Questions+to+consider

A Bridge to Wiseman’s Cove

1. Is Carl a person of good moral values? Give reasons. (pp. 28, 34 – 35) 2. What sort of reputation does the Matt family seem to have in Wattle Beach? (p14, 22, 24) 3. What is our impression of Harley so far? (p23 especially) 4. What did Carl do with his time during his first weeks in Wattle Beach? (p26 -) 5. Why doesn’t Aunt Beryl want the boys to stay? Why does she change her mind? (p43-) 6. What are some of the ways that Bruce makes a profit in his tow truck business? What did Carl do that he didn’t like and what does he want Carl to do, to help him? (p38) 7. What kind of attitude towards females does Bruce show? (p 39) 8. Why do Beryl’s words “There’s something wrong with you” taunt Carl? (p36) 9. Why was it so difficult for Carl to find work in Wattle Beach? (p54, 57) 10. Describe the physical appearance of Skip Duncan. Why was he intimidating? (p59) 11. Why didn’t the Duncan’s, especially Skip, want Carl to help on the barge? Why did Joy Duncan persuade Skip to change his mind? (p65) 12. How does Carl make himself invaluable to Skip and prove to him that he is a ‘different’ Matt? (p73 -82) 13. What has been lacking in the way that Carl and Harley have been looked after? In what way is Joy different? (p88) 14. Why does making the cake mean so much to Harley? (pp88-89) 15. Describe Harley’s attitude to carl. (p89) 16. In what way does Joy treat the boys differently from Beryl? Why is Joy upset? (pp112-113) 17. What does Carl’s story about the vegie patch tell us about Kerry’s personality? (pp121-122) How does Carl feel as he tells the story? 18. Why does Beryl not want Harley to live with the Duncan’s? (pp140-143) 19. Why is the liberation of the osprey so significant for Carl? (pp147, 159) 20. What did Maddie mean when she said, “It must be great to be free again. I almost know how the bird feels.” (p159) 21. How does Carl manage to overcome Skip’s unwillingness to try to save Harley/ (pp129-130) 22. What does the chapter, Turn of the Tide, show us about Carl? How has he changed from the nervous, uncertain boy who arrived at Wattle Beach? (pp129-30, 133) 23. Why does Skip show “proud excitement”? (p135-136) 24. Why has Maddie been able to relax and be herself with Carl? (pp154-157) 25. How has the attitude towards Carl of Justine and Maddie’s friends changed? (p172) 26. Why was Nathan “beaten”? (p176) 27. In the chapter, The Last Wedge, how does Carl’s relationship with Justine and Maddie change? (pp177-182) 28. Explain: “There was already so much jamming in his heart.” (p182) 29. In the chapter, Flashes, how does Justine help Carl? What new understanding does he come to? (pp183-186) 30. Why is Carl tempted to leave Wattle Beach? (pp190-193) 31. Explain: “He had been abandoned again and only now had he come to realise it.” (p194) 32. Why does Carl decide to stay? (p197) 33. In what way had the Matt family suffered? (p201) 34. Why is Carl so upset at the news that the Duncans will sell the barge? (p214) 35. What did Bruce do? (p219) 36. Why does Joy want Carl to live with them? Why does Carl resist? (p221-222) 37. Why is Carl so afraid to find out where his mother is? (p222) 38. How had Kerry Matt died? (p226) 39. Why does Joy cry? (p229) 40. Why is Joy able to understand how Carl feels? (pp230 – 232) 41. Why is Carl able to cry? (pp237 – 241)