Old Yeller Chapter 9
VOCABULARY
Marking Hogs - Travis marks the pigs by cutting into their ears in a distinctive manner. Each settler has a mark which is recognized by all the others, identifying the owner of the pig. The Coates' mark is "overbit the right and underslope the left."
Biting shoat (102) noun, a young pig, especially one which is newly weaned.
castrate (104) - A procedure that makes it so a male animal will not be able to reproduce
sow - female hog
Bar Hog - (105) A bar hog is a boar hog that has been cut or castrated.
1. Humans who marked wild hogs laid claim to them but they did not feed the hogs. Explain how the hogs did not starve. Use text evidence.
2. Explain why Momma doesn't feel good about Travis marking hogs on his own, even if he has Old Yeller. (102-103)
3. Reread the passages about Old Yeller running the hogs. List at least 5 action words that express the excitement and energy involved in the process of marking hogs.
4. Explain why Travis must castrate the pigs?
5. Explain the purpose of marking the pigs.
6. Picture yourself in Travis's situation. You are in a tree, lifting and marking the shoats from the rest of the herd. Then you must castrate them. Write a paragraph or two describing this event from your perspective.