Chapter 14

House of the Scorpion - Chapter 14

Chapter 14 – Celia’s Story

Matt is upset at Tam Lin’s departure. He’s upset that Tam Lin is disappointed in Matt for not accepting responsibility for the death of the dog and because Tam Lin treated him like a human, not just a “beast” like the others.

Tom is banished from the house for showing Maria and Matt Mr. MacGregor’s clone. We learned how Celia came to become El Patron’s possession. She attempted to come to the United States from Atzlan (Mexico) via coyote. She was abandoned in the desert and was captured by El Patron’s guards. Unlike her companions, she was sparred becoming an eejit because she was from El Patron’s hometown.

1. In a complete sentence(s), describe the Alcaran “estancia.”
2. Why was Matt so upset by Tam Lin’s departure?
3. What happed to Tom? Why?
4. How did Celia come to work for El Patron?
5. What happed to the others Celia traveled from Aztlan with?

Chapter 13

House of the Scorpion - Chapter 13

Chapter 13 – The Lotus Pond

Matt once again ponders the meaning of something the Doctor had said: “Clones go to pieces when they get older.”

Matt learns from Celia that Felicia ran off with MacGregor due to her poor marriage with Mr. Alcaran. She was brought back because El Patron does not like his “possessions” taken away. Matt also learns more about clones from Celia, he is not supposed to know of these things. By law, clones are to have their brains destroyed. Matt escaped this fate due to El Patron’s power. It appears MacGregor is getting better due to organs from the clone.

Matt plans to talk to Maria again by kidnapping her dog, Furball, drugging him so he doesn’t bark, and hold him in a shed until she talks to him. On the way to the shed near the Lotus Pond, Matt sees Tom torturing frogs. Later on, Matt is able to kidnap the dog without the drugs. At the pond, Senator Mendoza is waiting with guards and its discovered that Furball is dead. No one believes Matt when he says he didn’t do it. Senator Mendoza says Matt will not be able to see Maria again.

Tam Lin will be leaving Matt, rejoining El Patron. Matt is considered old enough to fend for himself.

1. An earlier line from the book was repeated by Matt: “Clones go to pieces when they get older.” What do you now think this statement means?
2. Why did Felicia run off with Mr. MacGregor? What was she brought back? Who is Felicia’s son?
3. What is wrong with Mr. MacGregor’s clone? Why did Matt not suffer the same fate?
4. How was Mr. MacGregor’s health getting better?
5. What was Matt’s plan for meeting Maria?
6. What new subject was Matt beginning to study?
7. What happened at the Lotus Pond?
8. Who do you think killed Furball?
9. Who is leaving Matt? Why?

Chapter 12

House of the Scorpion - Chapter 12

Chapter 12 – The Thing on the Bed

We learn that Matt’s activities were all supposed to be risk free and many safeguards were put in place to protect him. However, Tam Lin took Matt on weekly expeditions over the hills, where he had the opportunity to mountain climb and tease rattle snakes.

One day Felicia came to see Matt. She said Maria wanted to meet him at the hospital. When he got there, Maria said that Tom told her that Matt wanted to meet her there. Tom led the two of them to a hospital room where they saw a clone, deprived of its intelligence, in considerable pain; the clone was of Mr. MacGregor. It appears that Tom wanted to take Maria there to show her that Matt is similar to this “beast.”

1. How were Matt’s activities to be?
2. How were the expeditions with Tam Lin?
3. Who visited Matt? Why?
4. Who arranged the meeting between Matt and Maria?
5. What did Maria, Tom, and Matt think was in the room? What actually was in the room?
6. Whose clone was in the room?
7. What do you think was Tom’s motivation for bringing Maria and Matt to the hospital room?

Chapter 11

House of the Scorpion - Chapter 11

Chapter 11 – The Giving and Taking of Gifts

El Patron’s party continues. We meet El Viejo, El Patron’s grandson and Mr. Alcaran’s father. Matt begins to show confidence and a feeling of power by moving around the place cards at the dinner table – sending Tom to the kid’s table and placing Maria next to him. Maria is upset at how Matt treats Tom. It is learned that El Viejo has decided against the same implants that El Patron and Mr. MacGregor or using – it is dangerous to do something contrary to El Patron. El Patron valued gifts because he thought the size of the gifts determined how much you are loved. Maria and Matt’s relationship has changed. When its Matt’s turn to receive gifts, he asks for a birthday kiss form her, drawing a gasp from the crowd and reluctantly is forced to do so by her father, Senator Mendoza. She leaves the table crying. El Patron is amused and applauds Matt’s use of power against both Tom and Maria (“his woman”).

1. What is taking place?
2. Who is El Viejo?
3. Who is attending the party?
4. By moving the place cards, what is Matt showing? How does Maria react?
5. What are the implants? Why did El Viejo decide against using them? Why is this a dangerous decision for him?
6. Why did El Patron value gifts?
7. What did the Farmers give as gifts?
8. How has Maria and Matt’s relationship changed? Why? What is El Patron’s reaction to this?

Chapter 10

House of the Scorpion - Chapter 10

Chapter 10 – A Cat with 9 Lives

It is El Patron’s 143rd birthday. Matt will be sitting next to him at the birthday dinner and is worried about how to act if El Patron acts “weird.” Celia makes Matt promise to come and hide in the kitchen if something bad happens.

Maria’s dog, Furball, becomes lost and is discovered by Matt to be trapped in the toilet. Matt is sure Tom had put Furball there and determines he’ll use what power he has with El Patron visiting to get back at Tom.

Matt begins taking music lessons from a deaf man named Mr. Ortega. A variety of important people begin showing up for the birthday party, including politicians, celebrities, “Farmers” (drug lords) and Mr. MacGregor (another drug lord and Tom’s father). El Patron’s heath has dramatically improved – he’s actually walking! He lives his doctors one million dollars each. Matt learns more of El Patron’s family history.

1. How old is El Patron? What question did he repeatedly ask his last visit?
2. What instructions does Celia give Matt?
3. Find a Spanish to English Translator online. Look up Mi Hijo. How has Celia’s attitude toward Matt changed?
4. What happened to Furball? What do you think Motivated Tom?
5. What was Matt’s plan? Why did he pick this time?
6. Who is Mr. Ortega?
7. What did El Patron’s birthday mean for Matt?
8. Who came to the party?
9. Who were the “Farmers?”
10. Who is Mr. MacGregor?
11. Why did the people cheer for El Patron? Did everyone cheer?
12. How has El Patron’s health change?

Chapter 9

House of the Scorpion - Chapter 9

Chapter 9 – The Secret Passage

Matt continues his education via distant learning. He continues to have bad dreams about the dead man in the poppy fields. Matt met Maria’s dog Furball for the first time and did not like the dog because Matt was a clone and he was treated like an animal, just like Furball.

Matt begins to explore the house. He secretly listens to Felicia (Benito, Steven, and Tom’s mother) play the piano in the afternoons. He discovers she is a drunk. To avoid being caught listening, he hides in a closet where he discovers a secret passage. Over a few weeks, he explores the passage and eventually witnesses Mr. Alcaran’s father refusing his chemotherapy treatment and the Doctor giving a drug to Felicia. Tam Lin catches Matt playing the piano and discovers Matt’s talent for music. Matt is an eager learner, wanting to excel so people would love him and forget that he was a clone.

1.    How does Matt study? Is he a good student?

2.    What is the significance of being a “photograph?”

3.    What did Matt dream?

4.    Why didn’t Matt like “Furball?”

5.    Who is Felicia?

6.    What did Matt discover?

7.    What did Matt witness in the Secret passage?

8.    What did the Doctor give to Felicia?

9.    What talent did Matt discover he had?

10. What motivated Matt to learn?

Chapter 8

House of the Scorpion - Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – The Eejit in the Dry Field

Matt and Tam Lin depart for their picnic via horseback. Matt sees farm laborers working in the opium fields for the first time. He sees a many lying on the ground that has died of thirst. Matt is troubled that nothing could be done to help him. Cleanup crews will come for the man at the end of the day. The two will walk the final length of the trip as the horses are programmed to stay on the farm – the horse is a “Safe Horse” and has an implant to keep it from bolting or jumping, and even eating or drinking without a verbal command.

Tam Lin has taken Matt to an “oasis” off the property that El Patron does not know about and promises Matt to keep it a secret. Tam Lin wanted to tell Matt a few things without being spied on: Matt learns of the cloning process, why people dislike clones, and his relationship with El Patron. Matt also learns that eejits are similar to the “Safe Horse” in that they are programmed to do a specific task. Teacher will not return as she has now been programmed to mend curtains/peel potatoes. Tam Lin takes on a teacher role of sorts for Matt.

1.    Describe the farm workers. What are they doing?

2.    What was the fate of the man lying on the ground (p. 77-78)? What does this say of the value placed on his life?

3.    Why won’t the horse leave the farm?

4.    Where was their picnic? Why did Tam Lin keep this place a secret?

5.    What was the purpose of the picnic?

6.    Does Matt really understand who or what he is?

7.    How does Tam Lin describe the cloning process?

8.    What is an “eejit?” Examples?

9.    Will Teacher come back?

10. What will be done about Matt’s education?