Tears of a Tigerby Sharon M. Draper

• Sharon Draper wrote Tears of a Tiger in 1994.• Hazelwood High Trilogy – Tears of a Tiger – Forged by Fire– Darkness before Dawn

• In 2015 the American Library Association presented Sharon Draper with the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults.

Literary Techniques

• Dialect• Dialogue• Metaphor• Various formats (newspaper articles, prayer,

student essays, letter, police report, phone calls, poems, etc.)

• Foreshadowing• Allusion

Pages 1-14

• What do you Infer that “cool bottle sunshine” means? p. 4

• What is the meaning of the phrase “freeze to death”? p. 7 What is its significance to the story?

• What is the meaning of the phrase “heat it up”? p. 7 What is its significance to the story?

Pages 15 - 29

• How does the use of different perspectives help establish the mood and tone of the story?

• How does the use of different perspectives help you to connect emotionally with the characters?

• What do the different perspectives reveal about the characters’ emotional states?

Pages 30 - 41

• Why do you think the author chooses to write this novel using different formats (essays, police reports, conversations, poems, etc.)?

p. 41 - 60

• Dr. Carrothers asks Andy, “Do you think your parents understand your problems?” p. 45 Andy replies, “Heckee, no! Sometimes I think my parents ain’t got no grip on reality.” p. 46

• What are the problems Andy sees in his relationship with his parents? (Cite Text)– How does Andy’s mother contribute to the problem?– How does Andy’s father contribute to the problem?– How does Andy contribute to the problem?

p. 41 - 60

• How do the relationship problems Andy has with his parents compare to the relationship issues you have in your family?

• Could honest communication help with any of these issues?

• Is Andy honest in his communication with his parents?

p. 61 - 70

• Give specific examples of poetic techniques found in the characters' poems. Techniques include rhythm, rhyme, metaphor, simile, personification, repetition, assonance, consonance, and alliteration

• Tell how these techniques create imagery for the reader.

• Why do you think Andy didn’t turn in his poem to his English teacher? Should he have turned it in? What do you think the teacher would have done if she had read Andy’s poem?

p. 71 - 88

• What colors do you associate with emotions, ideas, things, character traits, etc.? Why? Give several examples.

• What do you think about the characters’ explanations of how they view black and white?

p. 89 - 102

• With whom is Andy being honest about how he feels since the accident?

• What do you think Andy could do to help himself deal with his guilt?

• How do you think his parents could help Andy more?

• How do you think his friends could help Andy more?

p. 103 - 118

• What is Andy's state of mind at this point in the story?

• What were the benefits of writing to Rob's parents about Andy's memories of Rob? benefits for Andy? benefits for Rob's parents?

p. 119 - 135

• Why might parents deny obvious signs that their children need help?

p. 136 - 154

• Give specific examples of the symptoms of depression and thoughts of suicide that Andy has exhibited thus far in the story.

p. 155 - 167

• Cite specific examples and give page numbers of incidents of foreshadowing throughout the story that indicate that Andy might not make it.

p. 167 - 180

• What were the effects of suicide on Andy's friends and family?

• Did Andy have the right to take his own life?