Where the Wild Things Are Discussion Questions?

Why might Sendak have chosen to be vague rather than literal about the passage of time during Max's journey by ship to the land of the wild things?

Sendak describes Max's journey by boat as taking place "through night and day...and in and out of weeks and almost over a year." This is a surreal, nonlinear depiction of time. It takes Max's journey into a less literal, more internal and fantastical realm, suggesting that his adventure with the wild things may in fact be taking place inside his own mind.

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    What do you think is one possible lesson to draw from Where the Wild Things Are?

    Throughout the text, Sendak shows the importance of listening to and honoring emotions, whether that of an adult or a child. Rather than cast a disapproving eye on Max's anger, he honors it with an adventure for Max that allows him to fully experience that anger and release it on his own terms.

  • Where the Wild Things Are Questions and Answers

    The Question and Answer section for Where the Wild Things Are is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

    Check this out:

    https://www.gradesaver.com/where-the-wild-things-are/study-guide/symbols-allegory-motifs

    Asked by Yosefina K #1246598

    Answered by Aslan on 7/12/2022 10:24 PM
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    The "wild things" serve as the antagonist.

    Asked by tshering y #1081765

    Answered by jill d #170087 on 11/30/2020 3:58 PM
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    Max is first described as a young mischievous boy, dressed in a wolf costume, causing havoc around the house, much to the despair of his mother. Here he transforms his room into a jungle, going on an adventure by boat to discover the Wild Things....

    Asked by Leonardo E #967528

    Answered by Aslan on 1/26/2020 2:17 AM
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    Study Guide for Where the Wild Things Are

    Where the Wild Things Are study guide contains a biography of Maurice Sendrak, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

    Where the Wild Things Are is a classic American book whose story of a frustrated, imaginative boy can help young children recognize and understand their own difficult feelings and how they can feel better. This reading guide, which aligns with the Second Step curriculum, can be used with children ages 3–6 by parents or teachers.

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    The Story

    The story is about a boy named Max. Max is angry after being sent to his room for making mischief. The story can help you to discuss strong feelings and ways to calm down with your child. Max manages his strong feelings by going on a journey in his imagination. This models one way to calm down—thinking about something else. The story can also help you discuss changing feelings and coping with loneliness.

    Reading 1: Talking About Social-Emotional Skills

    Ask at least six of these questions as you read with your child. Stop on the page indicated, and after you have asked the question(s) give your child lots of time to think about the answer and tell you what he or she is thinking. Questions that are grouped together in a paragraph should be asked together.

    Cover:
    (Hold up the book and show the cover.)
    Look at the front cover of the book.
    What do you see?
    What do you think?
    What do you wonder?

    Page 5:
    Why does Max say “I’ll eat you up!”?
    How do you think Max might feel?
    What could Max do to calm down?

    Page 10:
    How do you think Max might feel now? His feelings have changed.
    Why do you think his feelings changed?

    Page 16:
    What is Max imagining in this picture?
    Do you ever imagine things to help you feel better when you are angry or sad?

    Page 26:
    Max is having fun with his friends. What do you do with your friends to have fun?

    Page 32:
    The wild things don’t want Max to leave. Have you ever had a hard time saying goodbye to a friend? Tell us about it.

    After the reading, show your child page 6:
    Max is very angry here.

    Then show page 36:
    Max is calm here.
    How did Max calm down?
    How do you like to calm down?

    Reading 2: Your Child as Storyteller

    Look through the book and choose some pages with important events to have your child talk about. For younger children, choose three or four pages. For older children, choose between six and nine pages. Use the following questions to encourage your child to talk about the story.

    • What happens next?
    • Has this ever happened to you?
    • What is happening on this page?
    • How does (fill in with character’s name) feel? Why?
    • When have you felt this way?
    • What do you remember about this page?
    • Why did (fill in with a detail from the story)?
    • What is (fill in with character’s name) doing?
    • What would you tell (fill in with character’s name)?
    • What does this story remind you of? What happens next?
    • Has this ever happened to you?
    • What is happening on this page?
    • How does (fill in with character’s name) feel? Why?
    • When have you felt this way?
    • What do you remember about this page?
    • Why did (fill in with a detail from the story)?
    • What is (fill in with character’s name) doing?
    • What would you tell (fill in with character’s name)?
    • What does this story remind you of?

     

    Like this activity?

    We’re adding more K-8 classroom activities to our Free Activities page all the time. They’re easy to find—just visit cfchildren.org/resources/free-activities/ for grade-specific, K-8 classroom activities that align with our Second Step Suite.


    Learn more about social-emotional learning, research on the topic, and how it benefits students in the classroom, at home, and in their daily lives.

    What is the main message of Where the Wild Things Are?

    Psychoanalyst Joan Raphael-Leff, points out that this story acknowledges that when a child is in a crazed tantrum, they lose sight of all the good in that moment. What is often overlooked, she says, is the effect a child's emotions has on the carers, and all the wild things they stir up within the grown-up.

    Why is Where the Wild Things Are controversial?

    Readers believed Where the Wild Things Are was psychologically damaging and traumatizing to young children due to Max's inability to control his emotions and his punishment of being sent to bed without dinner. Psychologists called it “too dark”, and the book was banned largely in the south.

    Where the Wild Things Are lesson ideas?

    10 “Where the Wild Things Are” Activities We Love.
    Create a Wild Thing sculpture..
    Work on all kinds of skills..
    Write about feeling wild..
    Have an action word rumpus..
    Play a Wild Thing counting game..
    Make a Wild Thing glyph..
    Stitch up your own Wild Thing..

    What do the wild things represent?

    Each of the Wild Things seems to represent a different emotion or feeling that exists within the mind of young Max, and therefore represents a challenge that he must overcome.