Friday, October 30, 2009

House of the Scorpion - Chapter 22


Chapter 22 – Betrayal

Matt is scared and unsure what to do. Matt finally connects all the clues that had been given him over the years – understanding what his purpose is and what hereally means to El Patron.

Maria meets him in the secret passage. Everyone is looking for him. Maria decides to disguise him as an eejit and try to sneak him off the estate with her. Emilia and Stephen betray them and Matt is carried away by body guards.


  1. What conflict was Matt trying to deal with?

  2. Why do you think El Patron told so many stories to Matt about the afterlife?

  3. Who is looking for Matt? Why?

  4. What does Maria say to Matt that in other circumstances would have thrilled him?

  5. Why does Matt and Tam Lin see El Patron as being like a “Force of Nature?”

  6. What is Maria’s plan?

  7. What does El Patron need to survive?

  8. What did the red light show? What are the possible dangers?

  9. What do Matt and Maria say to each other?

  10. Who betrayed Matt and Maria?

  11. What are all clones considered?

  12. What does Matt think would happen?

Thursday, October 29, 2009

House of the Scorpion - Chapter 21

Chapter 21 – Blood Wedding

Everyone gathers for the wedding. We learn that El Patron has arranged Emilia and Steven’s wedding for his own purposes, as he did in arranging the marriage of Benito to a Nigerian princess. Matt realizes that he will never be allowed to marry.

Maria now thinks Matt has a soul. Maria tells Matt that El Patron has arranged for her to marry Tom, obviously upsetting Matt. She feels she can change Tom. Matt shows Maria the book containing the picture of her mother. El Patron has another heart attack at the wedding. Tam Lin rushes him to the doctor. Stephen and Emilia are left forgotten at the altar.

  1. Who is getting married?

  2. Why did Ell Patron want this?

  3. Who did Benito Alcaran marry? Why?

  4. Why wasn’t Matt going to the Oasis?

  5. What was Matt’s attitude toward Stephen and Emilia? Why?

  6. Where did Matt and Maria meet?

  7. What does Maria think about Matt’s soul?

  8. Who is Maria engaged too? Who decided this?

  9. What did Matt show Maria?

  10. How was Maria different from the others at the wedding?

  11. What happened at the end of the wedding?

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

House of the Scorpion - Chapter 20

Chapter 20 – Esperanza

Matt begins the chapter with a fever. He contemplates the fact that he is fourteen years old, and from his perspective, an adult.

Matt returns to the oasis, where he continues to read more about the history of Opium. He learns that eejits are made from illegal immigrants trying to get from Mexico to the United States, having to pass through Opium. El Patron continues to be described as evil. Matt learns that Esperanza Mendoza is Maria’s mother –Maria was told her mother was dead. He plans on telling Maria her mother is alive.

Could Tam Lin and Celia be working on a plan to save Matt? El Patron is growing weak again and thinks Matt is Felipe, his dead son. He begins to think about running away to Atzlan, but not until Emilia and Steven’s wedding – he had to see Maria again.
  1. How did knowing he was 14 make Matt feel?
  2. Why did Matt further study Tam Lin’s books and Maps?
  3. Why did El Patron come up with idea of Eejits?
  4. What happened to dead Eejits?
  5. How did they lose their humanity?
  6. What is Matt’s reaction to what he read?
  7. Who wrote the book? What was the author’s relationship to Maria?
  8. What did Matt plan to do with his new knowledge?
  9. Who had once lived at the Oasis?
  10. Who was Felipe?
  11. Why can’t Matt escape to Aztlan yet?

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

House of the Scorpion - Chapter 19


Chapter 19 – Coming – Of – Age

Matt’s voice cracks [changes] when singing to El Patron. He is now fourteen years old. Celia and Tam Lin decide to celebrate this. Tam Lin, after a few drinks, decides to finally tell Matt the truth of his origins despite the cameras. He also says hundred of thousands of Eejits have died during El Patron’s lifetime.


Matt begins to realize why he was created, but still holds on to the believe that he is different and not intended to be spare parts – that’s why he was allowed to keep his intelligence, learn music, etc.


  1. What happened to Matt when singing? What does this signify?

  2. The statement “clones fall to pieces when they get older” is said once again. Why?

  3. Why does Tam Lin want to tell Matt the truth despite the watching cameras?

  4. What does Tam Lin say about how they’re treated?

  5. How many eejits have died in 100 years?

  6. What did Matt begin to realize about the role of clones?

  7. Why is it ironic that El Patron refers to Matt as Mi Vida?

  8. Why did Matt feel he was different?

  9. What did Matt have to “look in the eye?”

  10. How old is Matt now?

Thursday, October 22, 2009

House of the Scorpion - Chapter 17

Chapter 17 – The Eejit Pens

Both Maria and El Patron leave. Matt further contemplates what Maria said about St. Francis and wonders what St. Francis would have thought about clones and thinks about eejits as his “brother and sister eejits.”

Matt heads to the oasis and begins to reads A History of Opium. He learns the history of the formation of the country of Opium: El Patron approached the leaders of the United States and Mexico to solve their immigration and drug problem. It’s a no-man’s land between the U.S. and Mexico. The Alcarans and the MacGregors are the two most powerful families. The author was Esperanza Mendoza; the publisher was the Anti-Slavery Society of California. El Patron is
described as a dictator, evil, vicious and greedy. This upsets Matt.

On his way home, Matt inspects the water purification plant. He hopes that he has the power to free the eejits at some point in the future. Matt discovers the waste from the plant is disposed of where the Eejits are housed. Matt almost drowns after collapsing from the fumes. He is saved by the Farm Patrol who return him to the house. He learns that they are Scottish and criminals like Tam Lin, who they described as a Scottish Nationalist and Terrorist.
  1. Who left at the beginning of the chapter?

  2. Why do you think Maria gave Matt he book about St. Francis? Matt’s
    thoughts?

  3. Has anything changed about Matt’s feelings about Rosa?

  4. Is there any significance to Matt calling Eejits “Brothers and Sister Eejits?”

  5. What was contained in a “History of Opium?” How was this different than
    what Matt expected?

  6. Create a flow map to sequence History of “Pact Made in Hell.”

  7. What organization did Esperanza Mendoza, author of the History, belong to?

  8. What was the structure of Opium? Most powerful families and land?

  9. How was Matteo Alcaran (El Patron) described by the book?

  10. Why did Matt begin studying how the empire worked?

  11. What was the first thing Matt wanted to do when “helping the one in charge?”

  12. What was done with the polluted water?

  13. Who rescued Matt from drowning? What were they part of? How did Matt talk to them?

  14. Why do eejits sleep in the field some nights?

  15. Why brought Hugh, Ralf and Wee Willie to Opium?

  16. How is Tam Lin described? What did he do?

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

House of the Scorpion - Chapter 16


Chapter 16 – Brother Wolf

Matt and Maria make their way through the secret passage and eventually talk. Maria states that she forgives Matt for killing Furball – Matt doesn’t correct her. They talk about religion and whether or not Matt has a soul.


The two see Felicia and Tom in the security monitoring room try to use the cameras to find Matt and Maria. The two of them make for of the dead El Viejo and Felicia says something startling. Felicia killed Furball to punish Matt for how he treated Tom at the birthday party. Tam Lin finds them and leads them out of the passage separately.

  1. What does Maria accuse Matt of doing in the passage?

  2. Where did they end up? How was it different?

  3. Why did Maria forgive Matt?

  4. What did Matt think about faults?

  5. What religious predicament, according to Maria, does Matt find himself in? Her answer?

  6. How did Tom and Felicia describe El Viejo’s corpse? Why?

  7. How was Tom and Felicia searching for Matt and Maria?

  8. What does Felicia say that startles Maria? Matt?

  9. How is El Patron going to help Matt and Maria?

Friday, October 16, 2009

House of the Scorpion - Chapter 15


Section 3 – Old Age: 12 to 14

Chapter 15 – A Starved Bird

Matt learns that Maria and Emilia have been sent away to a convent. When going to the stable for a horse, Matt sees Rosa and discovers she has been made into an eejit. For the first time he realized what a terrible thing it is to be turned into an eejit.
Matt finds a metal chest at the Oasis, left for him by Tam Lin, containing food, camping supplies, books, and maps.

El Viejo dies and everyone comes to the estate for the funeral. MacGregor looks much younger. Matt is yelled at by the Priest, who rudely states that Matt is not welcome in church. Maria comes to his rescue, and confronts the priest. They run and hide in the secret passage.
  1. Where has Maria and Emilia been sent to? Why?

  2. Why can’t Matt send Maria a letter?

  3. What has happened to Rosa? What was Matt’s reaction to seeing Rosa?

  4. What did Matt find at the canyon?

  5. Why do you think Tam Lin left these things for Matt?

  6. Who has died? What was the reaction to Matt at the service?

  7. What was Matt’s reaction to MacGregor entering the service? What about him has changed?

  8. What has changed about Maria?

  9. Describe the children’s choir?

  10. What is the Priest’s reaction to Matt? Other people?

  11. Why does Maria confront the priest?

  12. Where does Matt take Maria?

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

This Week in Reading

This week, you will have time to finish reading your independent book for your project due Monday. You will also have the opprotunity to begin your Power Point presentation and ask Mr. Hermance any questions you may have.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Celia's Story - Connection to the Real World


In chapter 14 of House of the Scorpion, we learn how Celia came to be the possession of El Patron. Could something like this really happen? Do coyotes really exist? Today we will be reading chapter 1 from the book First Crossing: Stories About Teen Immigrants, edited by Donald R. Gallo. The chapter is a story entitled First Crossing by Pam Munoz Ryan. It is the story of a teenage Mexican boy heading to America with his father in search of work to help support their family back home. They enter the United States with the help of a coyote.
  1. What is the coyote? Dangers?


  2. Why did Marco and his father want to go to the United States?


  3. How did Marco’s father’s absence affect his life?


  4. How did Marco’s father go about getting a job once he was in the United States?


  5. What’s a gringo?


  6. How did Marco and his father get into the United States? How did the 9/11 attacks affect their journey?


  7. What is La Migra?


  8. What happened on their first crossing attempt? How many attempts did it take?


  9. Why was the football game important?


  10. What will Marco and his father do after both have entered the United States?


  11. Plot Marco’s journey with Google Maps. (Tijuana, Mexico to Encinitas, California) How many miles did he travel? How long would it take?


  12. House of the Scorpion Connection: Along with the producing opium, what other role(s) does the country of Opium serve for Aztlan and the United States.


  13. House of the Scorpion Connection: Compare and contrast Marco's journey with Celia's journey.


  14. House of the Scorpion Connection: Compare and contrast the coyotes in both stories.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

House of the Scorpion - Chapter 14


Chapter 14 – Celia’s Story

Matt is upset at Tam Lin’s departure. He’s upset that Tam Lin is disappointed in Matt for not accepting responsibility for the death of the dog and because Tam Lin treated him like a human, not just a “beast” like the others.


Tom is banished from the house for showing Maria and Matt Mr. MacGregor’s clone. We learned how Celia came to become El Patron’s possession. She attempted to come to the United States from Atzlan (Mexico) via coyote. She was abandoned in the desert and was captured by El Patron’s guards. Unlike her companions, she was sparred becoming an eejit because she was from El Patron’s hometown.


  1. In a complete sentence(s), describe the Alcaran “estancia.”

  2. Why was Matt so upset by Tam Lin’s departure?

  3. What happed to Tom? Why?

  4. How did Celia come to work for El Patron?

  5. What happed to the others Celia traveled from Aztlan with?

Friday, October 2, 2009

House of the Scorpion - Chapter 13


Chapter 13 – The Lotus Pond


Matt once again ponders the meaning of something the Doctor had said: “Clones go to pieces when they get older.”

Matt learns from Celia that Felicia ran off with MacGregor due to her poor marriage with Mr. Alcaran. She was brought back because El Patron does not like his “possessions” taken away. Matt also learns more about clones from Celia, he is not supposed to know of these things. By law, clones are to have their brains destroyed. Matt escaped this fate due to El Patron’s power. It appears MacGregor is getting better due to organs from the clone.

Matt plans to talk to Maria again by kidnapping her dog, Furball, drugging him so he doesn’t bark, and hold him in a shed until she talks to him. On the way to the shed near the Lotus Pond, Matt sees Tom torturing frogs. Later on, Matt is able to kidnap the dog without the drugs. At the pond, Senator Mendoza is waiting with guards and its discovered that Furball is dead. No one believes Matt when he says he didn’t do it. Senator Mendoza says Matt will not be able to see Maria again.

Tam Lin will be leaving Matt, rejoining El Patron. Matt is considered old enough to fend for himself.

  1. An earlier line from the book was repeated by Matt: “Clones go to pieces when they get older.” What do you now think this statement means?

  2. Why did Felicia run off with Mr. MacGregor? What was she brought back? Who is Felicia’s son?

  3. What is wrong with Mr. MacGregor’s clone? Why did Matt not suffer the same fate?

  4. How was Mr. MacGregor’s health getting better?

  5. What was Matt’s plan for meeting Maria?

  6. What new subject was Matt beginning to study?

  7. What happened at the Lotus Pond?

  8. Who do you think killed Furball?

  9. Who is leaving Matt? Why?

Thursday, October 1, 2009

House of the Scorpion - Chapter 12


Chapter 12 – The Thing on the Bed

We learn that Matt’s activities were all supposed to be risk free and many safeguards were put in place to protect him. However, Tam Lin took Matt on weekly expeditions over the hills, where he had the opportunity to mountain climb and tease rattle snakes.

One day Felicia came to see Matt. She said Maria wanted to meet him at the hospital. When he got there, Maria said that Tom told her that Matt wanted to meet her there. Tom led the two of them to a hospital room where they saw a clone, deprived of its intelligence, in considerable pain; the clone was of Mr. MacGregor. It appears that Tom wanted to take Maria there to show her that Matt is similar to this “beast.”


  1. How were Matt’s activities to be?

  2. How were the expeditions with Tam Lin?

  3. Who visited Matt? Why?

  4. Who arranged the meeting between Matt and Maria?

  5. What did Maria, Tom, and Matt think was in the room? What actually was in the room?

  6. Whose clone was in the room?

  7. What do you think was Tom’s motivation for bringing Maria and Matt to the hospital room?