The FriendsRespond to Chapters 1–5, continued 5. Narrator’s Point of View In chapters 1–5,...

Name:

Student Journal

Reading ScheduleGroup members: _____________________________________________________________

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The Friends Student Journal Due Date Discussion Date

Introduction Pages 2–4

Chapters 1–5 Pages 5–6






The Exchange

Assessment

The Friendsby Rosa Guy

How can people’s

impressions of

you affect your

life?

Student Journal page 2 of 16 © Hampton-Brown

The Friends

Getting Started

What If?You are rushing to an important interview for a summer job. If you do well, you will get a great job that pays well. You bought new clothes to make sure you look your best. You spent hours going over interview questions with your best friend. When you woke up this morning, you felt very confident that you would get the job without any problems.

Just before you enter the building for the interview, a car speeds by and splashes mud all over you. There is mud in your hair, on your clothes, and on your face! You cannot stop to clean yourself because the interviewer is waiting for you. You are nervous and upset.

Make notes about how this would affect you.

• Would you be able to give a good interview?

• Would you be less confident? Why or why not?

• If you didn’t get the job, how would it affect you?

Connect to The Exchange Question Discuss how this situation could relate to The Exchange Question: How can other people’s impressions of you affect your life? Summarize your discussion.


The Friends

Introduction

Read the Introduction on pages 7–9 in The Friends. The Introduction will help you understand key concepts in the book. Knowing them will help you discuss and write about the book.

The Introduction includes information about the

• history of Harlem in New York City—the setting of the story

• difficulties of living in Harlem during the 1960s

• different people and dialects of Harlem

• backgrounds of the main characters, Phyllisia and Edith

After you read the Introduction, answer these questions to check your understanding.

1. What was Harlem like during the 1920s and 1930s?

2. Where is the main character, Phyllisia Cathy, from? How does she feel about where she is from?

3. What are dialects and why does the author use them?


The Friends

Key Concepts

betraycircumstancedenyhardshipintend

Introduction: Key Concepts

Word Map

Study the Word Map for hardship. Write a sentence using the word hardship.

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On a separate sheet of paper, create a similar Word Map for betray and deny. Use a thesaurus to find antonyms and synonyms. Write two sentences for each word—one using the Key Concept word and one using either the antonym or the synonym.

Word Map

Example

losing a job

Example

having a good, safe home

difficulty comfort

hardship

Synonym Antonym

Key Concept


The Friends

Respond to Chapters 1–51. Personal Response Phyllisia has moved to a new country with a

different culture. She has trouble making friends. How do you get to know someone new?

2. Comparisons Phyllisia and Ruby are different from their peers at school because they are West Indian. How do they each respond to this difference? Use the word circumstance in your answer.

3. Opinion Mr. Charles tells Ruby that giving other students the answers to questions will not make them respect her. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

4. Generate Questions Write a question about this section for someone else reading this book. Exchange questions with them. Do you agree with their answer?


The Friends

Respond to Chapters 1–5, continued

5. Narrator’s Point of View In chapters 1–5, Phyllisia describes Edith, Miss Lass, Mother, Ruby, and Calvin. List what each character does and what this shows about that character. Use the Chart to answer the question.

Phyllisia is the narrator, so you only learn about the other characters from her point of view. Do you think her view is fair? Why or why not?

Character Description Chart

Character What the Character Does

What This Shows About the Character

Edith

Miss Lass

Mother

Ruby

Calvin


The Friends

Respond to Chapters 6–81. Personal Response Phyllisia and Edith spend an afternoon exploring

the city together. Tell about a time you went somewhere new with a friend. What did you do together? How did it make you feel?

2. Mood Edith and her family face many hardships. What is the mood when Phyllisia goes to Edith’s home? How does Phyllisia react? Use the word hardship in your answer.

3. Inference While they walk around the city, Phyllisia finally admits to herself that she likes Edith. Why do you think Phyllisia likes Edith now but did not like her before?



The Friends


5. Plot In Chapters 6–8, Edith and Phyllisia find themselves in the middle of a riot. Write the events that cause them to be there in the order in which they happened.

Sequence Chart

How would the story be different if Phyllisia and Edith did not end up in the riot?

First:

Next:

Last:


The Friends

Respond to Chapters 9–11 1. Personal Response Phyllisia helps Edith when her father disappears.

Tell about a time you were able to help a friend with a problem. How did you help? Did you feel rewarded by helping?

2. Metaphor On page 90, Mother says, “beauty is just a shell.” What does this mean? Why does Mother say this? Use the word betray in your response.

3. Paraphrase On page 109, Phyllisia says, “I had come to believe that a person’s thoughts and attitudes were so strong that they really imprisoned people.” Tell in your own words what Phyllisia means.



The Friends


5. Comparisons In Chapters 9–11, Phyllisia spends time with two different friends, Edith and Marian. List Edith’s and Marian’s traits, actions, interests, and feelings in the Venn Diagram.

Why is Phyllisia friends with two people who are so different? Who do you think Phyllisia likes more? Why?

MarianEdith Both

Venn Diagram


The Friends

Respond to Chapters 12–151. Personal Response Mother gives Phyllisia advice about life. What

is the best advice you have received from a family member or friend? What makes this advice so special?

2. Summarize Why does Phyllisia deny she ever went barefoot on the Island? Use the word deny in your response.

3. Making Decisions If you were Edith, would you still want to be Phyllisia’s friend? Why or why not?



The Friends


5. Cause and Effect Phyllisia changes her opinion about Edith many times. List what causes Phyllisia to be friends or not be friends with Edith in the Cause and Effect Chart.

Why does Phyllisia continue to seek out Edith’s friendship? Why does Phyllisia have trouble being friends with Edith?

Cause and Effect Chart

Causes Effects


The Friends

Respond to Chapters 16–19 1. Personal Response Calvin has trouble sharing his feelings with his

daughters. Is it easy or hard for you to share your feelings with friends or family? Why?

2. Conflict What does Ruby plan to do when she walks home with Orlando? What happens instead? Use the word intend in your response.

3. Opinion Mr. Charles and Cousin Frank are involved in the Cathys’ lives. Is it a good idea to share family problems with outsiders? Why or why not?



The Friends


5. Perspectives Mother is dead, and Calvin is raising his daughters alone. He feels he has no control over them. List 3 events that show Calvin’s problem.

Problem and Solution Chart

Problem: Calvin feels he cannot control his daughters.

Event 1:

Event 2:

Event 3:

Solution: Calvin keeps the girls as prisoners in their home.

If you were Calvin, how would you have solved this problem differently?


The Friends

Respond to Chapters 20–23 1. Personal Response Phyllisia realizes that going to The Island is the

wrong choice. Tell about a time when you realized you were about to make the wrong choice. What did you do? What was the result?

2. Argument Phyllisia tells Calvin that she rejected Edith because of him. Do you feel Phyllisia’s argument is fair and reasonable? Why or why not?

3. Opinion Do you think Phyllisia will visit Edith or write to her every week like she promised? Why or why not?

What If?4. Connect Look at your notes on Student Journal, page 2. Think about what

might happen if you want to be judged for your ability, but you are judged by your appearance. Compare this to The Friends. How did the wrong impression affect the lives of the characters?


The Friends


5. Character In Chapters 20–23, many of the characters change their lives for the better. Write what each character does and what this shows about the character in the Character Description Chart.

Character Description Chart

How have the characters changed by the end of the story?

Character What the Character Does

What This Shows About the Character

Phyllisia

Edith

Ruby

Calvin

The FriendsRespond to Chapters 1–5, continued 5. Narrator’s Point of View In chapters 1–5,...

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