Name ____________________________ Date _______________________
During chapter one we learn that Mama died shortly after Caleb was born. Understandably, her death cast a sad shadow on everyone in the house. There seems to be strong sense of emptiness felt by all – like when we lose a special pet who became part of the family.
Read the following passage and respond to the prompt in complete sentences.
I looked at the long dirt road that crawled across the plains, remembering the morning the Mama had died, cruel and sunny. They had come for her in a wagon and taken her away to be buried. And then the cousins and aunts and uncles had come and tried to fill up the house. But they couldn’t.
Slowly, one by one, they left. And then the days seemed long and dark like winter days, even though it wasn’t winter. And Papa didn’t sing.
Sarah, Plain and Tall – page 5
o Describe the mood of the house. Think about the phrase, “…had come to try and fill up the house. But they couldn’t.” What do you think that means?
