Until They Bring the Streetcars Back



Until They Bring the Streetcars Back

Chapters 1-2

1. Provide a brief description for the following characters:

Gretchen Luttermann

Calvin Gant

Jerry Douglas

Ms. Whalmen

Steve Holland

Tom Bradford

Lola Muldoon

Peggy Gant

2. Describe Cal’s home life.

3. What does Cal’s saving the rabbit say about his character?

Until They Bring the Streetcars Back

Chapters 3-5

1. Describe each of the following characters:

McCluskey

Jean

Uncle Emil

Mr. Finley

Mr. Kirschbach

2. How does Cal react to the abuse of the McCluskey dog?

3. How does Cal feel about Gretchen?

4. Is Cal cruel because he avoids Gretchen? Why or why not?

5. Why do you think Cal keeps avoiding Gretchen?

Until They Bring the Streetcars Back

Chapters 6-8

1. Who is Helga?

2. What does Gretchen reveal to Cal about Helga?

3. Who is Sandy Meyer?

4. Why does Sandy call Cal “Bean”?

5. What do Cal and Lola have in common?

6. Why do you think Cal keeps flashing back to Uncle Emil?

7. Why does Cal agree to meet Gretchen for lunch?

Until They Bring the Streetcars Back

Chapters 9-11

1. What does the Saturday lunch meeting reveal about Gretchen’s home life?

2. What does Cal buy Gretchen and why?

3. What does Gretchen reveal?

4. Why is Cal’s mom so worried about wasting food?

5. What does Cal try to do for the McCluskey dog? How does it remind him of Gretchen?

Until They Bring the Streetcars Back

Chapters 12-14

1. Why has Cal’s dad been so down lately?

2. What “favor” does Cal do for Tom and why?

3. Why does the baker promise to never tell on Gretchen?

4. How does Cal feel around Gretchen?

5. What favor does Cal ask Sandy?

6. Why does Steve think that God is punishing him?

Until They Bring the Streetcars Back

Chapters 15-17

1. Why does Cal tell Gretchen that he will help her? What pushes him to say this?

2. Who does Cal talk to about Gretchen? Describe what happens.

3. Why won’t Cal officially go to the police?

4. How do you think the oak tree will play a significant role in the novel?

Until They Bring the Streetcars Back

Chapters 18-20

1. What does Cal’s dad reveal to him about his job?

2. Why is Cal mad at Lola?

3. Who is Katie Mills?

4. Why is Cal still disappointed after they win the big game?

5. What dream does Gretchen have?

6. How do you think Cal’s dad’s turning in McCluskey’s abused dog foreshadows the future?

7. What does this reveal about Cal’s dad?

Until They Bring the Streetcars Back

Chapters 21-23

1. Who visits Cal on New Years? Why?

2. How does Cal help Gretchen at school?

3. What step does Cal take to try to protect Gretchen from her dad?

4. Why does Cal take Gretchen to Minneapolis?

5. How does he finally get Gretchen to laugh?

6. What do we learn about Gretchen’s father and about Helga?

7. What does Cal ask Pastor Ostrum? How does his request turn out at the end of chapter 23?

Until They Bring the Streetcars Back

Chapters 24-29

1. What does Cal ask Steve?

2. What do we learn about Lola’s feelings for Cal?

3. What happens on the bridge?

4. What is Cal’s plan?

5. What happens when Cal gets Little Jacob?

6. Why wasn’t Gretchen in school? Do you think her dad knows that she told? Why?

Until They Bring the Streetcars Back

Chapters 30-35

1. Who showed up for Cal’s basketball game?

2. Why does Cal’s mom say his dad never went to his games?

3. How does Peggy save Cal unintentionally?

4. Why does Cal get arrested?

5. What is Cal’s sentence in court?

6. What news does Pastor Ostrum bring Cal?

Until They Bring the Streetcars Back

Chapters 36-38

1. How did Cal pull off his plan to send Lutterman to jail? Did it work? What happened?

2. How had Gretchen’s life changed since his father went to jail?

3. How did a Nut Goodie candy bar save Gretchen’s life?

Until They Bring the Streetcars Back

Chapters 39-41

1. Why does Cal go visit the Runner?

2. What does Gretchen reveal about Jacob on the way to Fergus Falls?

3. Why does Sergeant Riley meet up with Cal?

4. What does Gretchen ask Cal to do?

Until They Bring the Streetcars Back

Chapters 42-45

1. Who takes Gretchen to the prom? How does it go over?

2. Why is Gretchen worried about the trial when she calls Cal?

3. Describe the trial.

Why do you think the author chose the title he did?

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