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Copywork
About This Passage
This passage shows how a writer can convey anxiety through broken speech. Mr. Little starts the sentence, repeats himself ('when they, oh when they come'), and then gives practical advice. The repetition is not a grammar mistake — it is the sound of someone whose worry is making their words uneven. Peterson trusts the reader to hear the worry in the rhythm.
'When they, oh when they come, be careful of that light switch, Tom,' said Mr. Little. 'Likely as not, the first thing they'll do is turn on the whole light.'
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Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Retell the chapter, paying special attention to how Mr. Little handles the long wait at the lookout place. What does the wait reveal about him?
Discussion Questions
- Mr. Little spends the whole day at the lookout with Tom. The chapter is structured around waiting, not action. What does this tell you about Mr. Little as a father and as a leader of the family?
- John Peterson reveals the existence of the lookout place in Chapter 3, not Chapter 1. Why might he have waited to introduce this setting? What does delayed introduction accomplish?
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Vocabulary Builder
Item 1
a position from which one can observe what is happening without being seen — both a military and a practical household term
Item 2
the period between midday and evening — often a time of quiet activity in a household
Item 3
one who accepts something — but here, the hole in the light switch is essentially a receiver of information for the Littles
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Critical Thinking
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