DFMF - Chapter 1 Chapter Questions

Dreams from My Father by Barak Obama                    New Utrecht High School

Ms. Chan L.                                                                     

Chapter 1- Chapter Questions

Directions: Read each question carefully and answer to the best of your ability. Remember, one sentence answers are not acceptable and will result in a 55% on the assignment.

1)   On pages 5-11, Obama recounts how his parents met, offers details about their marriage, and summarizes the stories his grandfather, “Gramps,” told about Obama’s father.  What do these stories reveal about Obama’s father? What does Obama think has been exaggerated, and why?  What do these stories tell you about the relationship between Obama and his father?

2)   On pages 10-11, Obama relates a story about his father’s encounter with a white man in a bar, and discusses his reaction to it.  What does this story mean for Obama?  Why do you think he tells it here?

3)   On page 19, Obama describes his mother as being, “something of a loner.”  What does that mean to you?  What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a loner? In what ways was Obama’s mother a loner?  How is her experience similar to or different from yours?  Find examples in the book that support your explanation.

4)   Pages 12-16 present a portrait of Obama’s maternal grandparents, Gramps and Toot.  Obama provides details about life in “middle-America,” particularly, the state of Kansas where both of his grandparents grew up in the 1920s and 1930s.  What have you learned about his grandparents in these pages?  How did their backgrounds affect the way his grandparents think about race?