The Fall of Rome Response and Discussion Questions
Directions: the Following reading questions assess your understanding of events from Chapter 4-7. Be sure to also complete two entries in your Race, Class, Gender journal.
1. Explain the concept—The Past is Prologue? What does it mean literally and symbolically? How is this true, even if we don’t acknowledge it?
2. What in Mr. Washington’s family life, his upbringing, suggest his outlook on education? Relationships? Why was the relationship between Washington’s mother and father strained? What happened to Mr. Washington’s brother? How do these events affect Washington?
3. Why do you think Mr. Washington only focuses on Rashid’s running ability? Which of the “dozen demons” is this connected to?
4. Explain the different reactions that Ms. Hansen and Mr. Washington have when learning of Kofi’s death.
5. How do you explain Mr. Washington’s mother’s reaction to Isaiah’s? Why do you think Mr. Washington never thought about Isaiah until he met Rashid?
6. Carefully re-read the bottom of page 91, beginning at “Fox had been with the Chelsea school for only ten years..” Do you think that Mr. Washington had been unfairly overlooked for the position of headmaster? Why or why not? Why did he remain at Chelsea?
7. On pages 94-95, Mr. Washington gives questions that speak to his beliefs about race, and privilege. He also questions Mr. Fox’s sincerity when asking him to go on a recruiting trip. Why does Mr. Washington object to going on the trip? What do his thoughts on pages 95 reveal about his beliefs of acceptance to Chelsea?
8. What “complex of problems” do many inner city kids arrive to school with that, in the words of Mr. Fox (pg96) we (the Chelsea staff) are not equipped to deal with? Do you think the staff was not equipped to deal with these problems, or simply unwilling? Why do schools prefer the likes of Gerald Davis and not Rashid?
9. Why is Mr. Washington so resistant to recruiting African-American students? What flaws does it reveal in his character?
10. What two events suggest that Mr. Washington has been the victim of racism and discrimination himself?
