English II Final – Part 4 – "What, of This Goldfish, Would you Wish?" – Flashcards
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
Consider how Sergei reacts when Yoni comes to his door. Does his response seem rational (reasonable) or not? How does Sergei's cultural experience help explain his reaction?
answer
His response does not seem rational to us because we are used to our freedoms but for Sergei he group up with the KGB just barging into his home at anytime. Now where Sergei lives he has privacy and he doesn't want anyone to bother his privacy.
question
What does the dialogue between Sergei and the goldfish reveal about their relationship?
answer
That Sergei feels that the goldfish is his friend because the goldfish talks to him everyday when he gets home. The goldfish is only there with Sergei because its his job.
question
When you infer, you use details in a text to draw a conclusion about something that the author does not state directly. What can you infer about Sergei's character based on the way he uses his first two wishes?
answer
That Sergei truly cares for others but it is very difficult for him to do so. He wants to help people but he has been burned in the past and wants to use the last wish for himself.
question
Sergei considers the goldfish to be his friend. What details in the story reveal their conflict with each other? Can their relationship truly be called a friendship? Explain.
answer
Sergei wants the goldfish to stay with him forever but the goldfish is ready to leave. He tries to talk Sergei into using his last wish to help Yoni so that the goldfish can leave. Their relationship can not truly be called a friendship because it is only one sided.
question
When Sergei realizes that Yoni is dead, he must make a decision. What conflicting motivations must he sort out before he can decide whether or not to use his last wish?
answer
He had to use his first two wishes on other people and has not had the opportunity to use one for himself. He was saving his last wish for something special and to keep the goldfish around longer so he would have someone to talk to when he came home.
question
The last section of the story is a flash forward. Readers must infer what happens in the intervening time between Sergei's conversation with the fish and Yoni's final report on his video. Is this structure effective, or would it have been better to know the details about Sergei's decision? Explain.
answer
Yes, It allows you to figure out on your own that Sergei made the right decision and used his last and final wish to save Yoni.
question
A theme is an important idea about life or human nature expressed through a story's characters and event. What theme about happiness does the story convey through Sergei's situation and actions and the outcome of the events?
answer
Sergei seems very happy with his friendship with the goldfish. He realized he will be lonely without the goldfish but knows that he made the right choice by using his last wish to save Yoni's life which brings him happiness.
