50 pages • 1 hour read
Carol Ryrie BrinkCaddie Woodlawn
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1935A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Explain the relationship between the white settlers and the Native Americans in this book. What do the reactions of each group after the massacre scare indicate about their relationship?
Do you agree with the Woodlawns’ choice to stay in Wisconsin rather than move to England? What about their lifestyles and personalities makes you think so?
How does Caddie change throughout the book? How does she stay the same?
Examine the role of women in Caddie’s world. How does Caddie fit into that role? How does she wish she fit? In what ways does she prefer to stay different?
How would you characterize the relationship between the Woodlawn children? What evidence from the novel supports your characterization?
How does the setting affect characterization and major plot points in the novel?
How is school different for the Woodlawn children than it is for today’s students? What advantages and disadvantages might these differences present for students then and students now?
Pioneer children had to be ready to deal with emergencies. What events demonstrate their ability to respond to emergency situations? What traits or behaviors do they employ?
How did Mr. Woodlawn’s childhood affect him and, later, his children?
Consider the development of Native American characters from a modern perspective. Is the novel’s depiction problematic? Does it support or negate racial stereotypes?
