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Copywork
About This Passage
These short lines are the heart of the chapter. Zero has been holding the truth about Clyde Livingston's shoes, and now, weak and sick, he insists on telling Stanley. Stanley's response is not anger but forgiveness: 'It's nobody's fault.' Imitating this exchange trains the student in how Sachar uses short sentences and repeated words to carry enormous weight.
It took a moment for Stanley to comprehend. “Clyde Livingston’s shoes?” “I’m sorry,” said Zero. Stanley stared at him. It was impossible. Zero was delirious. Zero’s “confession” seemed to bring him so...
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Retell Chapter 39: the sleep in the meadow, the water hole, the field of flowers, Zero's confession about the shoes, and the family song. How does each part add to the other, and what is Sachar saying about what happens after a long struggle?
Discussion Questions
- Stanley walks the last fifty yards to Big Thumb, touches it, and thinks, 'Tag, you're it.' Why does Sachar give Stanley a game at this moment, after everything he has been through?
- Zero insists on telling Stanley, 'I took your shoes,' even though he is very sick and Stanley tries to stop him. What does the text show about why a secret has to be told before a person can rest?
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Vocabulary Builder
Item 1
A field of wild grass and flowers, often in or beside woods.
Item 2
Made a long, low sound of pain or sadness.
Item 3
Grabbed and held tightly with the hands.
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Critical Thinking
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