Follow this link for the best discussion questions:
Scholastic Discussion Guide for Crispin: The Cross of Lead https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plans/teaching-content/crispin-cross-lead-discussion-guide/
Julie’s personal thoughts: Warning Contains Spoilers
This book was a delight to read. It brought up so many important questions that seem to be timeless. However, I must pick apart a few of the ideas:
- Devotion to God/religion are unlikely to grow in the complete absence of prosperity. I have a hard time believing Crispin would bother to be loyal to a practice that only showed him doom and gloom. Most people would bitterly renounce that faith.
- After Crispin tastes a bit of freedom, he immediately succumbs to Bear’s trickery. I don’t think Crispin would be so quick to cave in to this man’s attempt at logic. I believe Crispin would go along with the game just long enough to escape and never look back.
- Once in Great Wexley, Crispin suddenly makes an uncharacteristic move and explores the city on his own, against Bear’s explicit orders (and completely without Bear’s protection while knowing that there was much personal danger to himself). I don’t feel that the author made this change in character plausible. It kind of goes against everything we have come to know about Crispin.
- A bargain is reached in the end where Ayliff will agree to let them go with the promise that they will never return (and will hand over the evidence in the form of the cross). While we understand that Ayliff cannot be trusted, it still seems contrived that he would betray his oath right in front of the city gates. There is nothing in it for him, he’s already getting everything he wants by way of their exile. It felt like the author just wanted us to see Crispin and Bear square up in a final show of bravery even if it didn’t really add to the plot.
Vocabulary:
Alb- white vestment worn by clergy
Bailiff- court official who keeps order
Blighted- ruined
Buxom- plump, especially with large breasts
Cacophony- harsh discordant mixture of sounds
Cur- scoundrel
Farthing- coin worth ¼ of a penny
Fording place- shallow point of river or stream
Gallows- structure used for hanging criminals
Genuflect- to bend the knee in reverence or respect
Glaive- sword
Impoverished- poverty-stricken
Kirtle- woman’s gown
Livery- official uniform
Mazer- hardwood drinking bowl
Mercenary- person concerned with material reward at the expense of ethics
Moot- a gathering of people to discuss a topic
Mummers- actors, performers, especially mime
Pattens- clog shoes
Pauper- very poor person
Pike- infantry weapon-long wooden pole with iron head
Portentous- ominous, foreshadowing, warning
Privies- outhouse, latrine
Punctilious- meticulous in detail
Reeve- president of a village or town
Sanctuary- place of refuge and safety
Servile- behaving like a slave
Slake- to satisfy (your thirst)
Spate- sudden flood
Spinney- small areas of trees and bushes
Tallow- a hard fatty substance used in making candles
Tonsured hair- priests or monks shaven top of head
Tresses- a long lock of a woman’s hair
Tumultuous- confusing, stormy
Untoward- inappropriate
Wattle and daub- interwoven sticks and twigs covered with clay or mud
Wizened- shriveled or wrinkled with age
Yew bows- longbow made from the wood of a yew tree