A Tuck Everlasting Study Guide: Questions and Answers with Downloadable Version
Though Provoking Questions
Here are some thought-provoking questions and answers to study for quizzes on Tuck Everlasting. These questions are based on a general summary of the book’s key elements.
- What is the setting for the story? (The imaginary town of Treegap.)
- Who are the main characters? (The main characters are Winnie Foster, the Tuck family (Mae, Angus, Miles, and Jesse), and the man in the yellow suit (MIYS).
- What is Winnie’s role? (She is the connecting link between the Fosters, the Tucks, and the MIYS. The hub of the story wheel, she interacts with the other spokes.)
- What are the three main events of the story? (Winnie’s kidnapping, arrival of the MIYS, the Tuck reunion.)
- What is the main theme? (The main theme is a family who never ages because they drank from a magic creek in the Fosters’ wood, and their quest to keep the stream secret. The MIYS is the antagonist, Winnie is the protagonist, the Tucks try to persuade her to keep the secret.)
Reader Retention Comprehension Questions
For students: see how many of these questions you can answer without checking the answers to test retention. For teachers: download a copy of the questions and use it as a quiz or a review of the reading material.
- What item does Mae always carry?
- How does Winnie discover the Tuck secret?
- Why do the Tucks kidnap Winnie?
- How does the MIYS find out about the water’s magical powers?
- How do Winnie’s feelings change during her stay with the Tucks?
- Why must the secret of the water be kept?
- What does the MIYS demand in exchange for helping find Winnie?
- What happens at the Tuck’s house when the MIYS arrives?
- What is the consequence of Mae’s action?
- How does Mae escape the gallows?
- Jesse gives Winnie a present and asks her to do something. What does he want?
- What does Winnie do with the precious water?
- How do Angus and Mae discover Winnie’s fate?
Answer Key for Study Questions
Here are suggested answers to the study questions for Tuck Everlasting:
- She always carries her music box.
- She sees Jesse drinking from the spring.
- They want to tell her their story and convince her not to tell about the spring.
- He is hiding in the woods and hears the explanation.
- At first, she is excited by the adventure. During dinner, she feels uncomfortable eating with strangers and wants to go home. Bedtime causes her anxiety as she longs for familiar surroundings and belongings.
- According to Angus Tuck, “If people knowed about the spring down there in Treegap, they’d all coming running like pigs to slops.” He describes the horror of being alive forever and never knowing the release of death.
- He insists the Fosters’ give him the woods.
- He tells of his search for a family that never ages, based on stories told by his grandmother. He describes his plans for exploiting the spring for money, and tries to take Winnie by coercion. Mae strikes him with a shotgun.
- The constable is an eyewitness and arrests her, predicting her death penalty. Since Mae cannot die, the hanging will expose the secret.
- Miles uses his carpentry skills to open a window for her escape. Winnie takes her place in the cell to give the Tuck family time to run away.
- Jesse gives Winnie a bottle of spring water. He asks her to keep it until she is 17, drink it, and then find him. His last words to her are “Remember.”
- She pours it on her toad to save its life.
- Tuck finds her tombstone in the local cemetery.
Understanding the theme, setting, and motivations of the characters in this book adds to the enjoyment of the novel and helps students stay focused and entertained. Extend the lesson by planning a fun day at the end of the unit and showing the film for comparison.
References
- Classroom experience.
This post is part of the series: English Literature Lesson Plans Tuck Everlasting Unit
Here is a series of lesson plans for the novel Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. Study questions and answers, character sketches, and a book summary are included.
