Dirk the Protector

by Gary Paulsen

Main Idea:
The story is about a boy who becomes friends with a stray dog named Dirk, who protects him from bullies and
ultimately finds a new home on a farm.

Supporting Details:
1. Meeting Dirk:
• The boy meets Dirk, a tough alley dog, while trying to avoid bullies one night. Dirk scares
away the bullies and starts following the boy.

2. Dirk's Protection:
• Dirk acts as a bodyguard for the boy, following him everywhere and protecting him from
the bullies who used to terrorize him.

3. Dirk's New Home:

• Eventually, the boy takes Dirk to a farm where he works during the summer. Dirk finds a
new home there, protecting the farmer's sheep from coyotes.

Conflicts

Internal Conflict:
The boy struggles with his feelings of loneliness and fear. He feels scared and hopeless because he is bullied
and has to live away from his home.
• Feeling Hopeless:
The boy feels hopeless because he is often attacked by bullies and doesn't know how to stop them. He
can't find a way to stay safe on his own.
• Loneliness:
The boy feels lonely living in the basement by himself and working hard to survive. He doesn't have
anyone to talk to or help him until he meets Dirk.

External Conflict:
The boy faces danger from the bullies who try to hurt him and steal his money. Dirk, the stray dog, helps protect
him from these bullies.

• Bullies Attacking:
The boy is often attacked by a group of boys who steal his money and hurt him, making it dangerous
for him to be out at night.

• Dirk Protecting the Boy:

When the bullies try to attack the boy, Dirk fights them off, scaring them away and keeping the boy
safe. This shows how Dirk helps with the boy’s external conflict.
Characters:
1. The Boy (Narrator):
• Role in the Story: He is the main character who has a hard life and is bullied. He meets Dirk, the
dog, who helps him.
• Physical Appearance: We don't know much about how he looks, but he works hard and is often
tired.
• Personality: He is strong, hard-working, and kind. Even though things are tough, he finds ways to
keep going and is nice to Dirk.

2. Dirk (The Dog):

• Role in the Story: Dirk is a stray dog who becomes the boy's protector and later finds a home
on a farm.
• Physical Appearance: Dirk is big and tough-looking with messy, patchy fur and scars from
fights. He is a mix of different breeds.
• Personality: Dirk is brave and protective. He is loyal to the boy and scares away the bullies. He
can be fierce but also gentle when he trusts the boy.

3. Happy Santun:
• Role in the Story: Happy is the main bully who often attacks the boy with his friends.
• Physical Appearance: Happy is big and strong, like a big freezer.
• Personality: Happy is mean and likes to hurt the boy. He is not very smart and ends up in
trouble later.

4. Olaf (The Farmer):

• Role in the Story: Olaf is the farmer who gives Dirk a new home where Dirk helps guard the sheep.
• Physical Appearance: We don't know much about how Olaf looks.
• Personality: Olaf is kind and practical. He sees that Dirk is good at protecting and gives him a place
to belong.

Setting of the Story:

➢ When:
The story happens during a time when the boy is living in a tough situation, likely around the 1950s to 1960s,
based on the context of the story.

• Where:
The story takes place in a city where the boy lives in a basement.
There are streets and alleys where the boy often walks and meets Dirk.
Later, the story also takes place on a farm where Dirk finds a new home and helps protect the sheep.
Stages of the Plot:

Exposition:
• Setting the Scene: The story starts by introducing the boy who lives in a basement and faces bullies
every day. He is lonely and afraid.

Rising Action:
• Meeting Dirk: One night, the boy meets Dirk, a stray dog, who scares away the bullies. Dirk starts
following the boy everywhere and becomes his protector.

• Gaining Confidence: With Dirk by his side, the boy feels safer and the bullies stop bothering him.

Climax:
• Big Change: The most exciting part of the story is when the boy decides to take Dirk to the farm where
he works during the summer. Dirk's protective nature impresses the farmer.

Falling Action:
• New Life for Dirk: Dirk starts living on the farm, where he guards the sheep and has a safe, new home.

Resolution:
• Happy Ending: The boy feels relieved knowing Dirk is happy and safe. The story ends with both the boy
and Dirk having found better lives.

Moral of the Story:

The story teaches us about kindness, bravery, and finding friendship in unexpected places.

1. Kindness to Others:

o The boy shows kindness to Dirk by giving him food and care. This kindness helps them become
friends and shows how being kind can make a big difference.

2. Bravery in Difficult Times:

o The boy is brave even when he is scared of the bullies. He keeps going to work and school, and
this bravery helps him survive tough times.

3. Friendship and Loyalty:

o Dirk stays loyal to the boy and protects him from danger. Their friendship shows that true friends
look out for each other, no matter what.
1-Who is the main character in the story?
A. Dirk
B. The boy (Narrator)
C. Olaf
D. Happy Santun
2-What role does Dirk play in the story?
A. The boy's bully
B. A stray dog who becomes the boy's protector
C. The farmer who gives Dirk a new home
D. The boy’s friend from school
3-What is the physical appearance of Dirk?
A. Small and neat with shiny fur
B. Big and tough-looking with messy, patchy fur
C. Tiny and cute with fluffy fur
D. Slim and sleek with clean fur
4-Who is Happy Santun?
A. The boy's friend
B. The main bully who attacks the boy
C. The farmer who gives Dirk a new home
D. Another stray dog
5-What personality traits best describe the boy
(Narrator)?
A. Lazy and mean
B. Strong, hard-working, and kind
C. Scared and hopeless
D. Wealthy and spoiled
6-Where does the boy meet Dirk for the first time?
A. At school
B. At the farm
C. In an alley while trying to avoid bullies
D. At a park
7-What is the climax of the story?
A. The boy meets Dirk
B. Dirk scares away the bullies
C. The boy takes Dirk to the farm
D. The boy moves to a new home
8-What is the resolution of the story?
A. The boy continues to be bullied
B. The boy and Dirk leave the city
C. Dirk starts living on the farm, and the boy feels
relieved knowing Dirk is happy and safe
D. The boy gets a new job
9-What is the main idea of the story?
A. A boy who becomes friends with a stray dog named
Dirk, who protects him from bullies and ultimately finds
a new home on a farm
B. A boy who learns to fight his bullies on his own
C. A boy who moves to a farm to escape city life
D. A dog who runs away from home
10-Which event marks the beginning of the falling
action in the story?
A. The boy meets Dirk
B. Dirk starts following the boy
C. The boy takes Dirk to the farm
D. The boy gets a job
11-What is the boy's internal conflict?
A. Fear of animals
B. Struggling with feelings of loneliness and fear due to
being bullied
C. Deciding whether to stay in the city or move to the
farm
D. Finding a place for Dirk to live
12-What is the boy's external conflict?
A. Struggling to do well in school
B. Danger from bullies who try to hurt him and steal his
money
C. Deciding whether to adopt Dirk
D. Keeping up with chores at the farm
13-How does Dirk help with the boy’s external
conflict?
A. By helping with homework
B. By scaring away the bullies and keeping the boy
safe
C. By finding food for the boy
D. By talking to the bullies
14-Where does the boy live?
A. In a basement
B. In a farmhouse
C. In an apartment
D. In a mansion
15-Where does Dirk find a new home?
A. In the city
B. At a school
C. On a farm
D. In a shelter
16- What is one of the main themes of the story? 23-What does the boy struggle with at the
A. The importance of wealth beginning of the story?
B. Kindness, bravery, and finding friendship in A. Finding food
unexpected places B. Being attacked by bullies and living alone
C. The benefits of living in the city C. Doing well in school
D. The dangers of having pets D. Taking care of Dirk

17- How does the boy show kindness to Dirk?
A. By taking him to the vet
B. By giving him food and care
C. By playing with him every day
D. By letting him stay in his room
24-Why is Dirk's appearance significant?
A. It makes him look friendly
B. It makes him look intimidating to the bullies
C. It makes him look sick
D. It makes him blend in with other dogs

18- What lesson does the story teach about 25-What kind of life does Dirk have before meeting
bravery? the boy?
A. Bravery involves fighting bullies A. A comfortable home life
B. Bravery is about moving to new places B. A tough life as a stray dog
C. Bravery involves facing tough times and continuing C. A life with another family
to go to work and school despite fear D. A life as a farm dog
D. Bravery is about adopting animals
26- What is Happy Santun's physical appearance
compared to?
19-How does Dirk initially protect the boy? A. A refrigerator
A. By barking loudly B. A car
B. By fighting off the bullies C. A lion
C. By running away with the boy D. A big freezer
D. By hiding the boy
27-How does Dirk help the farmer Olaf?
20-What happens when the boy takes Dirk to the A. By guarding the house
farm? B. By protecting the sheep from coyotes
A. Dirk runs away C. By helping with farm chores
B. Dirk becomes a farm dog and helps protect the D. By scaring away thieves
sheep
C. Dirk becomes the farmer's pet 28-What is the setting of the story's exposition?
D. Dirk returns to the city A. A busy city street
B. A quiet village
21-How does the boy feel after meeting Dirk? C. The boy's basement living space
A. More scared D. The farm
B. Safer and more confident
C. Angry 29-What internal struggle does the boy face after
D. Indifferent Dirk comes into his life?
A. Deciding whether to keep Dirk or find him a new
22- What role does Olaf play in the story? home
A. The boy's father B. Deciding whether to run away from the city
B. A school teacher C. Deciding whether to tell his parents
C. The farmer who gives Dirk a new home D. Deciding whether to take Dirk to the farm
D. Another bully
Statement True False
1. The boy meets Dirk while trying to avoid bullies one night.
2. Dirk is a small, friendly-looking dog with clean fur.
3. Happy Santun is the boy’s best friend.
4. The boy feels lonely and scared because he is often attacked by bullies.
5. Dirk protects the boy by scaring away the bullies.
6. The boy lives in a basement.
7. Olaf is a bully who often attacks the boy.
8. Dirk finds a new home on a farm where he helps protect the sheep.
9. The boy feels hopeful and safe before meeting Dirk.
10. Dirk is described as having a tough appearance with patchy fur and scars from fights.
11. The boy struggles with feelings of loneliness and hopelessness.
12. Dirk helps the boy by doing his homework.
13. The main idea of the story is about a boy and a stray dog who become friends and protect each other.
14. The story takes place in a rural village with no signs of city life.
15. Happy Santun is described as being big and strong, like a big freezer.
16. The story teaches us about bravery and kindness.
17. Dirk’s protective nature does not impress the farmer.
18. The boy takes Dirk to a farm where he works during the summer.
19. At the end of the story, the boy feels relieved knowing Dirk is happy and safe.
20. The boy stops being bullied after Dirk starts following him.
21. Dirk is described as a mix of different breeds.
22. The boy’s internal conflict includes feeling hopeless due to constant bullying.
23. Dirk initially scares away the bullies by barking loudly.
24. The resolution of the story involves Dirk finding a new home on the farm and the boy feeling relieved.
25. The boy and Dirk’s friendship shows that true friends look out for each other.
26. Olaf is kind and practical, giving Dirk a place to belong.
27. The boy feels more confident and safe with Dirk by his side.
28. The story takes place entirely on the farm.
29. The rising action includes the boy gaining confidence as Dirk protects him.
30. The story’s moral includes the importance of wealth.
1. B. The boy (Narrator)
2. B. A stray dog who becomes the boy's protector
Answers
3. B. Big and tough-looking with messy, patchy fur
4. B. The main bully who attacks the boy 1. True
5. B. Strong, hard-working, and kind 2. False
6. C. In an alley while trying to avoid bullies
3. False
7. C. The boy takes Dirk to the farm
8. C. Dirk starts living on the farm, and the boy feels 4. True
relieved knowing Dirk is happy and safe 5. True
9. A. A boy who becomes friends with a stray dog 6. True
named Dirk, who protects him from bullies and 7. False
ultimately finds a new home on a farm 8. True
10. C. The boy takes Dirk to the farm 9. False
11. B. Struggling with feelings of loneliness and fear due
10. True
to being bullied
12. B. Danger from bullies who try to hurt him and steal 11. True
his money 12. False
13. B. By scaring away the bullies and keeping the boy 13. True
safe 14. False
14. A. In a basement 15. True
15. C. On a farm
16. True
16. B. Kindness, bravery, and finding friendship in
unexpected places
17. False
17. B. By giving him food and care 18. True
18. C. Bravery involves facing tough times and continuing 19. True
to go to work and school despite fear 20. True
19. B. By fighting off the bullies 21. True
20. B. Dirk becomes a farm dog and helps protect the 22. True
sheep
23. False
21. B. Safer and more confident
22. C. The farmer who gives Dirk a new home 24. True
23. B. Being attacked by bullies and living alone 25. True
24. B. It makes him look intimidating to the bullies 26. True
25. B. A tough life as a stray dog 27. True
26. D. A big freezer 28. False
27. B. By protecting the sheep from coyotes 29. True
28. C. The boy's basement living space
30. False
29. A. Deciding whether to keep Dirk or find him a new
home