Zachariah look like? How old is he? How does he dress?

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Literary Device IdentificationIdentify a literary device in each category for Chapters One and Two. Quote the line with the page number and explain what the author is trying to say through the literary device.

Literary Device Quote Explanation

Ex. Simile“Her eyes shone like

diamonds.” (pg)This quote means that her eyes were very bright. She could be happy or excited.

Simile

Metaphor

Onomatopoeia

Personification

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Vocabulary Ch. 3-5Define the following vocabulary for Chapters 3-5, in your own words. Then, complete a five-square vocabulary box for three of the words that were unfamiliar to you and turn it in.

1. Beguiling

2. Chastened

3. Perpetually

4. Unimpeachable

5. Loathsome

6. Sardonically

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Chapters 3-5 QuestionsAnswer the following in complete sentences.

1. Who told about the history of the Seahawk’s last voyage? What happened?

2. Why did the crew sign on with Captain Jaggery again?

3. Choose an exact quote to describe the crew. Cite the page number.

4. How does Charlotte feel about the captain and why?

5. Why did Captain Jaggery ask about Mr. Cranick when he was addressing the crew?

5. What did Captain Jaggery mean when he said, "We shall have no democracy here"?

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6. What do you notice about the interaction between Captain Jaggery and Charlotte in his cabin?

7. Do you think Charlotte made the right decision by siding with the captain? Explain.

8. Why did Charlotte lie to the captain about the person who gave her the dirk?

9. What does this idiom mean: "No ship sails the same sea twice”?

10. Describe an incident of foreshadowing in Chapter Three. Cite the page number.

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Literary Device IdentificationIdentify a literary device in each category for Chapters Three through Five. Quote the line with the page number and explain what the author is trying to say through the literary device.

Literary Device Quote Explanation

Ex. Simile“Her eyes shone like

diamonds.” (pg)This quote means that her eyes were very bright. She could be happy or excited.

Simile

Metaphor

Onomatopoeia

Personification

Characterization

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Answer the questions below to identify the indirect characterization for Captain Jaggery based on the first three chapters.

SPEECH: What does Captain Jaggery say? How does he say it?

THOUGHTS: What are Charlotte's private thoughts and feelings about the captain?

EFFECT: How does the crew respond to Captain Jaggery? What effects do Jaggery's actions have on Charlotte at this point of the novel?

ACTIONS: What do Captain Jaggery's gestures, expressions, and movement say about him? What deliberate actions does he take in this chapter? Why?

LOOKS: What does Captain Jaggery look like? How old is he? How does he dress?

Vocabulary Ch. 6-8

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Define the following vocabulary for Chapters 6-8, in your own words. Then, complete a five-square vocabulary box for three of the words that were unfamiliar to you and turn it in.

1. Adversity

2. Brawny

3. Congenial

4. Reprieve

5. Slanderous

6. Vigilant

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Ch. 6-8 Questions:

1. What reason did Captain Jaggery give for having the crew set all the sails?

2. Why did Barlow want to speak privately with Charlotte?

3. Barlow also says that Captain Jaggery was putting the crew “on display.” What does he mean by that? Reread that part of Chapter 6 and find at least one clue that might show Mr. Barlow was right.

4. Of all the men on the ship, who could have put the carved head in the hold? Why do you think the carved head was really put there?

5. Why didn't Charlotte tell the captain about her adventure in the hold? What might have happened if she had told him?

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6. Why did Charlotte decide to keep the dirk?

7. Why do you think the crew's quarters were off-limits to Charlotte?

8. What did Zachariah give to Charlotte and why? What does her response to Zachariah's gift of tell us about how her character is changing?

9. In Chapter 7, Charlotte has the strange feeling that both Zachariah and Jaggery are trying to make her like them. What are they really trying to do? What advantage would each have in doing so?

10. What do you think Charlotte meant at the end of Chapter Eight when she said, "But the storm was—at first—man-made"? To what two different kinds of storms might she have been referring? What literary device is that?

Literary Device Identification

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Identify a literary device in each category for Chapters Six through Eight. Quote the line with the page number and explain what the author is trying to say through the literary device. In the two blank boxes, identify two other literary devices of your choosing.

Literary Device Quote Explanation

Simile

Metaphor

Onomatopoeia

Personification

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Personal Response Chapters 1-8

1. Refer to the descriptive paragraph you wrote before we began reading the novel. How does Charlotte’s experience compare with yours? Do you understand her feelings? Explain.

2. How does the scene in the dark cargo area, where Charlotte feels a presence and sees two faces, add to the story’s mood? Describe how this scene affects you as a reader.

3. What is your opinion of Captain Jaggery so far? Who do you think knows more about the captain’s true nature—Charlotte or Zachariah? Why?

4. How does Avi’s writing make this story suspenseful and mysterious? Where in this first section does he build suspense and give clues about the future? Which chapters end with suspenseful situations? Why does an author include suspense and mystery in his or her writing?

Vocabulary Ch. 9-1221

Define the following vocabulary for Chapters 9-12, in your own words. Then, complete a five-square vocabulary box for five of the words that were unfamiliar to you and turn it in.

1. Scrutiny

2. Affirm

3. Seething

4. Destitute

5. Putrid

6. Stifle

7. Palpable

8. Implacable

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9. Appease

11. Impertinence

Ch. 9-12 Questions

1. What did volunteering to go get Ewing’s needle show about the change in Charlotte’s character?

2. Although Charlotte had been spying on the crew, how did she feel in Chapter Nine when they began spying on her?

3. Why does Charlotte tell the captain about the round robin? What do you think she expects him to do?

4. How did the crew try to help Mr. Cranick? How did they try to help Zachariah?

5. Mr. Hollybrass hesitates when taking orders from Captain Jaggery. What does that reveal about his feelings? Why do you think he continues to carry out his orders?

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6. At what point do you think Charlotte finally recognizes the captain’s true nature?

7. What does Charlotte do that angers the captain as he oversees the punishment of Zachariah? What angers him most about her actions?

8. Even though she has observed his cruel behavior, Charlotte tries to make peace with the captain. Why do you think she does that?

9. Do you think Charlotte made the right decision when she joined the crew? Why or why not?

10. Summarize your feelings and reactions toward Charlotte and her behavior in these three chapters. Explain why you feel the way you do.

Literary Device Identification

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Identify a literary device in each category for Chapters Nine through 12. Quote the line with the page number in the appropriate box and explain what the author is trying to say through the literary device. In the two blank boxes, identify two other literary devices of your choosing.

Literary Device Quote Explanation

Simile

Metaphor

Onomatopoeia

Personification

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Character Development

Part One of the novel deals with change; the main changes being those in Charlotte and in Charlotte’s view of Captain Jaggery. Review what you learned about both characters and in the boxes below, describe both of them at the beginning of the novel and at the end of Part One. Include quotes from the novel to support your descriptions

Character Beginning of Novel End of Part One

Charlotte

Captain Jaggery

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Part II Pre-reading Question

Write about a time when you realized that your initial impressions of a person were incorrect. Maybe you thought they were a nicer person than they turned out to be or maybe the person was a better person than you gave them credit for. Why did you form your original opinion? Why did your feelings change? Did you regret not understanding the person sooner? Your answer should be at least two paragraphs in length.

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Vocabulary Ch. 13-15Define the following vocabulary for Chapters 13-15, in your own words. Then, complete a five-square vocabulary box for five of the words that were unfamiliar to you and turn it in.

1. Petitioner

2. Contemplate

3. Audacity

4. Restitution

5. Exaltation

6. Thwart

7. Shirk

8. Metamorphose

9. Maelstrom

10. Consolation

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Chapter 13-15 Questions

1. What did Charlotte mean in Chapter 13 when she said, "And yet I had to climb. This was my restitution”.

2. In Chapter 13, the author tries to get you to appreciate the height and the danger involved in Charlotte’s task. To do this he must compare the climb to something you are more familiar with. Therefore, he uses a lot of similes, which are comparisons that use the words “like” or “as” Find and write TWO similes from chapter 13. Explain what each one means.

3. Why is Charlotte's clothing such an important issue for the captain?

4. Captain Jaggery and the crew decided to call Charlotte by different names. What was the significance of the new names?

5. What was the “prison” that Charlotte referred to as her proper place?

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6. When did Grimes begin teaching Charlotte to use a knife? Why did he do this?

7. What do you think will happen as a result of the death of Mr. Hollybrass?

8. Do you think Charlotte really saw Zachariah or did she see something else?

9. Who do you think killed Hollybrass and why?

10. A symbol is something that represents an idea or a set of ideas. What does the blood bird at the end of Chapter 14 symbolize? How do you know?

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Literary Device IdentificationIdentify a literary device in each category for Chapters 13-15. Quote the line with the page number and explain what the author is trying to say through the literary device. In the two blank boxes, identify two other literary devices of your choosing.

Literary Device Quote Explanation

Simile

Metaphor

Onomatopoeia

Personification

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Vocabulary Ch. 16-18Define the following vocabulary for Chapters 16-18, in your own words. Then, complete a five-square vocabulary box for five of the words that were unfamiliar to you and turn it in.

1. Avenge

2. Fastidious

3. Commence

4. Tumultuous

6. Comrade

7. Steadfast

8. Loath

9. Obligation

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10. Amiss

11. Forthright

Ch. 16-18 QuestionsAnswer the following in complete sentences.

1. Why does Charlotte think the crew did not defend her? Do you agree? Explain.

2. Could Zachariah have murdered Mr. Hollybrass as Charlotte suspected? Why? How?

3. What did the captain's messy physical state indicate about his state of mind?

4. In what other ways could Charlotte have defended herself at her trial?

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5. Has your impression of Mr. Keetch changed since you learned that he planned to hide Zachariah? Explain.

6. Was Charlotte correct about the difficulty Zachariah would have had in taking Captain Jaggery to court in Rhode Island in 1832? Explain your response.

7. What reasons does Captain Jaggery give for finding Charlotte guilty of the murder?

8. How and why do you think Zachariah ended up in the brig?

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Literary Device IdentificationIdentify a literary device in each category for Chapters 16-18. Quote the line with the page number and explain what the author is trying to say through the literary device. In the two blank boxes, identify two other literary devices of your choosing.

Literary Device Quote Explanation

Simile

Metaphor

Onomatopoeia

Personification

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Vocabulary Ch. 19-22Define the following vocabulary for Chapters 19-22, in your own words. Then choose four words that you were unfamiliar with and complete vocabulary boxes for them in your notebooks on the next two pages.

1. Shrewdly

2. Surge

3. Apparition

4. Condemn

5. Ruefully

6. Reckoning

7. Vouch

8. Abomination

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Ch. 19-22 Questions

1. What did Zachariah mean when he said to Charlotte, "It does you honor"?

2. Why do you think the argument with Mr. Hollybrass provoke Captain Jaggery to violence?

3. What do you think of the captain's plan for getting rid of Mr. Hollybrass, Zachariah, and Charlotte? Explain your opinion.

4. What evidence supported Charlotte's assertion that the captain was crazy?

5. In Chapter One, the figurehead of the Seahawk reminded Charlotte of an avenging angel. How did its appearance in Chapter 21 support this interpretation?

6. Why do Zachariah and Charlotte come to the conclusion that the murderer must be Captain Jaggery?

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7. What happens when Charlotte goes into the Captain’s cabin to get the key to the gun safe?

8. Who was Jaggery’s “informant”?

9. How can Charlotte avoid hanging, according to Jaggery?

10. How does Captain Jaggery die?

11. After Jaggery dies, whom does the crew select to be the new captain?

12. Why do you think the crew insisted that Captain Jaggery and Mr. Hollybrass be described as heroes in the ship's log?

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13. Zachariah told Charlotte that he had never returned home because he didn't know if he would be welcome. What future event might this be foreshadowing?

14. When Charlotte dressed to go ashore, she felt pinched and confined in her old clothes. What did her clothing symbolize to her?

15. The Doyle family lived on Benevolent Street in Providence, Rhode Island. Were these good names for the Doyles' home? Why?

16. What did sitting down to a meal before her mother, offering to get the butter, and asking the servants to call her by her first name indicate about Charlotte?

17. Why did Charlotte tell her mother that she was reading Dr. Dillard's essay on patience?

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18. Compare Jaggery and Charlotte’s father as they are described on both page 209 and 29. What similarity is there?

19. Find a single word on page 220 and on page 200 that might be clues to how similar Captain Jaggery and Charlotte’s father are. Write the word and explain why the word shows how similar the men are.

20. What did Zachariah mean by the following speech:

“A sailor chooses the wind that takes the ship from a safe port. Ah, yes, but once you'reabroad, as you have seen, winds have a mind of their own. Be careful, Charlotte, careful of the wind you choose.” (page 208)

21. Do you think Charlotte made the correct decision in the end? Why or why not?

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Literary Device IdentificationIdentify a literary device in each category for Chapters 19-22. Quote the line with the page number and explain what the author is trying to say through the literary device. In the two blank boxes, identify two other literary devices of your choosing.

Literary Device Quote Explanation

Simile

Metaphor

Onomatopoeia

Personification

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1. Diagram the events from the novel on the plot outline below.

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Sample Character Traits

active

adventurous

affectionate

afraid

alert

ambitious

angry

annoyed

anxious

apologetic

arrogant

attentive

average

bad

blue

bold

bored

bossy

brainy

brave

bright

brilliant

busy

calm

careful

careless

cautious

charming

cheerful

childish

clever

clumsy

coarse

concerned

confident

confused

considerate

cooperative

courageous

cowardly

cross

cruel

curious

dangerous

daring

dark

decisive

demanding

dependable

depressed

determined

discouraged

dishonest

disrespectful

doubtful

dull

dutiful

eager

easygoing

efficient

embarrassed

encouraging

energetic

evil

excited

expert

fair

faithful

fearless

fierce

foolish

fortunate

foul

fresh

friendly

frustrated

funny

gentle

giving

glamorous

gloomy

good

graceful

grateful

greedy

grouchy

grumpy

guilty

happy

harsh

hateful

healthy

helpful

honest

hopeful

hopeless

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humorous

ignorant

imaginative

impatient

impolite

inconsiderate

independent

industrious

innocent

intelligent

jealous

kindly

lazy

leader

lively

lonely

loving

loyal

lucky

mature

mean

messy

miserable

mysterious

naughty

nervous

nice

noisy

obedient

obnoxious

old

peaceful

picky

pleasant

polite

poor

popular

positive

precise

proper

proud

quick

quiet

rational

reliable

religious

responsible

restless

rich

rough

rowdy

sad

safe

satisfied

scared

secretive

selfish

serious

sharp

short

shy

silly

skillful

sly

smart

sneaky

sorry

spoiled

stingy

strange

strict

stubborn

sweet

talented

tall

thankful

thoughtful

thoughtless

tired

tolerant

touchy

trusting

trustworthy

unfriendly

unhappy

upset

useful

warm

weak

wicked

wise

worried

wrong

young

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