Scholastic Canada: I Am Canada

Discussion Guide: I Am Canada: Shot at Dawn

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  1. In Shot at Dawn, Allan makes several decisions: to join the army, not to accept Ken's help to avoid danger and battle, to stay with Sommerfield after he recovers a bit from his shell-shock. Do you think he made the right decisions? Why? What motivated Allan to make each decision? What decision do you think you might make in similar circumstances?
  2. Was Allan loyal? Brave? How did he try to reconcile his need to keep himself alive with being a good soldier?
  3. The training at Etaples was very harsh and impersonal. The cruelty was exceptional, but much military training is harsh and impersonal. Can you think why that might be so? Does that kind of training make better or worse soldiers? How?
  4. Why did new recruits feel almost ignorant when they had their first taste of battle? How could the seasoned soldiers help them out?
  5. Is anyone ever justified in fighting a war? Can you think of any circumstances when it might be all right to fight a war? Can you think of any wars that were fought for that reason? Is there a way that the reason you thought of could be resolved without fighting a war?

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