The Horned Toad Themes

What theme is most clearly explored through the narrator’s interaction with the horned toad?

• The relationship between humans and nature, and the need for respect toward wildlife

• The divide between rural and urban life, and the challenge of adapting to change

• The development of personal responsibility and the consequences of actions

• The innocence of childhood and the emotional awakening to loss and grief

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CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

How does the narrator’s great-grandmother represent the theme of generational conflict?

• She challenges the narrator’s perspective, showing a generational gap in values and understanding

• She offers wisdom that the narrator must struggle to understand due to cultural differences

• She embodies the ideal of old-fashioned values, constantly criticizing the modern world

• She represents the narrator’s ideal of tradition, dismissing any outside influence or change

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CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

The narrator’s father’s resistance to his great-grandmother’s presence highlights which of the following themes?

• The importance of familial loyalty in maintaining personal dignity

• The tension between personal independence and family obligation

• The difficulty of reconciling different cultural backgrounds within a family

• The struggle for control in familial relationships, especially with elderly relatives

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CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

In what way does the narrator's great-grandmother’s reaction to the horned toad reflect the theme of cultural identity?

• Her dismissal of the toad reflects the narrator’s struggle to balance modern life with his cultural roots

• Her disdain for the animal reflects a rejection of modernity and its intrusion into her traditional world

• The toad’s symbolic death represents the fading of traditional values in a rapidly changing world

• Her playful interaction with the toad shows her deep-rooted connection to nature and cultural beliefs

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CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

What role does language play in the development of the themes of the story?

• It creates a barrier between generations, reflecting misunderstandings and cultural divides

• It serves as a symbol of the narrator’s journey toward independence and self-expression

• It acts as a tool for the narrator to bond with family members and bridge cultural gaps

• It highlights the limitations of communication within a family that holds differing values

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CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

How does the burial of the horned toad mirror the later burial of the narrator’s great-grandmother?

• Both acts emphasize the theme of returning to one’s rightful place, reflecting cycles of life and death

• Both events highlight the family’s inability to cope with loss and their desire to suppress grief

• Both acts demonstrate the emotional numbness of the family, who go through the motions without truly feeling

• Both show the narrator’s inner struggle to balance his love for his family with his need for personal freedom

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CCSS.RI.6.7

CCSS.RI.7.7

CCSS.RI.8.7

CCSS.RL.6.9

CCSS.RL.8.7

How does the narrator's understanding of his great-grandmother evolve throughout the story?

• He becomes more aware of the cultural and emotional weight of her presence, understanding her complex personality

• He moves from seeing her as a figure of authority to recognizing her as a source of warmth and comfort

• He grows to admire her strength but resents her attempts to control his life

• He starts to view her as an obstacle to his personal freedom, reflecting his growing frustration with adult expectations

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CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

What is the significance of the narrator’s father’s final decision to bury Grandma in her home country?

• It reflects the narrator’s own realization of the importance of honoring one's roots and traditions

• It demonstrates the father’s willingness to make sacrifices for his wife’s emotional well-being

• It represents the healing of generational tensions and a moment of family unity

• It marks the narrator’s first true understanding of death and the need for closure

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CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

What is the role of religion in the narrator’s relationship with his great-grandmother?

• It serves as a barrier that prevents the narrator from understanding his great-grandmother’s worldview

• It fosters a deep sense of comfort and connection between them, especially after the death of the toad

• It highlights the generational divide, with the narrator’s parents being more secular and his great-grandmother deeply religious

• It becomes a source of conflict, as the narrator struggles with his own faith in the face of family traditions

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CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

What does the theme of “home” suggest in the context of Grandma’s life and death?

• Home is a place of emotional stability that transcends physical location, as seen through Grandma’s attachment to her past

• Home is a limiting factor in personal growth, symbolizing the confines of tradition and family expectations

• Home is only valuable when it aligns with modern values, as represented by Grandma’s discomfort with city life

• Home is a fleeting concept, often distorted by the passage of time and generational shifts in values

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CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2