Distinguishing the Reader’s Point of View from the Characters: Rapping Magicians
Read the story "Rapping Magicians." Answer the following questions by thinking about how you, as the reader, might feel or think differently from the characters in the story. Choose the best answer for each question.
Group 1
Answer the following questions about the beginning of the story.
Source 1.1
Sara and I sit on the steps and take a break from cutting Mrs. Billings’s grass. Our matching pink hats and T-shirts are soaked with sweat. My thick black hair and Sara’s blonde curls are a wet mess.
“It’s got to be a thousand degrees out here. Let’s come back and finish later,” says Sara.
“No way. If we don’t finish now, we won’t.” I stare at the clouds. “Just think about those awesome magician costumes we’re going to buy with all this money we’re making.”
Sara agrees. “We’ve worked hard, Kendra.”
“It’s going to all be worth it when we walk inside that room full of junior magicians and you make me disappear and I end up in the audience! So cool!”
“Yeah, and then when we trade places, and you turn me into a rabbit, the place will go wild!” says Sara. “And what makes us really magnificent is, we’re rapping magicians!”
We tap our feet and practice our opening rhyme.
Rapping Magicians by Crystal Allen, pp. 12-13
Question 1a
How does the narrator (Kendra) feel about working in the hot sun?
Question 1b
If you were the reader, how might you feel about working outside in the heat?
Group 2
Think about how Sara feels and how you, as the reader, might feel.
Source 2.1
Later that evening, I get a call from Sara. She’s crying. That’s not good.
“Kendra, I’m not going to Magician Camp this year. Dad lost his job and said there’s no way we can afford it right now. I wish I were a real magician. I’d wave a magic wand and get Dad’s job back.”
I cry with her and promise to come over tomorrow before hanging up.
Rapping Magicians by Crystal Allen, p. 15
Question 2a
How does Sara feel when she calls Kendra?
Question 2b
How might you, as the reader, feel after reading about Sara’s phone call?
Group 3
Think about how the narrator feels and how you might feel as the reader.
Source 3.1
I fall back on my bed and stare at the ceiling. This is our last Magician Camp, and now Sara won’t be there with me. I can’t imagine being there without her. We’re a team! Like bookends. But more important, she’s my best friend, and I want her there with me. Just like Sara wished she could do something magical for her dad, I wish I could do something magical for her.
Rapping Magicians by Crystal Allen, p. 15
Question 3a
Why does Kendra feel sad about going to Magician Camp without Sara?
Question 3b
If you were the reader, how might you feel about Kendra’s problem?
Group 4
Think about how Kendra and Sara feel at the end of the story. Compare that to how you, as the reader, might feel.
Source 4.1
“Come closer to me and look in my hat. I’ll point at the inside. There’s nothing in that. You’re laughing because you think this is funny. But ABRACADABRA ... my hat’s full of money!”
I show them my hat, now loaded with cash.
“If Sara and I put our money together, we can pay for two Magician Camp registrations. We won’t be able to get new outfits, but at least we’ll be together. I don’t want to go without her.”
Mr. and Mrs. Davis hug me. Sara hugs me, too.
That may be the best trick I’ve ever done!
Rapping Magicians by Crystal Allen, p. 16
Question 4a
How does Kendra feel after showing her hat full of money?
Question 4b
How might you, as the reader, feel after reading the ending?
Group 5
Now think about the whole story. Answer these questions about the point of view.
Question 5a
How is the reader’s point of view different from Kendra’s in the story?
Question 5b
Which sentence shows the reader’s point of view best?
Teach with AI superpowers
Why teachers love Class Companion
Import assignments to get started in no time.
Create your own rubric to customize the AI feedback to your liking.
Overrule the AI feedback if a student disputes.