That Was Then, This Is Now

62 pages • 2 hours read

That Was Then, This Is Now

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1971

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Introduction

Before Reading

During Reading

After Reading

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. How does Bryon earn money in Charlie’s bar?

2. How does Mark obtain the money to pay Charlie?

3. What does M&M leave behind after the fight?

4. Where does Cathy work?

5. Which of Bryon’s requests does Charlie deny?

6. Who is Bryon’s ex-girlfriend?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why is M&M upset at Bryon and Mark, even though they saved him?

2. Why does Bryon’s mother encourage Bryon and Mark to visit with Mike?

3. How does Mike feel toward the people who attacked him? What does this show regarding his character?

4. Explain Mr. Carlson’s attitude toward his son, M&M.

Paired Resource

“What’s It Like to Be a Gang Member?”

This article by Billy Lee shares the author’s experience as a Chinese American gang member during the 1960s. (Content Warning: This article discusses violence and murder; it also uses insensitive language.)
How are Lee’s experiences as a gang member similar to and different from Bryon’s experiences with gang violence? How do they exemplify The Vicious Cycle of Revenge?

“African American Remembers Discrimination of the Past”

In this 4-minute video, one man shares his experience as part of the only Black family in a white neighborhood during the 1960s. (Content Warning: The video includes images and symbols of discrimination and racism, including protest violence and the Confederate flag.)
Although segregation was officially in decline by the late mid to late 1960s, racial tension remained high, particularly throughout the Southern region of the United States. How does Mike’s experience fit within the broader history of race relations in America?

CHAPTERS 4-7

Reading Check

1. What is Mark caught doing that leads to his arrest?

2. Why is Charlie released from draft duty?

3. From what state are the men whom Bryon hustles?

4. What is the nickname for the two-mile stretch of road where teenagers frequently hang out?

5. When Mark starts making lots of money, what does Bryon assume he is doing?

6. How does Mark get revenge on Angela?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. As Bryon and Mark reminisce, in what way(s) do they realize their friend group has changed?

2. Why do the rich, politically liberal students befriend Bryon?

3. How do Mark and Bryon differ in their responses to Charlie’s death?

4. What is it about Cathy that annoys Mark?

Paired Resource

“Mississippi Men: Pool Hustle 101”

This 2-minute History video features a young man who explains pool hustling. (Content Warning: The speaker uses brief profanity at :11 and 1:04.)
What does Bryon’s aptitude for pool hustling suggest about his character and his way of life? How do you think his feelings about pool hustling change following Charlie’s death? What kind of job might he look for in the future?

“A Comeback for the Gateway Drug Theory?”

This 2017 New York Times article by Douglas Quenqua evaluates evidence for and against the theory that cannabis or other substances can act as gateway drugs, which mirrors the viewpoint that Cathy expresses in Chapter 6. (Subscription may be needed to view.)
Based on this article, which factors are most likely to have influenced M&M’s decision to experiment with drugs? How would you rate the novel’s depiction of The Risk Factors for and Consequences of Substance Abuse in terms of accuracy thus far?

CHAPTERS 8-11

Reading Check

1. What nickname do the inhabitants of the commune house use for Mark?

2. What does Bryon ask Mark to do to the Shepherds after they beat him up?

3. What drug causes M&M to experience unsettling hallucinations?

4. In what location does Bryon discover a canister of drugs hidden?

5. What is the duration of Mark’s sentence?

6. Why isn’t Bryon allowed to visit Mark during his first few months in the reformatory?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. While he is recovering from his injuries at Terry’s house, why does Bryon ask the others to leave the room so he can talk to Mark?

2. How does Bryon finally make peace with Charlie’s memory?

3. How does Bryon’s experience with M&M influence his decision to report Mark to the police?

4. How does Angela feel about Bryon’s treatment of Mark? In what way(s) is her reaction to Bryon ironic?

Recommended Next Reads

Rumble Fish by S. E. Hinton

Hinton’s third novel is set in the same world as The Outsiders and That Was Then, This Is Now and furthers her exploration of the young adult experience.
Shared themes include The Choices and Responsibilities of Adulthood and The Vicious Cycle of Revenge.
Rumble Fish on SuperSummary

The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

Originally written for adults, this novel is now viewed as a classic text for young adults, capturing teenage angst and alienation.
Shared themes include The Choices and Responsibilities of Adulthood.
The Catcher in the Rye on SuperSummary

Reading Questions Answer Key

CHAPTERS 1-3

Reading Check

1. Pool hustling (Chapter 1)

2. He steals it. (Chapter 1)

3. His peace necklace (Chapter 1)

4. In the hospital cafeteria (Chapter 2)

5. His request for a job (Chapter 3)

6. Angela Shepherd (Chapter 3)

Short Answer

1. He overhears them planning to jump someone else. Their eagerness for more violence disturbs M&M, who desires peaceful behavior. (Chapter 1)

2. Bryon’s mother feels sympathy for Mike because he rarely has visitors. Her encouragement toward Mark and Bryon to visit Mike demonstrates her own sense of concern for others. (Chapter 2)

3. Instead of resenting his attackers, Mike tries to understand their perspective. This shows his forgiving and sympathetic nature, which helps to inspire Bryon toward a change in his own belief system. (Chapter 2)

4. Mr. Carlson is disappointed in and openly critical of M&M. He complains about his son’s appearance and poor performance in math and gym. (Chapter 3)

CHAPTERS 4-7

Reading Check

1. Hotwiring the principal’s car (Chapter 4)

2. Due to his criminal record (Chapter 5)

3. Texas (Chapter 5)

4. The Ribbon (Chapter 6)

5. Playing poker (Chapter 7)

6. He cuts off her hair. (Chapter 7)

Short Answer

1. They used to think and act as a group, but now they are drifting apart as individuals. (Chapter 4)

2. The wealthy students do this in order to show off how progressive they are; their behavior is not sincere. (Chapter 4)

3. Bryon is devastated and feels guilty, while Mark brushes it off. Bryon wants to reflect on the incident and analyze it, and he begins to spend more time with Cathy, who is more sympathetic to his emotions than Mark is. (Chapter 5)

4. Mark dislikes Cathy’s tendency to analyze his behavior as well as her preference for obeying laws and rules. (Chapter 6)

CHAPTERS 8-11

Reading Check

1. Cat (Chapter 8)

2. Leave them alone (Chapter 8)

3. LSD (Chapter 9)

4. Beneath Mark’s mattress (Chapter 10)

5. Five years (Chapter 11)

6. Due to Mark’s unruly behavior (Chapter 11)

Short Answer

1. In order to protect his reputation as a tough guy, Bryon requests a private audience with Mark; he doesn’t want the others to overhear him asking Mark not to attack the Shepherds. (Chapter 8)

2. He visits Charlie’s grave and verbally expresses his gratitude to Charlie. (Chapter 9)

3. Bryon’s observation of M&M’s drug-induced confusion, as well as the resulting pain of the Carlson family, convinces Bryon that dealing drugs is wrong. This leads him to report Mark. (Chapter 10)

4. She views it as evidence that Bryon is “low,” meaning that she does not have respect for Bryon’s character. This is ironic considering that Mark was the one who cut her hair and that Bryon’s intent is to adopt a more moral, less violent lifestyle. (Chapter 11)