2. The day after learning they won't be going home soon, Jim brings them a newspaper that has a story about her father's involvement in the drug smuggling. April is shocked that her father would take such risks. Who or what does her mother blame her father's involvement on?

3. Who is waiting in the Corrigan house when April and her grandmother arrive home from school? Why is April uneasy about this?

4. Jim realizes the family is suffering due to their prolonged stay at the Mayflower. What does he leave the hotel to do?

5. After they arrive at the Mayflower, what restrictions does Jim put on the Corrigans?

6. After April inspects the yard of her new home in Grove City, she starts to walk. Where does she go and what building does she come across?

7. April wakes up to her first morning in Grove City and decides to explore a bit. What is her first impression when she ventures outdoors?

8. The Corrigans have come from a comfortable middle-class home in a nice city to a new house in Grove City. What is their first impression of their new town and home?

9. While Jim is away from the hotel, someone comes to the door of the Corrigans' suite. Who is it and how does April react?

10. The night after April overhears the phone conversation between Max and Jim, her father calls and talks to his wife. What does April's mother then tell April and Bram? Why is April so upset?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Coming of age stories are often rife with conflict, as much of adolescence is seen as a time of transition from childhood to adulthood, and the pull from one back to the other. In Don't Look Behind You, April faces a number of conflicts between her own needs and the needs of her family. Give four examples of when she faces this conflict and how she responds to the situations.

Essay Topic 2

The protagonist of a story is not always portrayed in a completely positive light. In many novels, the protagonist makes a change or comes to a realization about some aspect of their life. April is in the process of growing up when she is yanked away from her almost picture-perfect life. How is the role of the protagonist portrayed in Don't Look Behind You? Give at least five examples from the novel that show how April changes over the course of the novel.

Essay Topic 3

Tone refers to the emotional state or attitude of the narrator of a work. As the narrator of Don't Look Behind You, what is April's tone at different stages of the book? Explain the tone, with examples:

1) At the beginning of the book, when life is "normal" in Norwood;

2) When her family is torn away from their lives and then placed into the witness protection program;

3) When and after April realizes she has put her family in great danger; and

4) In the Epilogue.

(see the answer keys)

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