W2 - GOLDFISH - CLASSWORK1 (10C1)

Unlock the meaning of the Goldfish short story with expert analysis questions.

Why does Yonatan come to Sergei’s door? He has gone to the wrong apartment by accident. He is with the KGB and has tracked Sergei from Russia. He wants to interview Sergei for a documentary film. He has come to thank Sergei for his kindness. What misunderstanding causes the story’s main problem? The fish lies to Sergei about why Yonatan is there. Sergei thinks that Yonatan wants to take the goldfish. Sergei and Yonatan understand nothing of each other’s language. Yonatan feels threatened by Sergei, who means him no harm. Sergei does not want to use his last wish because — the fish is his only friend Yonatan was a genuine threat he plans to use it to get rich he is saving it for a true emergency Consider how Sergei reacts when Yoni comes to his door. Does his response seem reasonable? How does Sergei’s cultural experience help explain his reaction? Support your responses with evidence from the text. When you infer, you use details in a text to draw a conclusion about something that the author does not state directly. What can you infer about Sergei’s character based on the way he used his first two wishes? Support your responses with evidence from the text. How does the motif of wishing apply to each of the story’s major characters: Yoni, Sergei, and the goldfish? What is similar and different about their wishes? Support your responses with evidence from the text.