A Plate of Peas

By Rick Beyer, True Tales of American Life, edited by

Paul Auster (Faber&Faber 2001) pp.120-122

COMPREHENSION

1. Who are the main characters in the story? How are

they related?

2. a. Give the name of the town where the characters

live:

b. Quote one element from the text to justify:

3. How old was the narrator at the time of the incident?

4. What kind of narrative is it?

5. The narrator uses five compound adjectives in lines 4

and 5. Find them and match them with the elements

to say what each of them refers to.

Strong alcohol= ninety proof

A wild animal hunt= __________________________

A shotgun= _________________________________

A boxing match= _____________________________

Something that knocks you out=_________________

6. When referring to the perfume, what’s the effect on

the reader after the narrator’s description?

7. Write a sentence from the text that states the

following: It took quite a time to get rid of the odor:

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

8. In your own words, say what time of the day and

where exactly the central incident takes place. Who is

involved? (20 words aprox).

9. What do these two words reveal about the narrator’s

feelings? (20 words)

Line 13: “the fanciest place”

Line14: “I grandly ordered”

10. What stylistic device is used in lines 17 to 19? What

is the effect produced? (20 words)

11. “Eat your peas” line 20

“Leave him alone” line 21

Name the grammatical form used here: _________

What does it show about the two women’s attitude

towards the kid? (20 words)

12. How does the narrator’s grandmother persuade him to

eat the peas? (10 words)

13. Quote 3 adjectives from the text which illustrate the

narrator’s vision of money:

14. In your own words describe the mother’s and the

grandmother’s reactions and feelings in lines 31 to 39.

15. Look at these words from the text:

“fateful” (line 25), “doom” (line 27), “haunt” (line 44),

“despair” (line 46), “devastation” (line 46)

Find the other word that completes the list: ________

What do these words show about the effect of the

incident on the narrator?

16. TRUE/FALSE. Circle T/F and justify by quoting the text:

a. The day after, his mother makes him eat peas at home T/F

b. His grandmother lived for many years after the “infamous

meal” T/F

c. The narrator still has the 5 dollars T/F

d. Everyone has forgotten the pea incident T/F

EXPRESSION

Choose one topic to write your composition (200-250

words aprox.)

1. That same night, the boy’s mother and grandmother have an

argument. Write their conversation.

2. Write about a childhood memory that still haunts you today.

Have a nice weekend and happy writing!

If you want to listen to Paul Auster reading this story, go to NPR (National Public Radio), here’s the link: http://www.npr.org/programs/watc/storyproject/2000/001203.story.html