On My Honor

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Alternate Ending”

In this activity, students will write an alternative ending for Bauer’s story.

Bauer’s story implies that Tony did not survive the swim at Vermillion River. Consider an alternative ending to Bauer’s novel. Write a chapter that demonstrates how the novel would end differently.

• You might choose to have Tony survive, for example, or for Joel to take a different course of action.
• In what ways would this alternate ending connect to the novel’s themes of The Complexity of Friendship, Honor and Deception, and/or Questions on Life and Death?

After creating a draft, share your chapter with a partner or small group. Consider and discuss the ways in which your classmates’ variety of endings fit the novel’s themes.

Teaching Suggestion: This Activity invites students to interact with Bauer’s text from a creative writing perspective. Students may want to match the narration style of Bauer’s text, or they may opt for a narrative summary or premise description, especially if time is limited.

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Compare and contrast the Bates (Joel’s family) and the Zabrinskys (Tony’s family).

• Do Joel’s and Tony’s families share more similarities or differences? (topic sentence)
• Choose 2-3 strong examples of either similarities or differences from a variety of places in the text to include in your discussion to substantiate your point.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, summarize the ways in which the differences between these families speak to the larger theme of The Complexity of Friendship.

2. Consider the role of lying in this novel.

• To what extent does deceit drive Joel’s conflict? (topic sentence)
• What are the impacts of deceit in the narrative? For example, how do Tony’s deceptions influence the course of events? How does Joel’s secret affect his relationships with others?
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, briefly explain what the novel suggests about the connection between effects of lying and the concept of honor.

3. Joel falls asleep uncertain after his father admits that he does not know if there is a heaven.

• What message is conveyed by leaving Joel wondering about the nature of the afterlife? (topic sentence)
• How is this ending stylistically and thematically suitable to the overall narrative? Analyze and discuss at least 2-3 events, reactions, or circumstances throughout the book that show how the ending complements the text.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, evaluate the effectiveness of the novel’s ambiguous ending for readers.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. The author uses imagery and figurative language to depict nature in a variety of ways in this story. How do the author’s descriptions of the natural environment shape the reader’s perception of the events as they unfold? In a 3- or 5-paragraph essay, analyze and discuss Bauer’s use of descriptions of the natural settings in the novel and evaluate the role that these descriptions play in the overall narrative.

2. In storytelling, authors often employ complication, discovery, unexpected occurrences, or new characters to fulfill a variety of purposes. How are the teenagers who help Joel characterized? How do they contribute to, or detract from, his moral growth? In a 3- or 5-paragraph essay, analyze and discuss the teenagers’ narrative purpose in the story. Include a thematic connection in your discussion; for example, what does this chance meeting reveal about the nature of honor?

3. Consider the ways in which Bauer broaches the subject of life and death. How does the author incorporate a subtle spirituality into this story? In a 3- or 5-paragraph essay, discuss the religious aspects of this story’s plot, characterization, and thematic elements. Include examples and details from a variety of places in the text to support your ideas.

Multiple Choice and Long Answer Questions create ideal opportunities for whole-text review, exams, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. Why does Joel enjoy Tony’s company compared to other peers his age?

A) Tony is adventurous.

B) Tony is intelligent.

C) Tony is gentle.

D) Tony is flexible.

2. Which of the following words best describes Tony’s personality?

A) Cautious

B) Stubborn

C) Humble

D) Aloof

3. Why does Joel believe that the Zabrinkys “wouldn’t miss Tony”? (Chapter 2)

A) Joel thinks Tony is unkind toward peers.

B) Joel overhears Tony saying rude things to his parents.

C) Joel witnesses Tony regularly cheating and lying.

D) Joel knows Tony is one of many children in the family.

4. Which of the following best explains why Tony does not want to swim in the municipal pool?

A) He thinks the water is dirty.

B) He dislikes the other children.

C) He wants to hide his inability to swim.

D) He hates taking risks.

5. As Joel recovers from swimming, he lays on the riverbed and observes, “The sky was an inverted china bowl above his head.” (Chapter 5) Which of the following literary terms is exemplified in this observation?

A) Simile

B) Metaphor

C) Personification

D) Allegory

6. Which of the following words best describes how the teenage boy reacts to Joel and Tony’s swim in the river?

A) He thinks it was cool.

B) He thinks it was easy.

C) He thinks it was foolish.

D) He thinks it was boring.

7. What does Joel contemplate as he rides his bike home?

A) How to ensure that Tony is safe

B) How to file a police report

C) How to explain Tony’s disappearance

D) How to afford a better bicycle

8. Which of the following approaches does Joel use initially when he is asked about Tony’s whereabouts?

A) Integrity

B) Clarity

C) Humility

D) Dishonesty

9. Which of the following best describes Joel’s initial reaction to seeing the police officers at the Zabrinsky house?

A) Relief

B) Delight

C) Concern

D) Apathy

10. Which of these sensory images most haunts Joel throughout the majority of the novel?

A) The smell of the river

B) The sound of Tony’s screams

C) The sight of his brother’s face

D) The touch of his father’s hug

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating text details to support your response.

1. What is the narration style of the story? How does this viewpoint contribute to the story’s mood?

2. Identify 3 examples of similes and metaphors used within the text. Provide a brief explanation of the context, along with an in-text citation.