63 pages • 2 hours read
Jennings Michael BurchThey Cage the Animals at Night
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1984A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Essay Topics
Why does Burch write the story in the voice of a child, instead of explaining the events from his perspective as an adult looking back? Is this approach effective? Why, or why not?
Why is Doggie an important figure to Jennings? Is Doggie more significant to Jennings than other figures, such as his brothers or Sal?
What defines a home, and how is this concept reflected in Jennings’ story? How is the idea of home connected to family and friendship? Cite examples from the book in your answer.
Evaluate the effectiveness of the American foster care system based on the events in the book. How might children in foster care develop differently compared to children with stable families, and why?
What does Sal represent to Jennings, and why do they form such a strong bond? Is Sal an effective father figure to Jennings? Explain your answer using specific examples from the book.
Compare and contrast the children’s homes in the book to prisons. What symbols and mechanisms does Burch use to draw parallels between homes and prisons? What do you think about this comparison?
What “rules” do Mark and Jennings come up with based on their experiences in the homes? If you had to come up with such rules in your life, what would they be? How do they differ from Mark’s and Jennings’ rules, and why?
Evaluate Jennings’ mother as a character in the book. Why do you think she frequently sent her children away to homes and foster families? What do you think was happening to her as an individual during these events?
Did Jennings’ relationship with Stacy affect his development? Support your answer with specific examples from the book.
Why do you think Jennings remained resilient and compassionate despite his cyclical experiences of abandonment, abuse, and isolation? Cite examples from the book in your answer.
