18. The Castle in the Air
The name Senses Taker is a play on words. Senses refers to sight, smell, feel, hear and taste. But a Census Taker is actually a real person who does a real job.
A census taker or census enumerator is someone hired from the local community by the Census Bureau to knock on doors and collect responses to the census for households that have not yet responded.
The U.S. census counts every resident in the United States. The data collected by the census determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives (a process called apportionment) and is also used to distribute billions in federal funds to local communities.
Thinking Questions
1. Explain the five things the Senses Taker will take.
2. Explain the one thing the Senses Taker may not take.
3. Milo, Tock and the Humbug each say something about the length of the trip so far. Explain what they say and what this might tell the reader about each of the three characters.
4. The princess explain to Milo that it is not just learning that matters. In your own words, explain what they are talking about. In doing so, you will explain one of the main themes of this novel.
5. After the princesses explain the theme, Milo asks an important question. "but which is most important." Answer this question in your own words. (234)
6. Explain the pun "Time flies." (236) Both figuratively and literally.
7. Explain what happens to the Castle in the Sky.
8. "Down through the darkness they plunged, to the mountains and the monsters below." (236) Predict what will happen when the reach the ground.
