How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Matt remembered his father's advice. "Good morning," he said respectfully. (6.4)
Thank goodness Matt's dad taught him to show respect to all people. What would have happened if Matt had responded rudely to Saknis?
Quote #2
"It's for you," Matt said. "It's a gift. Please take it." […]
With shame, Matt saw that he was holding [the book] upside down.
He couldn't read. Of course he couldn't. Matt should have known that. (6.33-35)
Awkward. Time to open mouth, insert… book.
Quote #3
"White man make signs on paper, signs Indian not know. Indian put mark on paper to show him friend of white man. Then white man take land. Tell Indian cannot hunt on land. Attean learn to read white man's signs. Attean not give away hunting grounds." (6.50)
For Saknis, education in English is not about conforming to white culture, and instead it means that Attean will be able to preserve his rights as an Indian.
Quote #4
"A. A for arm." […]
"White man's book foolish," he scoffed. "Write arm, arm, arm all over paper."
Puzzled at first, Matt saw his own mistake. "Hundreds of other words begin with A," he explained. "Or have A in them. And there are twenty-five more letters." (7.10,15-16)
Matt knew that teaching would be hard, but teaching Attean is especially difficult. Why? Reason number one: Attean's super smart. Reason number two: He does not want to be there. We're looking at a pretty tricky situation, especially for a brand-spankin' newbie teacher.
Quote #5
"How long Attean learn signs in book?"
"It will take some time," Matt said. "There are a lot of long words in this book."
"One moon?"
"One month? Of course not. It might take a year."
With one swift jerk of his arm, Attean knocked the book from the table. Before Matt could speak, he was out of the cabin and gone. (7.19-23)
Whoa, Attean—tell us how you really feel, why don't you? Ouch.
Quote #6
Matt decided to skip B for bone. In the night he had thought of a better way.
"This book isn't a treaty," he began. "It's a story. It's about a man who gets shipwrecked on a desert island. I'll read some of it out loud to show you." (8.3-4)
Matt realizes that the best teaching involves some creativity. He may not be able to blow things up in a science lab, but he can make words come alive through a story. Yay for thinking outside the box, Matty Boy.
Quote #7
Next morning he showed his traps to Attean. He had hoped for some sign of approval, but all he got was a grunt and a shrug. He knew that to Attean his work must look childish. However, on the third day one of his own snares had been upset […]. The day after that, there was actually a partridge […]. This time the grunt with which Attean rewarded him sounded very much like his grandfather's "Good." (9.13)
It might just be a grunt, but it's a grunt from Attean—and that's pretty good stuff.
Quote #8
Sometimes it seemed that Attean was learning in spite of him. Once the Indian had resigned himself to mastering twenty-six letters, he took them in a gulp, scorning the childish candle and door and table that Matt had devised. (9.16)
Attean isn't just smart—he's really smart. So though he thinks learning the letters is ridiculous, once he decides to do it, he gobbles them up like cake.
Quote #9
"Show way to cabin," he ordered. […]
Attean looked stern. "Not trick," he said, "Matt need learn." (11.37, 40)
Attean doesn't realize it, but he's using a teaching model called Gradual Release of Responsibility. Way to go, Attean, Teacher Extraordinaire.
Quote #10
The only thing that Matt could teach him, Attean was set against learning. For Attean the white man's signs on paper were piz wat—good for nothing. (13.26)
Attean's seen his share of stupid, selfish white men, so it's no surprise he's not gung-ho about learning their language. The sad truth, though, is that at this point in history Attean won't be able to escape white culture—so learning their language is one of the best things he can do to preserve his own culture and avoid being manipulated in the future.