Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Part 4 Questions

Section of book: Chapters 17 through 19

Notes:
- Each member is asked to end with a question for the next member.
- If the person above you forgets to pose a question then just pick a different one from above (make sure you indicate which one you're answering!)
- If some other question from above moves you then feel free to answer as many as you want. It is a discussion after all! ;)

Part 4: Chapters 17 through 19:

1. What was your favorite picture from the book? (Note: different editions have very different art.)

2. Would you have eaten the skull fragment?

3. Ultimately, what was Mr. Moundshroud's motivation for taking the boys on an adventure?

4. Trick or Treat?

1. What was your favorite picture from the book? (Note: different editions have very different art.)
Unfortunately, I didn't get to see any of the artwork because I was listening to the audiobook. It was the only format that my library had available.

2. Would you have eaten the skull fragment?
I probably would have, but I found the choice the boys were presented with very strange.

3. Ultimately, what was Mr. Moundshroud's motivation for taking the boys on an adventure?
I think it was to give them a better understanding of the significance of Halloween, aside from just fun and candy. He showed them a lot of examples of where their costumes originated and how different cultures celebrated holidays similar to Halloween.

4. Trick or Treat?
Treat!

New question: What do you think of the choice the boys were presented with? Do you think it is possible for them to really make that kind of decision?

1. What was your favorite picture from the book? (Note: different editions have very different art.) I loved the cover (all the children in costumes that together looked like a skull) and also the masks at the beginning of each chapter.

2. Would you have eaten the skull fragment? I am not sure, as a child, probably yes, today mhm it would depend of many things.

3. Ultimately, what was Mr. Moundshroud's motivation for taking the boys on an adventure? Maybe to show them the true meaning of Halloween ... or maybe to give an opportunity to Pipkin.

4. Trick or Treat? Treat.

What do you think of the choice the boys were presented with? Do you think it is possible for them to really make that kind of decision? I think it was a decision with too much responsibility to give it to children. They were moved by love, which is ok, but I don't think they stopped to actually reflect on all the consequences of their decision.

My question:
Which of the traditions mentioned in the story seems to you a better way to remember or honoring the dead ones?

I completely agree with you, Silvia, which is why I asked the question. I don't think children are even remotely capable of making a choice of that weight with a full understanding of the consequences, although I did appreciate how the author tried to bring that up through Moundshroud saying that it's easy to give up the year now while they are still young.

One of my issues with the book as a whole though is with Pipkin as a character. Although we are told how great he is and how much the boys love him (hence their choices), I didn't really get a sense of why they were so attached to him. It made me wonder if it was another of the boys who was taken instead, would they have been so quick to choose?

1. What was your favorite picture from the book? (Note: different editions have very different art.)

I really enjoyed the cover of my copy (1974). That was probably my favorite of it all and what really drew me into opening the book. I was hypnotized by it.




2. Would you have eaten the skull fragment?

Without a second guess. If it meant saving my friend and all I had to do was eat a part of a skull and give up one year of my life, it would have been a no-brainer for me. I think even if it wasn't someone I considered a friend or family member, I would easily do that. What is one year for me compared to a full life for someone else? Now, if we're talking about a proven heinous criminal, that might take a bit more time to decide.


3. Ultimately, what was Mr. Moundshroud's motivation for taking the boys on an adventure?

I agree with Rachel, and don't think I could have summed it up any better than she did. It's all about the true meaning and origin of Halloween.


4. Trick or Treat?

Trick!


5. Which of the traditions mentioned in the story seems to you a better way to remember or honoring the dead ones?

I think I had the most appreciation for the Day of The Dead celebration. Probably because I understand the least about it, and want to know more.


My Question: What do you think was going on with Pipkin? Was he really on the adventure, or was he in the hospital the entire time, and there something else at play?

1. What was your favorite picture from the book? (Note: different editions have very different art.)
I agree with Silvia, I loved the masks at the beginning of each chapter and the skull cover.

2. Would you have eaten the skull fragment?
Definitely. I agree with Manda that one year, even though it is precious, is nothing compared to a full life of someone else.

3. Ultimately, what was Mr. Moundshroud's motivation for taking the boys on an adventure?
I think Moundshroud's plan was to help the boys understand why we celebrate Halloween each year, and why their costumes are so popular and lasting. Also, I think Moundshroud, himself, is the Spirit of Halloween and works closely with Death. I think he took the boys on the quest to help make sure that he, himself, was better understood and not forgotten.

4. Trick or Treat?
Treat

5. What do you think was going on with Pipkin? Was he really on the adventure, or was he in the hospital the entire time, and there was something else at play?
I think Pipkin was really sick and in the hospital, not on the quest with the other boys. However, I think it possible that Pipkin dreamt that he was there...and possible also that the whole thing was Pipkin's dream while undergoing surgery.

My question: Tom says that graveyards in Mexico are so much more fun than back home. Do you have any traditions that help remember the dead in your family?
During Christmas time, our family meets at the cemetery and decorate the graves of my uncle and grandparents with edible decorations for the deer and other animals that live there. We then say a family prayer and eat donuts and hot chocolate and tell stories of those who have gone.

Part 4: Chapters 17 through 19:

1. What was your favorite picture from the book? (Note: different editions have very different art.)

I liked the picture of Pipkin appearing far away when the boys were running at the beginning and Pipkin said he would catch up but then disappears. The picture made it that more frightening for me.

2. Would you have eaten the skull fragment?

I would have definitely eaten the skull. Another's whole life is much more important than one year of mine.

3. Ultimately, what was Mr. Moundshroud's motivation for taking the boys on an adventure?

I think Moundshroud wanted to give the boys a better appreciation of Halloween but also teach them about death. Tom asked Moundshroud at the end if people will ever stop being afraid of death. I think Moundshroud wanted to show them how to appreciate life but not to fear death when it comes.

4. Trick or Treat?

Treat!

5. Tom says that graveyards in Mexico are so much more fun than back home. Do you have any traditions that help remember the dead in your family?

We don't do anything specific. We mostly keep them alive in our homes daily by saying certain phrases that they always used to say and keeping certain things they owned out in the open in our homes so we always think of them.

My question: Do you think Pipkin will remember what happened on this night?

1. What was your favorite picture from the book? (Note: different editions have very different art.)
The house with the tree in the foreground. Really, I'm all about the tree.

2. Would you have eaten the skull fragment?

At 12? Sure. Today? Probably but it would be a harder choice. That's assuming I believed that it was real and not some sort of superstition.

3. Ultimately, what was Mr. Moundshroud's motivation for taking the boys on an adventure?

I think Ray Bradbury's motivation was to teach kids about death and to make them more comfortable with it by showing them the evolution of customs. I think death is one of those scary things that people try really hard not to think about but understanding the evolution of traditions with death helps bring that closer in a way that is more "this is a part of life" and less "this is terrifying".

I didn't really connect with Moundshroud enough to work out much about his inner workings.

4. Trick or Treat?
I can go either way.

5. Do you think Pipkin will remember what happened on this night?
I don't think Pipkin will remember because I don't think Pipkin was on the journey. Maybe in some sort of fever dream, but I think this is the story of the boys coming to terms with the possible mortality of their friend and not about Pipkin coming to terms with his own mortality.

My question:
Do you think you would have appreciated this book more or less had you read it as a younger reader?

1. What was your favorite picture from the book? (Note: different editions have very different art.)
I liked the best the pictures at the beginning of each chapter in my edition.

2. Would you have eaten the skull fragment?
I think so, but not for everybody.

3. Ultimately, what was Mr. Moundshroud's motivation for taking the boys on an adventure?
He wanted to bargain their soul :p More seriously, he probably wanted to help the boys understand what is death before asking them to save their friend. With the adventures, they were more aware about missing Pip.

4. Trick or Treat?
Treat, I'm not a trickster and I'm not fond of being tricked.

5. Do you think you would have appreciated this book more or less had you read it as a younger reader?
Probably more because when I was in the YA range, I didn't know most of the death related holidays. I discovered El dia de los muertos only last year and it's the historical part I enjoyed the most.

My question: Now that we know what really happened to Pip, are you satisfied with it or not?

1. What was your favorite picture from the book? (Note: different editions have very different art.)
I loved the picture of thw tree on the cover of the edition i read.
2. Would you have eaten the skull fragment?
Yes, because it mneant saving my friend.
3. Ultimately, what was Mr. Moundshroud's motivation for taking the boys on an adventure?
I agree with Rachel, he was teaching trhem about trhe origination of Halloween and how it has evolved over the years, that it ius much more than just puttung on a costume.

4. Trick or Treat?
Treat :-)
5. Now that we know what really happened to Pip, are you satisfied with it or not?
I'm not entirely sure. On one hand, it was a lesson for the boys in how much they will sacrifice for a friend, but u din't trhink trhwy fully comprehend what they did. I think there could have been a better explanation of what happens to Pipkin. I really thought it was some grand trick he was playing on the others and that would have been more in character for him.

My question: if Pipkin had a costumne, what do you think he would have chosen?