In Flora and Ulysses,we've got a wiz kid, a squirrel who can write, and a girl obsessed with learning more about what to do in a disaster. Yep, that's a recipe for cunning and cleverness to show up. Not only do the characters prove they've got what it takes to duke it out on Jeopardy, they also show us just how valuable knowledge can be. Between the three of them, these feisty characters manage to outsmart a bunch of adults, and they seem to know more about avoiding problems or preparing for the worst-case scenario than most folks roaming around today.
Questions About Cunning and Cleverness
- Why do Flora and William value facts and information so much? Do you think it has anything to do with the fact that neither of them have any friends?
- How does Flora decide what to do in her life? Why is she so interested in what Terrible Things Can Happen to You! has to say about everything?
- Is there a difference between being cunning and being knowledgeable? If so, what is it? Which of the characters are which?
Chew on This
William and Flora use cleverness as a way of escaping the real world. Neither would know so much about disaster or words if they had any friends.
Flora can't seem to find any friends because no one around her is interested in the type of knowledge that she is.