Sounder by W. H. Armstrong - Free Online Book Summary

STUDY QUESTIONS - BOOK REPORT/ESSAY IDEAS

1. “Although a tragic story of man’s inhumanity to man, this is also an uplifting tale of courage, human dignity, and love.” Fully explain this statement using specific details from the novel.

2. Describe some of the tragic experiences the boy must endure. What is his reaction to them? How do they change him?

3. Explain what happens to the father in the novel. What is your reaction to his plight?

4. What is the climax of the plot? Why is it the climax or turning point?

5. The plot ends as a tragic comedy. Explain why.

6. What does Sounder symbolize in the novel? What is the irony in this image?

7. Explain the special bonding and parallelism between Father and Sounder.

8. Explain how the theme of alienation/racial discrimination is presented in the novel.

9. Comment on the relevance of the mother’s song about life’s ‘lonesome valley’ to the story.

10. What purposes do the Bible stories serve in the unfolding and maturing of the boy?

11. Evaluate the sheriff, the jailer, and the guard as symbols of life denying forces.

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Sounder by W. H. Armstrong Study Guide - Free BookNotes Plot Summary

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