GHOST BOYS

How has Jerome's death and the lack of charges against Officer Moore changed the way the Eddie, Snap, and Mike treat Carlos?

Eddie, Snap, and Mike realize Carlos and them have always been on the same team. Eddie, Snap, and Mike realize that treating someone bad, then losing them stays with you for ever.

Ma says, "In this neighborhood, getting a child to adulthood is perilous." Explain the foreshadowing used in this quote. What risks are described on the street as they walk to school?

Getting a child to an adult is very hard and dangerous. The forshadowing is seen because Jerome dies when he went to play outside. The risks are living in a neighborhood with drunk people, people using drugs, and cops think any small doing is bad.

How is the story of Peter Pan connected to what is currently happening with Jerome?

He is never home and he will never grow up because he is a ghost.

What are preliminary hearings?

Hearings to decide whether there is going to be a trial.

Jerome finally learns that the ghost boy is Emmett Till. What is the connection between their deaths?

Jerome and Emmett both died due to racial discrimination, and if either of them were white, they would both be alive. They were both killed by white people who assumed they were better than African Americans because of their different skin color.

Why does Jerome show Carlos how to "eat lunch?" What is the reason for Jerome's routine? What does that say about his social status at school?

Jerome eats lunch in the bathroom. Jerome eats in the bathroom because he gets made fun of and there is no one for him to sit with anyways. Jerome tells Carlos he doesn't have any friends.

What is Jerome's school day like? Is being at school "perilous" for Jerome? Why?

Jerome gets bullied by Eddie, Snap, and Mike. Being at school is very perilous because Jerome gets bullied and for him, being black comes with danger is everywhere.

How did Carlos's idea for the Day of the Dead bring his family together with Jerome's family? Explain how this day was used to honor Jerome.

Jerome's family used Carlos's family tradition to celebrate Jerome's life. This day was used to honor Jerome because they ate food, spent time together, and overall, just celebrated Jerome's life.

What does Officer Moore mean when he says "a police car is a coffin?" What figurative language is this?

Metaphor

Explain the significance of the "Last Words." What does he mean that "only the living can make the world better?" What can we do?

Once someone has died, they can't come back and solve unsolved problems, only the living can fix something left undone. Because Jerome is dead, only living people can help stop racial segregation and create equality.

Compare and contrast Jerome and Sarah's houses and lives? What about their views of police?

Sarah has a perfect house and perfect room, and she thinks her dad does his job right and she calls him a protector. Jerome lives in a sketchy neighborhood and he thinks cops are bad.

When will the Ghost Boy's work end? What is the significance of the word "peace?"

The Ghost Boy's work ends when no one else is being murdered due to race. The significance of the word peace means equal. When everyone in the world is equal, peace has been created.

What is the judge's decision? How do you think this will impact the plot? Do you agree or disagree with the decision? Explain.

The judge decides there is not enough evidence. This will impact the plot because the readers were given the information needed to know that the cop was responsible. I disagree with the judge because there is obviously plenty of evidence to show Jerome had been killed.

Why does Carlos insist that Jerome take the toy gun home? Why is Jerome so conflicted about taking the toy gun?

Carlos wants Jerome to play with it. Jerome is conflicted about taking it because he knows his parents wouldn't like it.

Why does Sarah want to see what happened with Emmett Till? According to Ms. Penny, why was Emmett Till's murder significant? Why do you think she chose to show Sarah?

Sarah wants to see what happened because she wanted to see what happened to the other ghost boys. Emmett Till's death started the civil rights movement. She chose to show Sarah because she knows her dad is a cop.