All through his boyhood and young manhood George Willard had been in the habit of walking on

Question

Trunion Pike. He had been in the midst of the great open place on winter nights when it was covered with
snow and only the moon looked down at him; he had been there in the fall when bleak winds blew and on
summer evenings when the air vibrated with the song of insects. On the April morning he wanted to go there
again, to walk again in the silence. He did walk to where the road dipped down by a little stream two miles
from town and then turned and walked silently back again. When he got to Main Street clerks were sweeping
the sidewalks before the stores. “Hey, you George. How does it feel to be going away?” they asked.
2 The westbound train leaves Winesburg at seven forty-five in the morning. Tom Little is conductor.
His train runs from Cleveland to where it connects with a great trunk line railroad with terminals in Chicago
and New York. Tom has what in railroad circles is called an “easy run.” Every evening he returns to his family.
In the fall and spring he spends his Sundays fishing in Lake Erie. He has a round red face and small blue eyes.
He knows the people in the towns along his railroad better than a city man knows the people who live in his
apartment building.
3 George came down the little incline from the New Willard House at seven o’clock. Tom Willard
carried his bag. The son had become taller than the father.
4 On the station platform everyone shook the young man’s hand. More than a dozen people waited
about. Then they talked of their own affairs. Even Will Henderson, who was lazy and often slept until nine,
had got out of bed. George was embarrassed. Gertrude Wilmot, a tall thin woman of fifty who worked in the
Winesburg post office, came along the station platform. She had never before paid any attention to George.
Now she stopped and put out her hand. In two words she voiced what everyone felt. “Good luck,” she said
sharply and then turning went on her way.
5 George glanced up and down the car to be sure no one was looking, then took out his pocketbook
and counted his money. His mind was occupied with a desire not to appear green. Almost the last words his
father had said to him concerned the matter of his behavior when he got to the city. “Be a sharp one,” Tom
Willard had said. “Keep your eyes on your money. Be awake. That’s the ticket. Don’t let anyone think you’re a
greenhorn.”
6 After George counted his money he looked out of the window and was surprised to see that the train
was still in Winesburg.
7 The young man, going out of his town to meet the adventure of life, began to think but he did not
think of anything very big or dramatic. Things like his mother’s death, his departure from Winesburg, the
uncertainty of his future life in the city, the serious and larger aspects of his life did not come into his mind.
8 He thought of little things—Turk Smollet wheeling boards through the main street of his town in
the morning, a tall woman, beautifully gowned, who had once stayed overnight at his father’s hotel, ButchWheeler the lamp lighter of Winesburg hurrying through the streets on a summer evening and holding a
torch in his hand, Helen White standing by a window in the Winesburg post office and putting a stamp on
an envelope.
9 The young man’s mind was carried away by his growing passion for dreams. One looking at him
would not have thought him particularly sharp. With the recollection of little things occupying his mind he
closed his eyes and leaned back in the car seat. He stayed that way for a long time and when he aroused
himself and again looked out of the car window the town of Winesburg had disappeared and his life there had
become but a background on which to paint the dreams of his manhood.
How does George’s attitude toward his hometown change as events unfold?
A He begins to miss scenes of his childhood.
B He feels the town now belongs to his past.
C He thinks that the townspeople are critical of him.
D He begins to enjoy speaking with the people of the town.

2 George Willard thinks more about his past than his future as he is leaving Winesburg. Which
of the following sentences from the passage best supports this statement?
A “The young man, going out of his town to meet the adventure of life, began to think but
he did not think of anything very big or dramatic.”
B “He thought of little things—Turk Smollet wheeling boards through the main street of
his town in the morning. . . .”
C “The young man’s mind was carried away by his growing passion for dreams.”
D “One looking at him would not have thought him particularly sharp.”
Answer Parts A, B, and C below.

Part A
Circle one word that describes George based on evidence from the text. There is more than
one correct choice listed below.
dreamy friendly ambitious
bold angry inexperienced

Part B
Find a sentence in the passage with details that support your response to Part A. Write the
sentence on the lines below.

Part C
Find a second sentence in the passage with details that support your response
to Part A. Write the sentence on the lines below.

4 George has a hard time leaving Winesburg because he realizes how much the people and
place have meant to him. Write a paragraph in which you agree or disagree with this claim.
Cite information from the text that supports your answer.

Answer 1

Part A

Circle one word that describes George based on evidence from the text:
dreamy

Part B

Find a sentence in the passage with details that support your response to Part A. Write the sentence on the lines below.
"The young man’s mind was carried away by his growing passion for dreams."

Part C

Find a second sentence in the passage with details that support your response to Part A. Write the sentence on the lines below.
"His mind was occupied with a desire not to appear green."

---

Paragraph Response

I agree with the claim that George has a hard time leaving Winesburg because he realizes how much the people and place have meant to him. Throughout the passage, George reflects on small but significant memories from his hometown, such as "Turk Smollet wheeling boards through the main street" and "Helen White standing by a window in the Winesburg post office." These recollections demonstrate a deep connection to his past and highlight the fondness he has for his everyday experiences in Winesburg. Additionally, when Gertrude Wilmot, a woman who had never paid attention to him before, wishes him "Good luck," it signifies a communal bond that he is leaving behind. Ultimately, his recalling of these little details rather than focusing on his uncertainties about the future illustrates that while he is moving forward, he is acutely aware of the impact his hometown has had on his identity and dreams.