The Mysteries of the Cabala - Isaac Bashevis Singer
Interpretive Questions: Be sure to answer all questions in complete sentences using quotes to support.
1.) Why does their exchange of stories separate the narrator and Mendel, rather than bring them closer together?
>>>>>> Their exchange of stories seperate the narrator and Mendel then them being closer because the stories are lies, they are jealous of each other when the storie sare really cool, and because they wer eonbe uping each other.
2.) Why does Mendel’s story enchant the narrator, even though he “knew it was all lies”? (p. 163)
>>>>>> Mendel's stories enchant the narrator, even though he "knew it was all lies" (page 163) because they were exciting interesting, cool, and fun to listen.
3.) When the narrator realizes that he has “overdone it” with the Cabala story, why does he say that it is Mendel’s fault? (p. 165)
>>>>>> The narrator reIizes thayt he has "overdone it" (page 165) with the Cabala story and blames it on Mendel because if Mendel didn't lie then he didn't have to one up him to create even mor elies that ruins their friendship.
4.) Why does the narrator say, “Mendel, enough of these lies,” when he enjoyed Mendel’s story at first? (p. 167)
>>>>>> The narrator says "Mendel enough of these lies," when the narrator enjoyed Mendel's story first because there were too much lies, and they couldn't help but lie to make themselves better
5.) Why does the narrator call Mendel a “girl chaser” and run away from him? (p. 168)
>>>>>> The narrator calls Mendel a "girl chaser" and run away because he makes fun of him for liking girls and he is mocking him since Mendel is growing up faster than Mendel.
6.) Why does the narrator want to learn the Cabala?
>>>>>>The narrator wants to learn the Cabala because he wants to prove he knows the Cabala, he wants to know the power of the book, and to prove he is better than Mendel.
7.) When it is his turn to tell a story, why does the narrator make up one about powers he has gained from knowing the Cabala?
>>>>>>Better than him and because he wants to make Mendel feel less powerful and stupid because he is 11 who knows the Cabala when your supposed to know it when your thirty.
8.) Why does the narrator say, “Papa, I want it now” after his father tells him he must not learn the Cabala before he is thirty? (p. 169)
>>>>>>> The narrator says "Papa, I want it now" after hi sfather tells him he must not learn the Cabala before he is thrity because he wants to be more mature, grow up, and he can't accept the fact that he is growing up
9.) Why does the narrator say he is going to get married, but then ask, “Papa, can you find out from the Cabala who you are going to get engaged to”? (p. 170)
>>>>>> The narrator syas he is going to get married, but then his asks "Papa, can you find out from the Cabala who you are goingto get engadged to"? (page 170) because he doesn't want to admit Mendel that he likes girls but he doens't want to admit it so he going back in forth from going to a man to a boy and to a boy to a man.
10.) At the end of the story, why do the narrator’s eyes fill with tears?
>>>>>>At the end of the story, the narrator's eyes are filled with tears because he is maturing, he is growing up, and because their friendship is ending because of the stories.
Vocabulary:
1.) Envious (p. 164)
Quote: "He was envious of me because my father was a rabbi and because we lived in an apartment with two rooms, a kitchen, and a balcony." (p.164)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): jealous
Synonym: envy
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): She was envious when fell down so she didn't have to go to school
2.) Abruptly (p. 164)
Quote: "Abructly I said" (page 164)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): random
Synonym: suddenly
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): A person abruptly hit me in the face and said "Have a good day'
3.) Mockery (p. 164)
Quote: "Mendel's Tartar eyes filled with mockery" (page 164)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Making fun of
Synonym: moking
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): He started mocking me for missing the shot
4.) Uncanny (p. 166)
Quote: "Uncanny noises came from there" (page 166)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Weird
Synonym: Akward
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): At the party they were so uncanny because they were so silent
5.) Divulged (p. 169)
Quote: "It is written that these mysteries should not be divulged to a man before he is thirty." (page 169)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): won't tell
Synonym: won't speak
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word):When we were asking him questions about who took the food he divulged
6.) Destined (p. 170)
Quote: "She, the one destined for me, didn't know either" (page 170)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Ment to be
Synonym: Fated
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): Him and his food are destined to be together
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when the narrator feels certain about something and when the narrator feels uncertain about something. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
Narrator feels CERTAIN about something V. Narrator feels UNCERTAIN about something
1.) Why does their exchange of stories separate the narrator and Mendel, rather than bring them closer together?
>>>>>> Their exchange of stories seperate the narrator and Mendel then them being closer because the stories are lies, they are jealous of each other when the storie sare really cool, and because they wer eonbe uping each other.
2.) Why does Mendel’s story enchant the narrator, even though he “knew it was all lies”? (p. 163)
>>>>>> Mendel's stories enchant the narrator, even though he "knew it was all lies" (page 163) because they were exciting interesting, cool, and fun to listen.
3.) When the narrator realizes that he has “overdone it” with the Cabala story, why does he say that it is Mendel’s fault? (p. 165)
>>>>>> The narrator reIizes thayt he has "overdone it" (page 165) with the Cabala story and blames it on Mendel because if Mendel didn't lie then he didn't have to one up him to create even mor elies that ruins their friendship.
4.) Why does the narrator say, “Mendel, enough of these lies,” when he enjoyed Mendel’s story at first? (p. 167)
>>>>>> The narrator says "Mendel enough of these lies," when the narrator enjoyed Mendel's story first because there were too much lies, and they couldn't help but lie to make themselves better
5.) Why does the narrator call Mendel a “girl chaser” and run away from him? (p. 168)
>>>>>> The narrator calls Mendel a "girl chaser" and run away because he makes fun of him for liking girls and he is mocking him since Mendel is growing up faster than Mendel.
6.) Why does the narrator want to learn the Cabala?
>>>>>>The narrator wants to learn the Cabala because he wants to prove he knows the Cabala, he wants to know the power of the book, and to prove he is better than Mendel.
7.) When it is his turn to tell a story, why does the narrator make up one about powers he has gained from knowing the Cabala?
>>>>>>Better than him and because he wants to make Mendel feel less powerful and stupid because he is 11 who knows the Cabala when your supposed to know it when your thirty.
8.) Why does the narrator say, “Papa, I want it now” after his father tells him he must not learn the Cabala before he is thirty? (p. 169)
>>>>>>> The narrator says "Papa, I want it now" after hi sfather tells him he must not learn the Cabala before he is thrity because he wants to be more mature, grow up, and he can't accept the fact that he is growing up
9.) Why does the narrator say he is going to get married, but then ask, “Papa, can you find out from the Cabala who you are going to get engaged to”? (p. 170)
>>>>>> The narrator syas he is going to get married, but then his asks "Papa, can you find out from the Cabala who you are goingto get engadged to"? (page 170) because he doesn't want to admit Mendel that he likes girls but he doens't want to admit it so he going back in forth from going to a man to a boy and to a boy to a man.
10.) At the end of the story, why do the narrator’s eyes fill with tears?
>>>>>>At the end of the story, the narrator's eyes are filled with tears because he is maturing, he is growing up, and because their friendship is ending because of the stories.
Vocabulary:
1.) Envious (p. 164)
Quote: "He was envious of me because my father was a rabbi and because we lived in an apartment with two rooms, a kitchen, and a balcony." (p.164)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): jealous
Synonym: envy
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): She was envious when fell down so she didn't have to go to school
2.) Abruptly (p. 164)
Quote: "Abructly I said" (page 164)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): random
Synonym: suddenly
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): A person abruptly hit me in the face and said "Have a good day'
3.) Mockery (p. 164)
Quote: "Mendel's Tartar eyes filled with mockery" (page 164)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Making fun of
Synonym: moking
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): He started mocking me for missing the shot
4.) Uncanny (p. 166)
Quote: "Uncanny noises came from there" (page 166)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Weird
Synonym: Akward
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): At the party they were so uncanny because they were so silent
5.) Divulged (p. 169)
Quote: "It is written that these mysteries should not be divulged to a man before he is thirty." (page 169)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): won't tell
Synonym: won't speak
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word):When we were asking him questions about who took the food he divulged
6.) Destined (p. 170)
Quote: "She, the one destined for me, didn't know either" (page 170)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): Ment to be
Synonym: Fated
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): Him and his food are destined to be together
Thinking Map:
Use textual evidence to show examples of when the narrator feels certain about something and when the narrator feels uncertain about something. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
Narrator feels CERTAIN about something V. Narrator feels UNCERTAIN about something
Narrator is Certain
|
Mendel is Uncertain
|