Aaron’s Gift

by Myron Levoy

Review

1. The setting is the time and place of the action of a story. “Aaron’s Gift” takes place in New York City. What does the fact that “few children had bicycles in those days” tell you about when the story takes place?

• The phrase “in those days” suggests that the story takes place sometime in the past during hard times.

2. Aaron takes Pidge home and mends its wing. Think about the way he treats the injured pigeon. Describe what type of person Aaron is. Support your description with another example from the story.• Aaron is a kind,

thoughtful boy. This description is also supported by the thoughtful gift he wants to give his grandmother.

3. Describe Aaron’s feelings for his grandmother. Use details from the story to support your description.• Aaron loves and respects

his grandmother, but does not always understand her. He knows he can count on her to accept the pigeon because she is a kind person, but he does not know why she talks to the birds outside the window.

4. Aaron waits for “the expected storm”

as his father stares at the pigeon. Based on what Aaron’s father says next, what can you conclude about why Mr. Kandal does not get angry?

• Mr. Kandal expresses pride in how Aaron dressed the pigeon’s wounds. He is more impressed with Aaron’s skill than he is upset about having a pigeon in the house.

5. Aaron’s mother does not let him do something even though he pleads with her. Explain what she refuses to

let him do and why you can conclude

that she is a protective mother.• Aaron’s mother refuses to let Aaron join Carl’s “gang.” She thinks “those boys” are bad news and doesn’t want Aaron to be around them.

6. The narrator says that Aaron’s grandmother could not be consoled at the loss of her pet goat. Explain how she consoled Aaron after his fight with Carl.

• The word consoled means “comforted.” Aaron’s grandmother consoled him by kissing him and thanking him for his present, “which was even better than the pigeon.”

7. In each oval, write a phrase that describes a detail of the Ukraine setting as Aaron’s grandmother remembers it. Then, describe the feeling conveyed by this setting.

boots pounding on the floor

everything breaking and crashing

people and animals lying on the groundUkraine

The setting is sad, grim, or cruel.

8. Aaron’s grandmother remembers a time in the Ukraine. How is this change of setting important to the story? • The Ukraine is where

important events from the life of Aaron’s grandmother took place. It is important because of what happened to her goat at the hands of the Cossacks that Aaron wants to give her Pidge.

9. Aaron hesitated after walking up to the shack in the empty lot. Explain

what the word hesitated tells you about his state of mind.

• The word hesitated means “stopped because of indecision.” He hesitated because he was unsure that bringing the pigeon to Carl was the right thing to do.

10. Near the end of “Aaron’s Gift,” Aaron’s grandmother has him look in her mirror. Explain why she does this.

• Aaron’s grandmother is very pleased with his gift and wants him to see how beautiful and wonderful he is to her.

Written Response

In “Aaron’s Gift,” both Aaron and his grandmother are the victims of cruelty. In an essay, compare Aaron’s experience with the gang to his grandmother’s experience with the Cossacks. Be sure to include what each character learns from the experience. Use details from the story to support your ideas.

Written Response

Student essays should note that both experiences involved cruelty to animals. However, the grandmother’s experience was far worse because people were also harmed. Also, Aaron is able to save Pidge, while his grandmother could not save her pet goat. From her experience, Aaron’s grandmother learned the value of freedom. From his experience, Aaron learns the importance of standing up to cruelty.