Comprehension: 

Why were the boys so upset at the idea of the girls carrying the water bucket?

I think the boys were upset over the idea of the girls carrying the water bucket because to them, it was more than just carrying the water. To them, if was a way to show their strength as well as them being able yo have fun.

What strategies do the boys use to pressure the girls to give in? How do the girls react?

The boys beat up the girl but instead of the other girls just standing there, they helped the girl who was beaten up. Another thing the boys do is, they don’t let the girls play in their softball games. The girls don’t do anything about it except sit around and wait.

Elements of Fiction:

Who telling the story? What does she think of Ms. Ralston and the conflict over water? From what point of view is the story told from? 

I think the girl who is sitting beside Alma is telling the story. I think she think that the conflict over the water is different and weird because normally, the boys would do it without being questioned. The story is in first person point of view.

What is the setting? How does the setting intensify the conflict? What type of conflict is it? 

The setting is in a middle (or high school). You can tell because in the beginning of the story, the person was explaining how the classroom looks like. I think that the setting intensify the conflict because, it is during school so that they can exclude the girls from things. This is a person vs. society conflict. 

Who is the protagonist? How can you tell?

I think the protagonist is Alma. I think she is the protagonist because she was the one who said something that started the conflict.

In what ways has everything changed on that Friday? What is the significance of Ms. Ralston’s actions in the last paragraph? What is the theme that the author is exploring?

A lot of things changed after that Friday. Now the girls can also get the water too. I think the importance of the last paragraph is that they were bonding together and becoming a “community”. I think that the theme is that it is okay to break stereotypes.

Vocabulary:

Galvanized: Excites someone into taking action. 

Remotest: A place far away from the main center point. 

Intoxicated: Drugs/alcohol causing them to act different.

Ominous: Giving the impression that something bad is going to happen. 

Supplementary: Enhancing something.

Forlornly: Unhappy.

Earnestly: Being serious.

Gloating: Dwelling on one’s own success

Transfixed: Causing someone/something to become motionless with horror, wonder, or astonishment.

Pirouetting: Spinning