The Trumpet of the Swan

Chapters 1-3

Reading Check

1. Within 35 days (Chapter 1)

2. Cygnets (Chapter 1)

Short Answer

1. Sam prefers camping away from the busy world because he does not have to think of what he will do when he grows up. This revelation informs the reader that Sam feels some pressure to identify his future occupation and that camping is a refuge from this pressure. (Chapter 1)

2. When the swans first see Sam, they sound the alarm, believing him to be a threat. The cob begins to attack Sam to keep him away from the nest, but the pen (female swan) convinces the cob not to attack because Sam isn’t a direct threat. They remain on their guard, however, when Sam is nearby. Sam manages to build trust with the swans by preventing an attack by a fox. (Chapter 3)

Chapters 4-6

Reading Check

1. His shoelace (Chapter 4)

2. Montana (Chapter 6)

Short Answer

1. The cob watches the nest with pride as his children hatch. He tends to be more concerned about his appearance; he often thinks of and comments on his gracefulness and his physical size. (Chapters 4-6)

2. The cob explains to Louis that he may be unable to find a mate because the trumpet sound is used to attract female swans. Louis is also concerned about being different from his brothers and sisters, and worries that his lack of a voice will impact his flying ability. Louis, however, is quick to fly and is the first of his brothers and sisters to land, pointing to his possible strength. Additionally, the cob hints that Louis may be able to learn a lot by listening carefully to others. (Chapters 5-6)

Chapters 7-9

Reading Check

1. Sam Beaver (Chapter 7)

2. Billings, Montana (Chapter 8)

Short Answer

1. Miss Snug approaches questions from a mathematical standpoint while the students approach questions using their life skills. For example, when Miss Snug asks Sam how far a man can walk in four hours if he can walk three miles in one hour, Sam answers the question by explaining that it depends on how tired the man is or whether he stopped for berries along the route. Sam’s peers answer similarly. Miss Snug concedes that the students are correct. Arguably, either could be seen as more practical; from a teaching standpoint, it makes sense to be able to give concrete answers, but from an application standpoint, it may be more practical to take external factors into consideration. (Chapter 7)

2. Louis’s new skill is not as useful to him as he had hoped because he is still unable to communicate with the other swans who do not know how to read. Additionally, Louis has fallen in love with a swan, Serena. Louis attempts to communicate with Serena using nonverbal communication, but Serena does not recognize Louis’s gestures without his voice. (Chapters 8-9)

3. The cob feels guilty about stealing a trumpet for Louis but sees it as a noble quest for his son. Louis’s inability to communicate arouses compassion from the cob as he knows what it is like to love and to be rejected. (Chapter 9)

Chapters 10-12

Reading Check

1. Camp Kookooskoos (Chapter 10)

2. Camp Great Horned Owl (Chapter 11)

Short Answer

1. Louis is concerned about purchasing the trumpet and paying for the damages inflicted on the human store owners. He doesn’t like the idea of having a stolen trumpet. This scenario reveals a new aspect of Louis’s personality: He is concerned about doing what is right. This concept is later supported when Louis becomes a hero for rescuing a drowning boy at Camp Kookooskoos. (Chapters 10, 12)

2. The skunk that wanders into the camp has his head stuck in a can. Sam acts by using a lasso on a fishing pole to remove the can. This scenario reveals that Sam cares about all forms of wildlife and feels obligated to protect them. It may also serve as a warning to be vigilant in protecting nature from manmade waste. (Chapter 12)

Chapters 13-15

Reading Check

1. $100 (Chapter 13)

2. Boston (Chapter 14)

Short Answer

1. Louis has plenty of practice from playing at the camp but is only able to play three notes. He asks Sam to cut his webbing, so he can play more notes on the trumpet. He unintentionally develops his musical ability by listening to the different genres of music played by the camp attendees. (Chapter 13)

2. Louis is denied entry into the hotel; the clerk cites lice as a possible consideration for preventing his stay. Louis manages to convince the clerk he belongs by providing autographs, signing the hotel register, communicating by slate, and playing a song in the hotel lobby. Louis has learned to adeptly communicate and convince humans using his skills to further his purpose. (Chapter 15)

Chapters 16-18

Reading Check

1. The Philadelphia Zoo (Chapter 16)

2. Serena (Chapter 17)

Short Answer

1. While in Boston, Louis takes pleasure in playing his music. Louis is paid more for his talent in Philadelphia but finds it less satisfying. Louis may find his work less satisfying because he works with Mr. Lucas, who is described as a trickster, and because his audience is too loud and eats and drinks too much. (Chapter 16)

2. Louis first attacks the men who plan to clip Serena’s wings to keep her at the zoo, then he takes his slate to the Head Man’s office to negotiate her release. The Head Man tells Louis he is unable to release her because an “act of God” brought her there. He sends for Sam, paying for his flight, and Sam helps Louis to develop a strategy to negotiate for his and Serena’s freedom by donating one cygnet to the zoo each year. (Chapter 18)

Chapters 19-21

Reading Check

1. Red Rock Lakes (Chapters 19-20)

2. The Audubon Society (Chapter 20)

Short Answer

1. Sam feels at home in the zoo because of his interest in animals. Though Sam frequently wonders what he should be when he grows up, his interests are inclined to nature and animals. For example, Sam spends much of his time early in the novel observing the behaviors of the swans. He later rescues a skunk and provides knowledge about animal behaviors to the Head Man at the zoo. (Chapter 21)

2. Louis likely gives up writing because it no longer serves any purpose for him. He returns to living as a swan with his family and no longer needs to communicate with humans to play music and earn money. Additionally, the swans are unable to read, and Louis is now able to communicate with the use of his trumpet. (Chapters 19-21)