Discussion Director: Harry Tse

Question:

Can you give an explanation why Jesse Tuck did not let Winnie drink the spring water?

(Chapter 5: page 28, 29)

Does this occurrence remind you of any real-life experiences?

Responses:

The reason Jesse Tuck did not let Winnie drink the water was because he wanted to protect her.  He did not want her to become immortal.  She was only ten years old and maybe Jesse thought Winnie was too young and she didn't know what the water would do to her.

This reminds me of a real life experience when my parents wouldn't let me do certain things because they were protecting me.  There is not one instance that sticks out in my mind.

By Poppiti, Stephanie

I think the water was the same water that flowed from the tree and made Tuck's family immortal. He is trying to defer her from drinking it by telling her that is dirty when it is actually not. She is young and impressionable, adults or older kids usually have that influence over younger kids. I remember when I was growing up in St. Lucia every summer we would actually live on the beach because our home is about 2 minutes walk away. My mum would assign tasks to each of us and we could go to the beach with my eldest sister. Every time she went out with her friends and the three of us were left alone something would always happen to get us in trouble with mum.

By Joseph, Delia

At first I did not understand why this boy was drinking water from a dirty puddle on the ground. After learning that Tuck family were immortal, I gathered that Jesse was simply quenching his thirst. Since he knows that nothing can harm him, it really didn't make a difference to Jesse where he acquired the water from. Unlike him however, he new that Winnie could be harmed if she drank the unsanitary water. I think Jesse was trying to protect her in not letting her drink the water.

By David, Belinda

I think that Jessee knows that that water makes someone become immortal and not be subjected to aging and that she doesn't want Winnie to become immortal like her.  Jessee's selfishness reflects the mentality of certain teachers who have mastered the art of teaching, but who are preventing from reaching that level by pointing to certain potential danger and difficulties of trying.   Jesse might have make it sound like the water is unclean and that Winnie would be hurt if she drank it; when the real issue here is she wants to prevent Winnie from reaching the level of immortality.  After all, we like other people to admire us for our prowesses; at the same time we don't want them to acquire those prowesses.

Jean-Francois, Karl