1. What picture do we get of Blacky in the first chapter? Consider, for example, his sense of humor.
From the chapter one we do not learn very much about Blacky’s life as the chapter mostly goes into the upcoming football grand final. However we do find some important points about Blacky’s life in this chapter. One he plays football, two he is second ruck, three he becomes first ruck after the person playing first ruck was disqualified and five he is suddenly the most important person in the town.
2. In Chapter 4, Arks takes Blacky for some extra rucking practice. Before this Blacky has given the impression that he is always making fun of Arks. How does he feel towards Arks at the end of this chapter and why does he say to Arks, 'Don't worry, we're gonna win this one'?
Chapter four sees Blacky does some rucking practice with Arks. As the first ruck, Carol, was disqualified they had no time to find a new one so Blacky was appointed first ruck. However when Arks sees Blacky play he realizes how his hope of finally winning a grand final has been lost. Even Blacky recognizes this. “This was his big chance – the talk was that next year the Point would get organized, field its own team – and he’d lost Carol, his best player, his first ruck. All he had was me – Jam-Jar Black” (Page 19).
3. We first meet Dumby Red in Chapter 5. What is your impression of him in this first meeting? What is Blacky's impression of him?
When we first read about Dumby Red we find that he cares greatly about his appearance, he is very athletic and the fact that he is extremely good at playing football. When Blacky first meets Dumby in the boys change room he thinks that Dumby is up himself and that he is stupid due to the fact he does not know what position he plays on the field. After seeing how skilled Dumby is, Blacky’s first impressions turn to jealousy as Dumby has it all, “This Dumby Red was trendy, he was talented, he was up himself, he wore Jezza’s number, and he had that smile” (Page 25).
4. In Chapters 6, 7 and 8 we get a good view of Blacky's family life. How would you describe it? What sort of relationship does he have with his siblings and why is Best Team-man called Best Team-man?
Blacky’s family consists of eight children, four boys and four girls, and two parents. Due to the fact that there are so many children it makes their family life somewhat seem like a football team. “I reckon a family is like a football team. Perhaps it’s the original team” (Page 42). His relationship with his siblings is very predictable for a family of that size. From the brief description of his siblings (bar Team-man) in the book, barley a page, it suggests to me that to Blacky at that moment football was his main focus, not so much his brothers and sisters. Best Team-man, Blacky’s brother, was given a whole chapter that gives the origins of his nickname Best Team-man
5. Why had Blacky never been to the Point? (Chapter 10)
Blacky has never been to the Point, though he has tried once, due to stories he has heard at the local pub that tells of wild Aborigines that attack people with their spears and boomerangs. “But then we started thinking about those stories they told in the front bar – wild Nungas with spears, boomerangs that came from nowhere and knock you senseless”(Page 57) .
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