Think you’ve got your head wrapped around The House of the Scorpion? Put your knowledge to
the test. Good luck — the Stickman is counting on you!
Q. The field of white poppies outside Matt’s window should be beautiful, but it’s not. What does this symbolize?
Matt’s allergy to poppies
Flowers are uncool
The significance of race to the people of Opium
Appearances can be deceiving
Q. Why do eejits die in the field?
No one orders them to drink, so they die of thirst
They want to die there
They are killed by their masters
The field is just like the Arena in The Hunger Games
Q. What skill does Matt master that makes it obvious he is more than just a clone of El Patrón?
Public speaking
Carpentry
Piano playing
Being a dictator
Q. Why do the people of Aztlán have to make their own plankton in a factory?
It’s so delicious that they eat all the natural plankton way too early
The gulf is so polluted that any plankton that grew there would be unsafe to eat
The plankton they find is always trying to steal their Krabby Patties—it’s just safer this way
Q. What is the difference between El Patrón’s love of material goods and Celia’s valuing her Virgin Mary statue?
Celia values things with meaning, not things with monetary value
Celia’s statue is made of gold
El Patrón only values things that his family gave him
El Patrón is willing to give up his things easily, while Celia can’t let go