The Running Man Chapter 6 Questions

Chapter Six:

1. When Joseph arrives for his second drawing session, what changes have occurred to the silkworm eggs and to Tom Leyton?
When Joseph arrives for his second drawing session, changes have occurred to the silkworm eggs and to Tom Leyton. The silkworms have hatched into hundreds of active black shapes which are busily eating mulberry leaves as Joseph has a close look at them. Joseph is surprised by the fact that the broken shells of the silkworm eggs did hatch even though they looked dead during the last time he visited. Another change Joseph recognizes is Tom Leyton's appearance. According to his sister Caroline, every time the silkworm eggs hatch Tom goes to have a haircut. Joseph thinks that Tom's haircut does not change his hard and mysterious look but it does make him look neater with his hair brushed back, cut and tied behind his head and with his beard tidily trimmed.

2. Read the description of Tom Leyton's room. (pp.84-5) What does the room suggest about the man who lives there?
According to the description of Tom Leyton's room on page 84 and 85, it suggests that the man who lives there is as normal as anyone in the neighbourhood. The room consists of bare walls which are a dull tan colour, a floral green carpet that covers the floor, a neatly made bed, double windows, a large closet, two bookcases which contain a few old newspapers, a desk which has several pieces of stationery placed on top of it and a cork notice board which has a few pieces of paper pinned onto it. None of the furniture in the room gives anyone the feeling that the man who lives there has dark secrets and is mysterious to the neighbours.

3. What do the two drawings that Joseph sees on the notice board - Escher's angels and devils and the illustration of Frankenstein's monster - suggest to you about Tom Leyton? (pp.86-7)
The two drawings that Joseph sees on the notice board suggest special meanings about Tom Leyton. The drawing of Escher's angels and devils implies that the world has both good and bad things. For example: in this drawing there are bat-like devils who have outstretched wings and sweet innocent angels that only exist if the other does. The spaces between the angels created the devils while the devils allowed the angels to exist by their shape.The illustration of Frankenstein's monster explains how any dangerous person could look normal. For example: the Frankenstein monster in Tom Leyton's drawing has no features of a stereotyped one. There are no scars or bolts on the face, no weird robot-like posture and no insane, distorted or subhuman appearance. In fact, the monster just looks like an ordinary person. When Tom Leyton speaks about his drawing, he gives a message to the reader that most monsters do look like a typical person and that Joseph should be careful who he befriends.

4. Joseph comments that the image of Frankenstein's monster "just looks like a normal man". What is the effect of Tom Leyton's reply, "Most monsters do"?
When Tom Leyton replies to Joseph that most monsters do look like a normal man, it seems that he is applying that fact to himself. The text suggests that Tom believes that he is an evil person who has seen a lot of bad things happening in the world (especially during the time he was a soldier in the Vietnam War). The effect of Tom's words builds on his character and personality. The words also seem to reflect on his dark past which has not been revealed to the reader yet.

5. In what ways could the lines of the poem that Tom Leyton recites relate to him? (pp.95-6)
The lines of the poem that Tom Leyton recites relate to his life. They seem to give the idea of how silkworms are imprisoned and how they are not allowed to be set free to Tom Leyton himself. They relate to him because like the silkworms, he is kept captive and cannot escape his dark secrets and memories about the terrible Vietnam War that haunts him. The horrible recollections will always keep replaying in his mind and no matter how much he wants to get rid of them he cannot because they simply will not escape his head.

6. How has Joseph's impression of Tom Leyton changed by the end of Part I? What has caused this change?
At the end of Part I, Joseph's impression of Tom Leyton has changed because he now thinks that underneath the strange and silent man he encountered, there is a part of Tom Leyton who is kind. Joseph knows that the friendly side of Tom exists because of the way he sees him looking after the silkworms, the way Tom reads the silkworm poem with a rich voice and such emotion and finally the way Tom shyly slips the poem into Joseph's art equipment.

7. Why do you think Part I of the novel is called "All Their Lives in a Box"?
I think Part I of the novel is called "All Their Lives in a Box" because it talks about how Joseph and Tom's life is related to the life of a silkworm. Their lives are both "in a box". This is because Joseph is really timid and shy but when he meets Tom Leyton (the subject he was going to draw for his art project) he has to face his fear of overcoming his nervousness and anxiety. Tom has to overcome his fear of his darkest secrets about the Vietnam War. Until these fears have been conquered their lives will be imprisoned and caged like silkworms.

Feeling Self-Conscious and Nervous

Joseph feels nervous and self-conscious as he tries to draw Tom Leyton. (pp.62-3) Write about a time when you have felt like this - perhaps performing or speaking in front of a group, sitting for an exam or meeting/going out with someone for the first time.

A time when I felt nervous and self-conscious was on the first day of preschool. I did not have any friends in Australia at the time because I just moved from my home country - Taiwan. Due to this, I had left all my childhood friends and came into a whole new country which had a completely different culture to Taiwan. Another obstacle I faced was that I did not know how to speak English very fluently. This was a hardship I had to face. I remember one day before preschool started I began to feel afraid that the other students would not like me and I would not be able to make friends at all. In the end, everything worked out fine because the teachers were very friendly and invited me into preschool with a welcoming smile. This is my example of a time where I felt nervous and self-conscious in my life.

The Running Man Chapter 5 Questions

Chapter Five:

1. How has this chapter been written and structured to build the tension and suspense leading up to Tom Leyton's appearance?
This chapter has been written and structured to build the tension and suspense leading up to Tom Leyton's appearance by an unexpected turn in the storyline and the amount of detail the author includes. Michael Gerard Bauer describes Joseph's feelings during every event that happens which gives the reader a clear understanding of how he is feeling. The unexpected turn that is included in this chapter is that Tom Leyton is not going to come out and meet Joseph. He seems to be not up to it that day. "A bit off-colour" as Caroline explains. However, in the end, Tom still comes out to see Joseph and they meet for the first time. This comes as a surprise because the author suggests that Tom is not going to meet anyone this close in person.

2. What impressions does Joseph gain from his first meeting with Tom Leyton? What does he notice about his appearance, his eyes and his voice?
At Joseph's first meeting with Tom Leyton, he is quite shocked to see that Tom's face is strong and engaging, although it invites no communication. It was very different from the wild rumours about disfigurement and deformity that Joseph had heard about from the neighbours. Joseph decides that Tom's face might have been handsome once. Perhaps it still is, but it looks as if it has seen too much and does not care to see anymore. Tom has long hair which falls in sandy waves over his ears. A full beard fans out in streaks of grey below his mouth but elsewhere shows patches of reddy-brown. Slight bags are noticible and a tinge of red can be seen in his complexion. Tom's eyes show the emotion of fear because he is not used to having visitors around in his home. When Tom finally speaks he replies in a brief and monotone voice which lingers in the room like the deep rumble of shifting rock.

3. Why do you think Joseph offers to return to the Leytons'? Why do you think he seems to be "drawn towards the shadowy figure of Tom Leyton"?

I think that Joseph offers to return to the Leytons' because he is intrigued by Tom and wants to find out more information about him. Joseph seems to be "drawn towards the shadowy figure of Tom Leyton" because he wants to find out how his past has affected him to become who he is today.

4. Why does Joseph find his sketches of Tom Leyton unsatisfactory? Why is his memory of his art teacher Mr De Groot significant?

Joseph finds his sketches of Tom Leyton unsatisfactory because he considers them to be shapes without a substance. He knows that there is more to Tom Leyton because he has seen glimpses of Tom's deep emotions through a flash of fear in his eyes, when his strong hands were cradling the silkworm box and the full rich voice that still came through in spite of his coldness. Joseph's memory of his art teacher Mr De Groot is significant because he believed that in order for someone to paint or carve the outside shape of a human being one would need to know what lies beneath them.So, in other words, to give artwork life and humanity one would need to know what the subject was thinking and feeling.

The Running Man Chapter 4 Questions

Chapter Four:

1. Mrs Mossop reminds Joseph of a bird. Why? How does this image change as she talks with his mother?
Mrs Mossop reminds Joseph of a bird because of the way she stands and behaves. Mrs Mossop has a thin, upright posture and always wears neat, formal clothes. She sticks her nose into everything, hunting around the neighbourhood for juicy gossip. When Joseph's mother mentions her previous conversation with Caroline Leyton, Joseph then sees Mrs Mossop like a bird of prey, widening its eyes as if sensing movement in the grass. He knows that Mrs Mossop will never let such a tasty morsel of gossip pass.

2. What causes Joseph to change his mind and tell his mother and Mrs Mossop that he "probably" would draw Tom Leyton?

Overhearing an argument about "nothing" between Joseph's mother and Mrs Mossop causes Joseph to change his mind about drawing Tom Leyton. During the argument the two women comment that Joseph is too timid, too scared and too much of a baby to face Tom Leyton by himself. They also think that Joseph is too shy to even say boo to a goose and believe that "the cat had got his tongue". This angers Joseph and by the time he realises what he is doing he has already said that he might draw Tom Leyton for his art project.

3. What feelings and memories does the mango tree arouse in Joseph?
When Joseph leans back against the trunk of the mango tree he thinks that the outside world seems to no longer exist. Joseph remembers that as a child he used to play inside the mango tree, imagining that he was Tarzan in his jungle hideaway. At other times Joseph would pretend that he was a pirate in the rigging of a sailing ship and would climb to the uppermost branches and poke his head through the canopy, thinking that he was in the crow's nest. Basically, the mango tree was a place where Joseph could let go of his imagination and take a break from what was happening in reality.

4. What effect does the final incident in this chapter create? How has language been used to achieve this?
The final incident in this chapter makes an unexpected turn in the storyline. This is because the reader probably thinks that Joseph is going to climb down from the tree and eventually reach his house safe and sound. However, Joseph slips and falls down the tree instead. This event makes the story slightly more interesting. Many verbs and adjectives are used to achieve this effect. The author describes the fall down the tree in detail and describes Joseph's feelings clearly. Then, in the last sentence, the author makes the mango tree "turn against" Joseph and makes it sound scary and opposing. Quote from book: "All around him the mango tree towered in mocking silence" (p.53). The simile "the crack of the branch and the sudden drop that followed hit Joseph's heart like a jolt of electricity" is also used to help the words create effect. It describes the shock Joseph experiences when the branch of the tree suddenly broke and he ends up falling down the tree.

The Running Man Chapter 3 Questions

Chapter Three:

1. Why do you think Joseph's childhood nightmare of the Running Man returns?
I think Joseph's childhood nightmare of the Running Man returns because he remembers how scared he was when he "supposedly" met the Running Man in person on the second solo journey to school and links this feeling to how he feels about Tom Leyton.

2. What does Joseph decide at the end of the chapter? Why?
At the end of the chapter, Joseph decides that no one can convince him to use Tom Leyton as the subject for his drawing. He concludes that his neighbour is too puzzling. There is so much he does not understand about Tom Leyton and so much that confuses him. Joseph is also afraid that Mrs Mossop's words about Tom being a dangerous man are true.

The Running Man Chapter 2 Questions

Chapter Two:

1. What are the attitudes of Mrs Mossop, Laura Davidson and Joseph towards Tom Leyton?
Mrs Mossop's, Laura Davidson's and Joseph's attitudes towards Tom Leyton are not positive. In fact, he is considered as a tantalising riddle for the whole neighbourhood. Mrs Mossop thinks that Tom is a dangerous, sick man. On the other hand, Laura Davidson believes that he has gone through a lot and has seen more of the world than he wanted to. She believes that this is the reason Tom behaves so strangely. For Joseph, Tom Leyton has become an accepted unknown, like the dark interior of a house passed by every day but never entered.

2. What is Joseph's reaction to the suggestion that he draw Tom Leyton for his school project?
When Caroline suggests to Joseph that he draw Tom Leyton for his school project, he reacts badly and feels surprised. It is as if something unspeakable has been thrust between them that cannot be taken away. Joseph tries to search for words to say no but he remains struck dumb, with a half-smile frozen on his face and his cheeks burning with embarrassment.

3. What references are there to Joseph's father in this chapter? How does Joseph respond to any mention of his father?
In this chapter, the reader find out that Joseph's father is driving some big machinery up in Bougainville as his occupation and that he has already been away for six months. Joseph seems to have negative feelings towards his father. He does not want to talk about him to Caroline, or anyone else, for that matter. Instead, Joseph recoils from the unwanted memories about his father that force their way into his mind.

The Running Man Chapter 1 Questions

Chapter One:

1. The story begins with Joseph attending a funeral. What feelings and emotions is he experiencing?

At the funeral Joseph has a sickly ache of regret and loss lurching inside of him. The words, "It's my fault" stab at his heart. To try and ignore the depressing atmosphere Joseph tries to visualise himself in a different place but the surrounding sounds of the clearing of a throat or the sharp echo of a shoe knocking clumsily against a hard wooden kneeler bring him back to reality.

2. As Joseph tries to work out the chain of events that has brought him there, he finds himself thinking of silkworms. Why?
As Joseph tries to work out the chain of events that has brought him there, he finds himself thinking of silkworms. This is because trying to unravel the tangled threads of the past is like unwinding the silk from a silkworm cocoon. It is what Joseph has been searching for - one fragile thread that would lead him forward.

3. When he recalls the recent past, Joseph sees the faces of three men. Who are they and what feature of each man's face is highlighted?
When Joseph recalls the recent past, he sees the faces of three men - his father, Tom Leyton and the Running Man. He sees his father's face, the last time he had looked on it, bewildered, hurt and angry. Then Joseph sees Tom Leyton's face, silent as a stone, hidden deep within the shadows of his room. Last but not least he also sees the face of the Running Man, his eyes burning with a desperate fire.

4. The chapter ends with an image of Joseph's neighbours' house. What simile is used to describe it? What effect does it create?
An image of Joseph's neighbours' house is created as the chapter ends. The house is described as being perched high on its black timber stumps like some long-legged creature waiting in the shadows. This simile creates an eerie atmosphere, making the reader seem curious about the secrets the house holds but scared of finding out at the same time.

Dreams

Do you remember your dreams? Do you have recurring dreams? Discuss the idea of symbols in dreams.

Yes, I do remember my dreams but only for a short period of time. I usually forget them after a few days after that I dreamt about it.

When I was still in junior school, I remember having a recurring dream. It seemed to have been a terrifying nightmare that haunted me for weeks. I remember waking in the middle of the night with an eerie feeling. It felt like something was coming after me and that it was watching my every move. It reminds me a bit of Joseph and the Running Man I guess. After a while, the dream disappeared and never came back again.

Dreams have always been a mystery to people. The reason why we dream is unknown. I personally think that dreams could be some kind of commentary on our ordinary everyday experiences or perhaps, the events that occur in our dreams could represent a psychological aspect of ourselves as a person.

Relation

How does the idea of "evolving from a cocoon" relate to an event in your life?

A time in my life I "evolved from a cocoon" was when I first came to Australia. Although I was born in Australia, a few months after my birth I was sent back to my home country - Taiwan. From there, I learnt Chinese as my first language. Eventually, I travelled back to Australia again to start kindergarten. I thought I "evolved from a cocoon" when I overcame the obstacle of being unable to communicate with any of the other toddlers. I started to learn english with my tutor at home and became more and more fluent at the language as time passed. Now, I came from knowing no english words to be able to talk fluently. I feel that this is a big achievement for me and that I evolved like a cocoon would.

Information about Silkworms

What are silkworms?

Silkworms are the larvae or caterpillars of a domesticated silkmoth. It is an important economic insect since it is the producer of silk. The silkworms have been used to make silk for over 4,000 years. The silk process first began in China, round about 2600 BC.

A silkworm's preferred food is white mulberry leaves, but it may also eat the leaves of the Osage Orange or the Tree of Heaven. It is entirely dependent on humans for its reproduction and no longer occurs naturally in the wild.

How do silkworms grow?

Life cycle: The eggs develop into the silkworm lava, grub or caterpillar. They eat for 20-30 days, consuming large amounts of mulberry leaves. The caterpillar moults through four changes of skin

The silkworm spins a cocoon for protection, to permit the development of the pupa or chrysalis. The cocoon takes about three days to be fully complete and is a similar size to a peanut shell.

The chrysalis emerges from the cocoon as a moth. In cultivated silk, the grub is terminated while still inside the cocoon so that the long filaments are maintained.

The moths mate and the female can lay more than 350 eggs before they die. In the wild, a silkworm's lifecycle his cycle occurs once a year, but with the help of scientific breeding it can occur up to three times in a year to produce silk.

"The Silkworms"

Poem:

The Silkworms

All their lives in a box! What generations, "What centuries of masters, not meaning to be cruel But needing their labour, taught these creatures such patience That now though sunlight strikes on the eye's dark jewel Or moonlight breathes on the wing they do not stir But like the ghosts of moths crouch silent there. Look it's a child's toy'. There is no lid even, They can climb, they can fly, and the whole world's their tree; But hush, they say in themselves, we are in prison. There is no word to tell them that they are free, And they are not; ancestral voices bind them In dream too deep for wind or word to find them. Even in the young, each like a little dragon Rampant and green upon his mulberry leaf, So full of life, it seems, the voice has spoken: They hide where there is food, where they are safe, And the voice whispers, 'Spin the cocoon, Sleep, sleep, you shall be wrapped in me soon.' Now is their hour, when they wake from that long swoon; Their pale curved wings are marked in a pattern of leaves, Shadowy for trees, white for the dance of the moon; And when on summer nights the buddleia gives Its nectar like lilac wine for insects mating They drink its fragrance and shiver, impatient with waiting, They stir, they think they will go. Then they remember It was forbidden, forbidden, ever to go out; The Hands are on guard outside like claps of thunder, The ancestral voice says Don't, and they do not. Still the night calls them to unimaginable bliss But there is terror around them, the vast, the abyss, And here is the tribe that they know, in their known place, They are gentle and kind together, they are safe for ever, And all shall be answered at last when they embrace. White moth moves closer to moth, lover to lover. There is that pang of joy on the edge of dying — Their soft wings whirr, they dream that they are flying. By Douglas Stewart