Student Activities for The Tale of Despereaux
The Tale of Despereaux Book Summary
Book I: A Mouse is Born
Despereaux is a mouse whose mother immediately complains about him being a disappointment; he is extremely small, has giant ears, and was born with his eyes open. Despereaux’s brother, Furlough, and his sister, Merlot, try to teach Despereaux to be a normal mouse, but there is just something different about him. Despereaux’s family quickly gives up on educating him to be a mouse.
Despereaux is left on his own, and wanders towards the beautiful sound of music. He becomes so entranced by the music that he follows it straight to the foot of the King, and Princess Pea. Despereaux falls in love at the first sight of Pea. He lets Pea scratch his ears and he even speaks to the royals. After Furlough witnesses this encounter between the humans and Despereaux, he runs to tell their father, who calls the Mouse Council to discuss the matter.
The Council determines Despereaux is a threat to the community and announces that he will be sent to the rat dungeon. Despereaux is given an opportunity to recant his feelings toward the humans, but he refuses. Instead, he bravely proclaims his love for Pea.
Despereaux is thrown into the dark dungeon, where he meets Gregory, an old jailor who saves him from the rats in exchange for a story.
Book II: Chiaroscuro
The narrator goes back in time to introduce a rat named Chiaroscuro, or Roscuro. Roscuro is enamored with light and talks with the wise rat, Botticelli Remorso, about his curiosity. Botticelli tells Roscuro that he is a rat, and a rat’s purpose in life is to torture prisoners. Remorso tortures the next prisoner that arrives, but he is disappointed; he believes light is the true purpose of life and decides to go upstairs.
Roscuro explores a little of the upstairs, but interrupts a party by falling into the Queen’s soup. The Queen falls backward to her death and Roscuro catches the look of anger and hatred from Pea, which breaks his heart. Roscuro returns to the dungeon to plan his revenge on Princess Pea.
Book III: Gor! The Tale of Miggery Sow
The narrator introduces Miggery Sow, the daughter of a prisoner, who was sold for a red tablecloth, a hen, and a pack of cigarettes. Miggery served as a slave to the man who bought her, whom she called “Uncle”. Uncle continually hit her in the ear, to the point where she became partially deaf.
On day, Miggery sees the princess pass by, and decides she wants nothing more than to be a princess with a crown and a white horse. The King’s soldier enters Uncle’s home to declare soup illegal. He also states that owning another person is illegal and takes Miggery to the castle. Miggery becomes a servant at the castle, but she can’t perform any of the tasks correctly, so the Cook sends her to feed prisoners in the dungeon. As Miggery is serving Gregory his food, she talks about her dream of being a princess. Roscuro is delighted at hearing this; he stops Miggery and explains his plan to bring the princess down to the darkness. In return for her help, he promises Miggery she can become the princess.
Book: IV Recalled to the Light
Miggery brings the tray back to the kitchen, but Gregory had sneaked Despereaux onto the tray. When he is discovered, the Cook demands that Miggery kill the mouse. Miggery cuts off Despereaux’s tail, but he gets away. In a great deal of pain and feeling a mixture of joy, gratitude, and despair, Despereaux weeps and falls asleep for a long, long time.
While Despereaux sleeps, Roscuro’s plan goes into effect: Roscuro chewed through Gregory’s rope, leaving Gregory lost in the maze of the dungeon, and Miggery climbed upstairs to the princess’s room with a knife. Miggery believes that she and the princess will just switch places; however, Roscuro’s true plan is to lock Pea in the dungeon forever.
Miggery wakes Pea from a dream about her mother and demands that she comes with her, but Pea does not go easily. Roscuro insists that the Pea listen to his directions or Miggery will use the knife on her. After these threats, the three make their way into the dungeon.
Despereaux finally wakes to find the princess has already been kidnapped. Despereaux goes to the king to tell him what he knows about Pea’s disappearance, but the king is too stubborn to listen, and Despereaux is left with no choice but act like a knight in shining armor and rescue Pea himself.
Newly armed with a sewing needle and a spool of thread, Despereaux makes his way to the dungeon. He is caught by the Cook in the kitchen, but the Cook, who was cooking (illegal) soup, decides to feed Despereaux the delicious soup instead of kill him. She lets Despereaux go on his way down the dungeon stairs.
At the bottom, Despereaux is stopped by Botticelli. With no other choice Despereaux is guided through the dungeon by Botticelli, and arrives to find Miggery and the princess sitting together.
He runs towards them, but Roscuro blocks his way. Despereaux threatens to kill Roscuro. Botticelli and the other rats laugh at the idea of a mouse killing a rat, and watch in anticipation of the mouse’s death.
Despereaux’s whiskers brush against Roscuro and Roscuro is all of a sudden overcome with the smell of soup. He breaks down into tears and realizes that his plan will never work; all he really wanted was some light and beauty in his life and that was his reason for kidnapping the princess. Pea promises Roscuro some soup if he would let them all go.
The story has a fairy tale ending: Roscuro is allowed to move freely from the darkness of the dungeon to the light of the upstairs. Miggery Sow’s father is released and treats Miggery like a princess for the rest of his life. Despereaux became friends with Pea and has the seat of honor next to the princess. Despereaux’s parents, brother, and Hovis look on from a small crevice in the wall and see that Despereaux is alive and happy.
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How to Teach Narrative Point of View in 'The Tale of Despereaux
Introduction to Narrative Point of View
Begin the lesson by discussing the concept of narrative point of view. Explain that narrative point of view refers to the perspective from which a story is told and how it impacts the reader's understanding of the events, characters, and themes. Provide examples of common narrative points of view, such as first-person, third-person limited, and third-person omniscient. Use simple language and visuals to illustrate these concepts. Introduce "The Tale of Despereaux" as the text for analysis, emphasizing that it employs multiple narrative voices.
Reading and Identifying Narrative Points of View
Assign a section of the novel for students to read independently or as a class. Encourage them to pay close attention to the narrative perspective used in the assigned passage. After reading, have students identify and discuss the narrative point of view in the passage. Ask questions like, "Who is telling this part of the story?" and "What information does the narrator have access to?" Provide additional passages from the book, each with a different narrative point of view, and repeat the exercise to reinforce understanding.
Analyzing the Impact of Narrative Point of View
Engage students in a class discussion about how narrative point of view influences their understanding of the story. Encourage them to share their observations about how different perspectives reveal different insights into characters and events. Use specific examples from the novel to illustrate how Despereaux's first-person narrative offers a personal and emotional connection with his experiences, while the omniscient narrator provides a broader view of other characters. Discuss how the choice of narrative point of view affects the overall tone, mood, and reader engagement.
Application and Reflection
Assign a writing task where students select a specific scene or event from "The Tale of Despereaux" and rewrite it from a different narrative point of view. For example, they can rewrite a scene told from Despereaux's first-person perspective in a third-person limited or omniscient perspective. After completing their writing assignments, ask students to reflect on how changing the narrative point of view altered their perception of the scene. What new details or insights did they discover? How did it affect their emotional connection to the characters? Encourage students to share their rewritten passages and reflections with the class, fostering a discussion on the significance of narrative point of view in literature.
Extension Activity
For an extended activity, students can explore other literary works or excerpts that use distinct narrative points of view. This activity can broaden their understanding of how narrative perspective varies across literature.
Assessment
Evaluate students' comprehension and critical thinking through assessments, such as quizzes or written responses, where they analyze narrative point of view in specific passages from "The Tale of Despereaux." Assess their ability to identify and explain the impact of different narrative perspectives.
Frequently Asked Questions about The Tale of Despereaux
What is the genre of "The Tale of Despereaux"?
"The Tale of Despereaux" falls under the genre of children's fantasy literature. It combines elements of fairy tales and fantasy to create a whimsical and enchanting world. The story features talking mice, a brave young hero, a beautiful princess, and a touch of magic, making it a delightful and imaginative read for children and readers of all ages.
What are the major themes explored in "The Tale of Despereaux"?
"The Tale of Despereaux" explores several major themes, including courage, forgiveness, redemption, and the power of love and hope. The novel underscores the importance of defying expectations and following one's heart. It also delves into the interplay between light and darkness, both symbolically and literally, as characters navigate their personal journeys. These themes resonate with readers, imparting valuable life lessons and moral insights.
What awards or recognitions has "The Tale of Despereaux" received?
"The Tale of Despereaux" by Kate DiCamillo has received critical acclaim and numerous awards. It was awarded the prestigious Newbery Medal in 2004, one of the highest honors in children's literature. The book's enchanting storytelling, memorable characters, and profound themes have made it a favorite among readers and educators alike. Its success has also led to adaptations, including an animated film, further cementing its status as a beloved classic in the world of children's literature.
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