Despite their awful luckIn spite of; even with.
Copywork
Despite their awful luck, they always remained hopeful. As Stanley’s father liked to say, “I learn from failure.”
Read the passage aloud. Why might the author put the father's own words right after the word hopeful?
Discussion
Narration Tell back what happens on the bus and what Stanley remembers on the way: his family's joke, his father's inventions, and what his mother says about the first Stanley Yelnats.
- The chapter keeps leaving the bus to tell about Stanley's family, then coming back. Why might the author build the chapter that way? Plot structure
- The family blames Stanley's “no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather.” What do you hear in that long name: a joke, a complaint, or something else? Tone
- When Stanley or his father feels so discouraged that they start to believe in the curse, Stanley's mother says the first Stanley Yelnats made a fortune. Why might she leave out how he lost it? Inference
- Stanley's father works on his inventions for years, never has any luck, and says “I learn from failure.” Is his hope wise, foolish, or both? Character
- A line from the father's song, “If only, if only,” comes back later on a line of its own. Why might the author bring it back there? Author's choice
Make a Connection Tell about a family joke or saying that helps people through hard times. What does it help them do?
Vocabulary
- despite
- hopeful
Despite their awful luck, they always remained hopeful.
Expecting that good things will happen.- perseverance
Stanley’s father was smart and had a lot of perseverance.
Not giving up, even when something is hard.- discouraged
whenever Stanley or his father became so discouraged that they actually started to believe in the curse
Having lost hope or courage.- crushed
then it wouldn’t hurt so much every time their hopes were crushed
Completely ruined, as hopes can be.- curse
and she put a curse on him and all his descendants
A spell or wish meant to bring bad luck or harm.- neglected
At such times she neglected to mention the bad luck that befell the first Stanley Yelnats.
Failed to do something; left it out.- stifling
the hot, heavy air was almost as stifling as the handcuffs
So hot and airless it is hard to breathe.- innocent
He was innocent of the crime for which he was convicted.
Not guilty of a crime.
Critical thinking
- Mrs. Bell used Stanley's weight as a ratio example without seeing the embarrassment it caused. Using two pieces of evidence, explain whether she should be blamed.
- Stanley tries to pretend he is going to Camp Fun and Games. Using two pieces of evidence, explain what that pretending does for him.
- At the end Stanley sees no lake and hardly anything green. Using two pieces of evidence, explain how he might take it, given how his family handles bad news.