Name: Dhana Class: Grade 7 Date: 1/15/2021

Reading Skills and Strategies Worksheet Chapters 14–21 The Whale Rider

Chapters 14–21: Making Inferences About Characters

When you put together all of the information you have about a character, you can
make inferences that help you understand them better. To do this, combine details
from the novel with ideas based on your own experiences. For example, you might
compare Kahu’s feelings at her school assembly with your own experiences in
school.

As you read chapters 14–21, connect the novel’s events with your own
experiences to gain insight into the characters. Keep track of these inferences on the
chart below.
Character Inference Textual Details Real-life
Connections

Kahu This shows us that Quietly, Kahu began to I’ve had this feeling
Kahu cares for her weep. She wept because before, I was
family and she was she was frightened. She worried about my
wept because Paka
worried about them. family and I was
would die if the whale
frightened. But my
died. She wept because
she was lonely. She
love for them made
wept because she loved it so I could
her baby sister and her persevere and see
father and Ana. She them once more
wept because Nanny
Flowers wouldn’t have
anyone to help her in the
vegetable garden. She
wept because Koro
Apirana didn’t love her.
And she also wept
because she didn’t know
what dying was like.

Rawiri This shows Rawiri’s I was too late. I saw I have experienced
love for his family Kahu climbing the this when I wanted
and Kahu. He loves side of the whale. A to protect my family
Kahu therefore he great wave bore me from everything.
will do anything in
away from her. I
his power to protect
yelled out to her, a
her
despairing cry.

Koro Apirana Koro Apirana tried But our joy soon This signifies that
everything in his turned to fear. Even even if we do
power to move the as the whale everything in our
whale into the sea. moved, Koro power, we can’t win
Even though he did them all.
Apirana knew we
everything in his
 power, he still lost. had lost. For
We can’t win them instead of moving
all out to sea the whale
turned on us. The
tail crashed into the
water causing us to
move away,
screaming our
dread. With a
terrifying guttural
moan the whale
sought deeper
water where we
could not reach it. It
is death.

Nanny Flowers This shows Nanny Nanny Flowers We all had the
Flowers’ bristled. ‘But you experience where
determination and we had to give are
haven’t got
willpower to do all to do something
everything she can enough men to to help.
do in order to help. help. You watch
out. If I think you
need the help,
well, I shall
change myself
into a man. Just
like Muriwa

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1 Novel Study Guide
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The Whale Rider, Chapters 14–21 continued

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT: UNDERSTANDING AND COMPLETING WORD

ANALOGIES
Review the vocabulary words for these chapters: elation (p. 96), dehydrate (p.
104), psychic (p. 114), intertwined (p. 142), splendor (p. 147). Write an analogy
that includes each vocabulary word. For example: EXHAUSTED: ENERGETIC::
disconnected : intertwined
 Elation: great happiness and exhilaration.

 Dehydrate: lose a large amount of water from the body.

  Psychic: relating to or denoting faculties or phenomena that are
apparently inexplicable by natural laws, especially involving telepathy
or clairvoyance.

 Intertwined: connect or link (two or more things) closely.

 Splendor: magnificent and splendid appearance

GOING BEYOND THE NOVEL

How might Kahu preserve the Maori tradition of being one with nature yet
accommodate the changes that come with progress and social pressures?

Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor. 2 Novel Study
Guide