Collections Grade 7 Guiding Questions

Collection 6

Train Time by DArcy McNickle

Read the short story Train Time by DArcy McNickle. Then, reread the lines
indicated with each question below. Answer each question, citing text evidence.

1. Lines 116: Describe the mood the author establishes at the beginning of the story.
2. Lines 2836: What does the narrator tell us directly about the Major? What can we
infer about the Major from his own actions and thoughts?
3. Lines 4757: What time period does the flashback refer to? Why does the author
include it?
4. Lines 99118: What do we learn about the Major from this portion of the text?
Why does the Major act against his own principles in helping the family?
5. Lines 124133: What evidence signals the shift in time? What has happened to the
Major during that time?
6. Lines 146153: What time shift takes place here? Summarize what has occurred
during that period.
7. Lines 149165: What can you infer about the Majors character from the
statement in lines 149151? What additional evidence in lines 151165 supports
your inference?
8. Lines 166170: What evidence shows the end of the flashback? Summarize the
insight the flashback gives into this scene.
9. Lines 181188: What examples of imagery are in these lines? What effect is created
by the imagery?