Study Questions
1. Sam tells Matt that his mule is in trouble by the lake. What has supposedly happened with the mule?

2. What does Joe do before he buys the mule?

3. How much does Matt get for the mule?

4. What is Sam and Lige’s argument about?

5. What position does each man hold in this argument, and what proof do they offer?

6. Why are Jim and Dave arguing in the store?

7. How does Joe ruin the argument for Janie?

8. According to Joe, what is the difference between him and Janie?

9. Why does Joe pretend to read the paper when Mrs. Robbins walks in?

10. What does God supposedly tell Janie?

Answers
1. The women of the town are washing clothes by the lake and are using the mule’s ribs for a washboard.

2. Joe changes his shoes in order to make Matt wait longer.

3. Matt sells his mule for five dollars.

4. Lige asks Sam if it is caution or nature that keeps a man from sitting on a stove.

5. Lige maintains that caution keeps a man from touching a stove because you have to teach babies not to touch stoves. Therefore, caution is taught and not natural. Sam believes that at the root of everything is nature, and since nature created caution, nature is what keeps a man from hurting himself.

6. They are arguing about who loves Daisy Blunt more.

7. Janie is watching the argument with pleasure, but Joe calls her into the store to wait on Mrs. Bogle.

8. Joe claims that their difference is “When Ah sees one thing Ah understands ten. You see ten things and don’t understand one.” In other words, Janie needs him to work properly, but he doesn’t need her.

9. Everyone in the store is waiting for Mrs. Robbins to plead. Once she does, everyone laughs and Joe begins to humor her.

10. God tells Janie that men will be surprised if they “ever find out you don’t know half as much” about women as they think.