1. What was wrong with Schatz? What were the symptoms?
2. How did Schatz react when his father read to him the first time?
Why did he behave that way?
3. Why did Schatz think that he was going to die?
4. Why do you think Schatz struggled with his fear alone and did not
want to share it?
5. At which point in the story is Schatz's internal conflict resolved?
6. What is that one character trait that, according to you, may have
contributed to Schatz's internal conflict?
7. Justify the title of the story 'A Day's Wait'.
Answers
Answer:
1) Schatz is pale, he shivers, and he has a fever with symptoms of influenza; but because he mistakenly interprets his temperature in Celsius degrees, he believes he is going to die.
2) Certainly, with Hemingway's minimalist style, it is difficult to specifically assess the relationship between father and son in "A Day's Wait." Nevertheless, the reader may infer that the father does indeed love his son dearly, and Schatz must feel close to him, although he is a reserved child.
3) Schatz is pale, he shivers, and he has a fever with symptoms of influenza; but because he mistakenly interprets his temperature in Celsius degrees, he believes he is going to die.
7) The title "A Day's Wait" refers to the time period in which a young boy learns the significant difference between Centigrade and Fahrenheit. ... Unbeknownst to the doctor, the boy believes he is going to die; he does not realize that body temperatures can be measured in either Centigrade or Fahrenheit.