63 pages • 2 hours read
Theodore TaylorThe Cay
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1969A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
During Reading
Reading Questions & Paired Texts
Reading Check and Short Answer Questions on key plot points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.
CHAPTERS 1-3
Reading Check
1. Where does Phillip’s father work?
2. What do people bring to those leaving on the SS Hato?
3. What navigation instrument does the captain take with him when the SS Hato is torpedoed?
Short Answer
Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.
1. Why does Phillip want to go to Fort Amsterdam? What do his intentions demonstrate about his attitude toward the war?
2. Why doesn’t Phillip’s father order his wife to stay?
3. Why does Timothy say that he and Phillip are lucky?
Paired Resource
- This article from Learning For Justice discusses the effect of accents on perception.
- This resource connects to the theme of Overcoming Racism.
- How does the author of The Cay represent Timothy’s way of speaking? How does this represented diction and sound impact your perspective of Timothy? How does it shape your perception of the author?
CHAPTERS 4-7
Reading Check
1. What does Timothy warn Phillip not to look at, besides the sun?
2. What does Timothy see in the sky?
3. What does Timothy think that they will find in the water near the island?
Short Answer
Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.
1. What surprises Phillip about Timothy’s age?
2. Why does Phillip want to stay on the raft?
3. What worries Timothy about the island that they land on?
Paired Resource
“No, Where Are You Really From?”
- This resource from CNN showcases the experiences that people face when they are asked the question “Where are you really from?” (Teacher-appropriate; not student-facing without teacher guidance due to mature content and potential sensitivity concerns.)
- This resource connects to the theme Overcoming Racism.
CHAPTERS 8-11
Reading Check
1. What does Timothy use to build a hut?
2. What does Phillip ask Timothy to call him?
3. What does Timothy carve out of wood?
Short Answer
Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.
1. Why can’t Timothy write a message on the sand?
2. Why does Timothy assign the chore of making sleeping mats to Phillip?
3. How does Phillip feel when he tells Timothy about his life in Scharloo?
Paired Resource
- This article discusses important survival skills for the outdoors.
- This resource connects to the theme Surviving Against the Odds.
- What survival techniques do Timothy and Phillip use? How does Phillip adapt these techniques, and what does this tell us about human resilience? How does trust play a role in Timothy’s and Phillip’s survival?
CHAPTERS 12-15
Reading Check
1. What illness does Timothy contract?
2. What does Phillip forget to bring when he successfully climbs the palm tree for the first time?
3. What do Timothy and Phillip tie themselves to during the storm?
Short Answer
Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.
1. How does Timothy think he got rid of the fever?
2. Why does Timothy carve fish hooks?
3. Why does Timothy think that the storm will be severe?
Paired Resource
“Types of Stakes in a Story to Engage Readers”
- Masterclass discusses what story stakes are and tactics writers use to raise the stakes for characters.
- Readers can consider what the stakes are for Phillip and Timothy so far in the novel and how various conflicts raise the stakes for them.
- This resource connects to the theme Surviving Against the Odds.
- How does Timothy’s death raise the stakes for Phillip?
CHAPTERS 16-19
Reading Check
1. What does Phillip use to mark Timothy’s grave?
2. What sound does Phillip mistake for thunder?
3. What does Phillip have to wear after his operations?
Short Answer
Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.
1. Why does Phillip decide to hunt for langosta?
2. Why does Phillip use sea grape leaves for the fire?
3. Why don’t the sailors believe Phillip’s story?
Recommended Next Reads
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
- This middle grade novel follows the story of Karana, a young woman who learns to survive on her own after her island is invaded by hunters.
- Shared themes include Coming of Age and Surviving Against the Odds.
- Shared elements include classic young readers’ stories, solo protagonists, island settings, animal companions, and awaiting rescue.
- Island of the Blue Dolphins on SuperSummary
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
- This young adult novel tells the tale of a teenager who is forced to survive in the wilderness after a plane crash.
- Shared themes include Coming of Age and Surviving Against the Odds.
- Shared elements include classic young readers’ stories, solo protagonists, isolated settings, and awaiting rescue.
- Hatchet on SuperSummary
Reading Questions Answer Key
CHAPTERS 1-3
Reading Check
Short Answer
1. Phillip wants to go to Fort Amsterdam to look for German U-boats. His curiosity indicates a fascination with the conflict; he goes to the fort against his mother’s wishes, which indicates he does not understand the true danger of the war. (Chapter 1)
2. Phillip’s father does not order his wife to stay because he is not the kind of man who demands obedience from his wife. (Chapter 2)
3. Timothy says that he and Phillip are lucky because they have water and some food on the raft, necessary for survival. (Chapter 3)
CHAPTERS 4-7
Reading Check
1. The sea, because the reflection is so bright (Chapter 4)
2. An airplane (Chapter 5)
3. Langosta (native lobsters without claws) (Chapter 7)
Short Answer
1. Phillip is surprised to learn that Timothy does not know his exact age. (Chapter 4)
2. Phillip wants to stay on the raft because he thinks that they are more likely to be rescued by a passing boat or plane. (Chapter 6)
3. Timothy is worried that their island is part of the Devil’s Mouth, which is an area that boats rarely approach. (Chapter 7)
CHAPTERS 8-11
Reading Check
Short Answer
1. Timothy can’t write a message on the sand because he does not know how to read or write. (Chapter 8)
2. Timothy assigns the chore of making sleeping mats to Phillip because it is a task that Phillip can do without needing to see. (Chapter 9)
3. Phillip feels homesick when he talks about his life and Scharloo. (Chapter 10)
CHAPTERS 12-15
Reading Check
Short Answer
1. Timothy thinks he got rid of the fever by jumping into the ocean. (Chapter 12)
2. Timothy carves fish hooks so that, in the event of his death, Phillip will still be able to fish. (Chapter 13)
3. Timothy thinks the storm will be severe because it is only July, and storms don’t usually get bad until the fall. (Chapter 14)
CHAPTERS 16-19
Reading Check
Short Answer
1. Phillip decides to hunt for langosta because he is tired of eating fish, so he is willing to take a risk and go into the hole. (Chapter 17)
2. Phillip uses sea grape leaves for the fire because they are oily, so they will produce a black smoke that will be more visible to airplanes flying by. (Chapter 18)
3. The sailors do not believe Phillip’s story because the Hato sank in April. It is hard for them to believe that a boy with blindness could have survived on his own for so long. (Chapter 19)
