Questions About The House of the Scorpion (Matteo Alacran, #1)

by Nancy Farmer (Goodreads Author)

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Answered Questions (12)

Rogue Dragon As a 13-year-old, having read it at the age of 12, I believe that 13 is a good age to read The House of the Scorpion. There are several instances in …more As a 13-year-old, having read it at the age of 12, I believe that 13 is a good age to read The House of the Scorpion. There are several instances in which dark and possibly scary themes emerge, so this book should only be read by confident readers in their early teens. This book contains instances of violence, abuse, and ethical issues concerning cloning, as well as drug use and religious debate. However, this should not tarnish the excellence of this book, as it deserves the Newbery Medal, and is a well-written book full of good messages and ideas.(less)

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How do you think experiences effect you? In the book, two people are exactly alike, but they aren't exactly alike at the same time, they both view things differently and act differently but they both have the same DNA..... So, why is that?

Armi One of the reasons I'm moved by this book is because I am an identical twin and I'm constantly fascinated by this Nature Vs Nurture debate. To the out…moreOne of the reasons I'm moved by this book is because I am an identical twin and I'm constantly fascinated by this Nature Vs Nurture debate. To the outside world, My sister and I seem very similar- both tenacious and emotional (Just like Matt and El Patron)- but when we get into the nitty gritty about our emotions and relationships to the people around us, I notice amazing differences in the way my sister and I behave & think. Sometimes, I can't even believe we are the same person, genetically speaking, and other times I'm just like "Yup, That's genetics, right there." The weird thing is that my sister has been different to me since we were born. My relatives will always say things like "yup, I've always known you were the xxx one" so its hard to figure out if it is actually nurture that makes us so different. So Matt's relationship to El Patron and his acknowledgment that they share so much alike while still being wildly different is interesting to me. (less)

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