“Level Up”

Name: ______________________________

Grade: ______________________________

Literature: Ta-Na-E-Ka
"Ta-Na-E-Ka" is a short story by Mary Whitebird. Since this is a less well-known story and
specific details about it might not be widely available, I'll provide some general reading comprehension
questions that can be applied to most short stories to help you analyze and understand the text:

A character is an individual that takes part in the action of a literary work. To make a character
interesting to readers, the author of a story tries to create a character that has several character traits,
much like a real person. This type of character is called a round character.

Directions: As you are reading “Ta-Na-E-Ka, fill in examples from the story that prove that Mary
has that particular character trait.

Character Trait Proof from the Story

Stubborn

Proud

Clever

Bold

Nervous

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 “Level Up”

Analyze Conflict
Conflict is a struggle between two forces in a literary work. Conflict is an important
element of plot and provides both interest and suspense in a story.

There are two major divisions of conflict: internal and external. An internal conflict takes
place within a character and usually involves a struggle of values, loyalties, and moral choices. In other
words, a character is considering choices and their consequences before he or she must make some sort
of decision. This type of conflict is known as person vs. self.

An external conflict takes place between two characters (person vs person), between a character
and the values of society (person vs. society), between a character and nature (person vs. nature), and
between a character and an outside force (person vs. supernatural).

Directions: As you are reading “Ta-Na-E-Ka”, determine what types of conflict are occurring in
the story. Fill in the graphic organizer below with the examples that you find. The fist one has
been completed for you.

Internal Conflict

Type Examples

Person vs. self Mary struggles with two choices: wanting to

respect her tribe’s tradition of Ta-Na-E-Ka ad
the wishes of her family. Or trying to avoid the
ritual altogether.

Person vs. person Mary and her mother clash over Mary’s
participation in Ta-Na-E-Ka

Person vs. society

Person vs. nature

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 “Level Up”

Test your knowledge of the Story:

Directions: After each statement mark a T for true or an F for False:

1. ______ The narrator in this story is a boy named Roger.

2. ______ The Ta-Na-E-Ka is a ritual that eleven year old Kaw children take part in.
3. ______ On her Ta-Na-E-Ka, Mary sleeps in a boat.
4. ______ Mary learns how to cook chili from her grandfather.
5. ______ Mary eats grasshoppers, berries and deer on her Ta-Na-E-Ka.

Directions: Answer the following questions in your copybook:

6. Who is the protagonist of the story, and what are their main characteristics or qualities?
7. What is the setting of the story, and how does it contribute to the overall atmosphere or mood?
8. Can you identify the central conflict or problem that the protagonist faces? How does this conflict
drive the plot?
9. Are there any other important characters in the story, and what roles do they play in relation to the
protagonist or the central conflict?
10. What is the main theme or message of the story, as you interpret it?
11. Are there any symbols or metaphors in the story that have a deeper meaning or significance? How
do they contribute to the overall meaning of the story?
12. Describe the protagonist's journey or character development throughout the story. How do they
change or evolve by the end?
13. What is the climax of the story, and how does it resolve the central conflict or tension?

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