- The boys were so upset because it’s almost as though someone stole a job that only you could do, that you loved. Everyone in the past with the job got to do it, but now you have to share. It’s somewhat logical that they wouldn’t be very happy.
- The boys tried intimidating them and Alma’s cousin also tried getting her to give up by saying that it isn’t fun and that during winter it becomes more of a chore because of the cold
- The point of view was more limited omniscient so we don’t get an idea of who the narrator was or how they felt about the incident.
- The setting is most likely somewhere in Canada (they were mentioning Toronto maple leaves)in the past. Their society seemed like they were used to having the boys/men do everything fun or that required hard work whereas the girls were stuck with very limited jobs. The fact that at the time in the story it was normal for men to do the work then it made the story much more intense. This was because the boys hadn’t lived in a world where girls “rebelled”. The conflict was person vs society and could also be considered person vs person. If you see it as person vs society it would be because it was normal for men to do everything and Alma asking why females couldn’t do it was almost like rebelling. Whereas person vs person could be the boys vs the girls. The boys trying the intimidate the girls, hurting them or getting them dirty and the girls standing strong in order to be on the same level as the boys.
- The protagonist was Alma, she was the girl that really started everything by asking the question. The story revolves around her more than anyone.
- When Ms. Ralston hit that ball farther than any boy normally could showed the boys that not only did she agree with the girls and that the boys were in no way “better” than them just because they could carry water. This action resolved all the conflict as Ms. Ralston, the adult who was in charge, proved herself and she could change anything in the class that she wanted. Everything changed that Friday because girls could now get water and boys will (hopefully) stop bullying the girls.
Vocabulary
Galvanized: A coat with a protective layer of zinc
Remotest: unlikely to occur
Intoxicated: to excite or stupefy
Ominous: to give the impressing that something bad was happening
Supplementary: extra
Forlornly: synonyms include desperate, pessimistic etc. (sad meaning)
Earnestly: sincere and intense conviction
Gloating: to dwell on your own success or someone else’s failure
Transfixed: focused on
Pirouettings: very graceful, professional looking