Yawn. School can be so boring, right? Mr. Ward's students definitely think so as the school year begins in Bronx Masquerade. But then Open Mike Fridays begin, and everything changes. As the kids in Mr. Ward's class open up about who they truly are, they start to see themselves differently, and they also start to view their classmates in a new light. As an added bonus, their feelings about school shift, and they start to really care about their time there, particularly in Mr. Ward's class. With poems in hands, these caterpillars transform into butterflies in no time.
Questions About Transformation
- Are all transformations good ones? Can people try to change into something they're not? Use characters from the book to support your answer.
- Why do you think Tyrone spends a lot of time pre-judging people? What judgments do you make about him because of this? Does he pre-judge less as the book goes on?
- Which character goes through the biggest transformation throughout the story? Why? What's different about their transformation compared to those of others?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Art is a very limited tool for changing the way people and society see you.
Art is an excellent tool for changing the way people and society see you.