Red Wolf – Reading Comprehension

Chapters 1-3
1. When “The People” were discussing what they should do – leave the village
and move North, stay in the village, or move to the reserve, the old woman said:
“Today it is hard to know what is best for us all. So I ask you to choose what is
best for the children. They will carry the life of “The People” forward. For their
sake, I beg you, please do not go where the snows will be deeper and the winters
colder…Go to a place where you will have shelter, where, at the end of a long
winter, you will still have food to fill your children’s bellies.”

a) Why is it important to consider the needs of the children over everyone else?
b) Where will “The People” find this shelter and food? What place is this referring

to? Do you think it will be better for them there? Explain.

2. Some of “The People” believed that they didn’t need to send their children to
school. They said “We do not need their school. We teach our children
everything they must know, just as our father’s taught us.” HeWhoWhistles does
not share this idea. He says, “We live in different times…We cannot teach our
children the ways of the white-skins. They must go to school and become part of
the new world. Our sons and our daughters are the future.”

Who do you agree with more? Why? Explain your answer.

3. Why do you think the government didn’t build a school on the Reserve? Why
do you think the Indian Agent tricked the parents of the children by lying that
there was a school on the Reserve?
4. The Indian Agents, Mister Hall and Mother Hall, are all shown to have very
racist opinions of Red Wolf and his family. What feelings do you have as a reader
when you hear comments like this?
5. In your own words explain the meaning of the following line: “HeWhoWhistles
had protected his woman from the fire-stick, but he couldn’t protect his son from
the government.”
6. Compare Red Wolf’s first experiences with school to your own experiences
using descriptive adjectives. Use a Venn diagram or t-chart to organize the
responses.
7. Red Wolf is confused about why his father has brought him to school. What
evidence is there in the text to suggest that HeWhoWhistles was unhappy that
Red Wolf was at the residential school?
8. StarWoman’s perspective is not included in much detail in the first few
chapters. If you were to include her thoughts about Red Wolf going off to school,
what might she say?
9. Why was cutting Red Wolf’s hair such a big deal? Why was it significant?
10. Do you think that “the People”, HeWhoWhistles and StarWoman were able to
take adequate care of their children. Do you think they were good parents?
Explain your thinking.

11. Do you think that the Canadian government had the right to take Aboriginal
children away from their parents?