The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

By Avi

Ann M. Whitehurst

Comprehension and Discussion Questions: Please answer in sentence form and be prepared to discuss in class.

Slide Show - The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle - WebQuest

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle - Possible Novel Responses

Charlotte Doyle - Project Suggestions

WEEK 1

AN IMPORTANT WARNING

1.

What did you learn about the heroine in this preface?

2.

Why do you think the author began the novel with this preface?

Chapter 1

1.

The author gave several forewarnings of things to come including Mr. Grummage's appearance (p.7); the porter's reaction to Mr. Jaggery's name (p.9); the figurehead of the ship's seahawk (p.13); the figure of a man shimmying up a rope to the boat (p.13). Select two warnings and tell what you think they warned of?

2.

What kind of character was Mr. Grummage?

3.

Do you think Charlotte's father would have approved of Mr. Grummage's decisions?

Week 2 - The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

Chapter 2

1.

Why do you think the sailors who had overheard the conversations of Keetch, Grummage and Charlotte were looking at her with hostility? Charlotte had done nothing to them. (p.17)

2.

What did Zachariah offer Charlotte (3 things)? (p.22-25)

Chapter 3

1.

What did the old saying, "No ship sails the same sea twice" mean?

2.

Week 3 - The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

Chapter 4

1.

Explain, "Mr. Cranick did not tie a knot to Captain Jaggery's particular pleasure." (p.39)

2.

What was the story about Mr. Cranick? (p.39)

3.

Why did Zachariah think the men signed on again with Captain Jaggery? (p.40)

4.

Why had Zachariah given Charlotte the dirk? (p.41)

Chapter 5

1.

How did the Captain try to win over Charlotte? (p.44)

2.

Why do you think the Captain said "You can be my eyes and ears among the men"? How could this be very dangerous for her? (p.48)

3.

Why do you think Charlotte lied about where she got the dirk? What do you think would have happened to Zakariah if Charlotte had given his name to the captain?

Chapter 6

1.

Mr. Barlow had tried to give Charlotte advice. (p.20) What kind of advice did he offer to Charlotte now? (p.58)

2.

Week 4 - The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

Chapter 7

1.

Please define the following words: grotesque, emboldened, and malicious.

2.

Why did Charlotte decide not to tell Captain Jaggery about the "head" she'd seen in the hold? (p.64)

3.

What did Charlotte mean by saying that both Captain Jaggery and Zachariah were courting her for friendship? (complete explanation please) (p.64)

Chapter 8

1.

Captain Jaggery worked the crew very hard and criticized everything they did. How do you think he could have gotten more work out of the crew? (p. 71-74)

2.

What do you think the author meant when he wrote: "But the storm was - at first - man-made."?

Chapter 9

1.

What did Charlotte overhear before she entered the forecastle? (two things) (p.78)

2.

What did Charlotte discover having entered the forecastle? (three things) Which thing was most astonishing to Charlotte? to you? (p.80)

3.

Week 5 - The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

Chapter 10

1.

What mistake did the mutinous crew make? How could they have won? (p.90)

2.

How did you think Mr. Cranick conducted himself when confronting the captain?

Chapter 11

1.

Why did Zachariah not blame Charlotte? (p.98)

2.

How guilty do you think Hollybrass was for carrying out the captain's orders. What else could he have done?

Chapter 12

1.

Why do you think the captain insisted on his inhumane treatment of Zachariah? (p.103)

2.

Why did Charlotte go to the captain? (p.104) Was it reasonable to expect a gracious response from the captain? Why or why not?

3.

Week 6 - The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

Chapter 13

1.

What did Charlotte mean when she said, "And yet I had to climb. This was my restitution."? Was there any other way for her to make restitution? Why or why not?

2.

What was the most frightening part of the climb? (p.126-127)

Chapter 14

1.

How did Captain Jaggery accept Charlotte's new role? (p.128-129)

2.

How did Charlotte feel about her new role? (p.132)

3.

Why was Captain Jaggery watching all that Charlotte did? (p.134)

Chapter 15

1.

What did Captain Jaggery and Hollybrash argue about? (p.141) Who do you think was right, why?

2.

Who do you think killed Hollybrass? Why? What evidence pointed to Charlotte? (p.148)

Week 7 - The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

Chapter 16

1.

Why do you think the crew turned against Charlotte and believed what Captain Jaggery said? (p.142-145)

2.

Why would it have been almost impossible for Charlotte to have killed Hollybrass? (p.142-145)

Chapter 17

1.

What was Zachariah's plan for when the ship and crew finally reach Providence? (p.161)

2.

What did Charlotte feel could go wrong with Zachariah's plan? What do you think the chances were of this plan succeeding in this time and place? Why? (p.161)

Chapter 18

1.

The Captain claims that Charlotte's behaviour on the Seahawk has been "unnatural". List specific examples of Charlotte's "unnatural" behaviour according to the Captain.

2.

Why was the Captain trying to prove that Charlotte's behaviour was "unnatural"? (You must consider the impact on the crew as well as the impact on those Captain Jaggery will owe explanations to with regard to his treatment of Charlotte when he reaches Providence.)