A Summer' Reading

A Summer's Reading

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Part 1

The story opens with information about the main character- George Stoyonovich and some background. He is unemployed and doesn't have a highschool diploma. He usually stays home and reads or cleans the railroad aprartment he lives in with his father and his older sister Sophie. At night he goes on walks through the neighborhood to a small park.

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Part 2

In part 2, we are introduced to Mr. Cattanzara who is George's neighbor. He is much older than George and it seems that George regards him highly and eventualy lies to get his respect and approval. He tells Mr. Cattanzara that he is picking up his education by reading a 100 books over the summer. Mr. Cattanzara is excited about George's announcement and offers him to chat about the books when he is finished. Later on, the other people in the neighborhood seem to know about his summer's reading and are kinder to him as well as Sophie who rewards George with one dollar allowance per week. We know that George feels happy and in a good mood throughout most of the summer.

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Part 3

In part 3, George makes a decision to avoid Mr. Cattanzara so he won't find out that he lied. As the summer proggressed he fell into a bad mood as things started to be less than good. We can assume that George is feeling guilty and that's why he has no mood even for his hobbies. He continues his nightly walks though. One day, while wandering through the neigborhood he passes by a drunk Mr. Cattanzara. George tries to avoid him but fails and Mr. Cattanzara talks to him as though he is still a child. He asks him about the books and George fails to avoid his questions. Their encounter ends with George feeling humiliated that Mr. Cattanzara found out that he was lying. Eventually Sophie and father realize that George lied about the books and George becomes depreesed and doesn't get out of his room until one night he decides to take a walk and upon realizing that Mr. Cattanzara told others that he finished reading a hundred books he decides to actually go to the library and read one hundred books.

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Excersize

*Find 3 quotes that indicates clearly or that we can infer from that Mr. Cattanzara didn't believe George.

*Where and when is the story taking place? How much time goes by in the story?

*What patern of behaviour can we see in Mr. C and George? Do they change it?

*What is George's goal in life?

*What was George's motive for lying? what was the outcome of his lie?

*When Mr. C says "George, don't do what I did" what can we infer from it?