In Theodore Taylor's The Cay, Timothy makes many preparations to teach Phillip how to fish, and learning to fish becomes critical
when Timothy is afflicted with malaria
. Though he gets better, there is a great chance he could be afflicted again due to his old age.
What reason does Timothy cite for why Philip must know how do you fish?
Timothy had carefully trained Phillip how to find his way around the island, and how to feel his way around the reef in order to fish
and feed himself and stew Cat.
Why did Timothy teach Philip How do you fish?
Timothy is afraid he'll come down with fever again, so he decides Phillip needs to learn how to fish by himself. He takes him down to a fishing hole on the reef. He teaches
him how to bait his hook with a mussel
, which is easy for Phillip since he used to fish with his dad.
What did Timothy teach Phillip to do and why How did Phillip feel about the results of Timothy's lessons?
Though Phillip resists learning at first, the more he realizes Timothy is trying to help him be independent, the more willing he becomes. Through Timothy's help, Phillip
learns how to weave sleeping mats, build a shelter, build a device to catch rain water, make his way around the island using a cane, and fish
.
How did Phillip get to the reef to fish the Cay?
At first, Timothy did all of the fishing, spearing the langosta (lobster) with a sharp stick. But Phillip's blindness prevented him from doing this, so Timothy
crafted fish hooks from nails
so Phillip could fish with a pole.
Why does Phillip ask Timothy if he is still black?
When he asked Timothy, “Are you still black?” he is stating
how surprised he is by how close they have become
. Phillip never dreamed his best friend and protector would be a black man. He never dreamed that his survival would be in the hands of a black man.
Why does Phillip ask Timothy if he is still black at the end of Chapter 13?
Timothy is a black man and Phillip is wondering if he's still black because at the point he asks this,
Phillip is blind
. Partially because he has not seen Timothy's face for a few months and partially because he was surprised that a black man could be so compassionate and kind.
What did Phillip use to catch fish?
Using
rusty bolts as sinkers
, Phillip catches a fish. Though he had caught fish before, Phillip feels he has done “something very special,” since he was now learning to do things “by touch and feel” (13.21).
Why did Timothy keep putting one rock a day into an old can?
Why did Timothy keep putting one rock a day into an old can?
He was keeping track of their days on the island. He loved collecting rocks. He was saving them so he could pave a path to the hut
.
How are Timothy and Phillip different?
Timothy provides readers with a stark contrast to Phillip. Phillip is young, American, white, and educated; Timothy is old, poor, West Indian, black, and illiterate. Phillip is a small boy,
Timothy is a big man
. They are, in many ways, opposites.
Why did Phillip go blind in the Cay?
Phillip's Blindness
After a German torpedo hits the S.S. Hato
, Phillip is injured and eventually goes blind. This disability forces him to depend on the West Indian man Timothy and see the world from his point of view.
What did Philip mean when he said his eyes were becoming mine?
Towards the middle of the chapter, when Phillip comments that Timothy's “eyes were becoming mine,” he means
that he is opening up to Timothy enough that he can ask Timothy what he sees and rely on Timothy's vision as his own
. Phillip must first begin relying on Timothy's eyes to spot any planes or ships in the region.
Where did Phillip use to live and what was it like there?
Phillip's Background
Phillip is an 11-year-old boy from Virginia. He lives with
his parents on the island of Curacao
, a Dutch settlement in the West Indies. He is a lot like a boy you might meet in school. He enjoys fishing, sailing, hiking, and playing with his friends.
Why did Phillip dive to the bottom of the fishing hole?
He decides to go down to the fishing hole to search for langosta (lobster). … He decides to give it one more shot, and when he goes down he finds a hole that he thinks a lobster is probably hiding in. Phillip dives for the hole once more, and
something strong and painful latches on to his arm
.
What is not a reason Timothy wants Phillip to climb the palm tree?
1. What is NOT a reason Timothy wants Phillip to climb the palm tree?
Phillip needs to gain confidence
. … Timothy is too old to climb the palm tree.
What was the problem with getting the coconuts in the Cay?
The island has palm trees with coconuts, and Timothy keeps saying how good coconut milk and coconut meat would taste. The problem is that
the coconuts are 40 feet up, and Timothy says he is too old to climb that high
. Phillip is afraid to climb the palm tree.
