Chapter 5: The Hundred Dresses – Part I

Who was Wanda Petronski?
Wanda was a quiet Polish girl who came to school in faded clothes and claimed she had a hundred dresses, which others didn’t believe.

Why was Wanda different from other girls?
She had a foreign name, wore the same blue dress every day, and lived in a poor neighborhood, making her stand out.

What did Wanda claim in class?
She claimed to have a hundred dresses all lined up in her closet, even though she wore only one dress to school.

Why did other girls make fun of Wanda?
They didn’t believe her and thought she was lying about her hundred dresses. Her silence and poor background made her an easy target.

Who were Peggy and Maddie?
Peggy was the popular girl who often teased Wanda, and Maddie was her best friend who felt bad but stayed silent.

How did Wanda react to the teasing?
Wanda never got angry or cried. She stayed calm, didn’t respond, and walked away silently.

Where did Wanda live?
She lived in Boggins Heights, a poor and distant area, symbolizing her family’s lower social status.

What was the girls’ regular joke?
They would ask Wanda how many dresses, shoes, and hats she had, knowing she would repeat the same answer.

Why didn’t Maddie stop Peggy from teasing Wanda?
She feared being teased herself because she was also poor and wore hand-me-down clothes.

What was Maddie’s inner conflict?
She didn’t like the teasing but couldn’t find the courage to speak up or defend Wanda.

What kind of girl was Peggy?
Peggy was confident, clever, and kind in other ways, but she thought teasing Wanda was just fun, not cruelty.

Why did Wanda not come to school one day?
At the end of the chapter, it’s revealed Wanda had stopped coming to school, though the exact reason is not yet known.

What made Maddie feel uncomfortable?
She started to feel guilty about Wanda’s humiliation and her own silence, questioning whether Peggy’s teasing was right.

What does the hundred dresses symbolize?
It represents Wanda’s imagination, creativity, and desire to fit in or be valued like the others.

Why didn’t Wanda complain to anyone?
She was shy and perhaps too proud to show hurt. She chose silence over confrontation.

How did Wanda’s poverty affect her school life?
It made her an outsider. Her clothes and background became reasons for others to look down on her.

What is the tone of the story?
The tone is gentle and reflective, highlighting themes of bullying, regret, and empathy.

Why is Maddie a more relatable character?
Many readers identify with her internal struggle—wanting to do the right thing but fearing judgment or rejection.

How did Peggy justify her actions?
She believed she wasn’t cruel and never made Wanda cry, so teasing her wasn’t wrong in her eyes.

What is the setting of the story?
The story is set in a small American town and school during the 1930s or 40s, reflecting social divisions of the time.

What is the narrator’s view on teasing?
The story subtly condemns teasing and shows how it can harm people even if it’s seen as a joke.

How does the chapter show class discrimination?
Wanda’s poverty and her Polish background make her a target, reflecting how children often mirror society’s prejudices.

What does Maddie plan to do?
She thinks about writing Wanda a note to apologize, showing her growing conscience.

What is the role of silence in the story?
Wanda’s silence hides her pain, and Maddie’s silence reflects complicity. The story teaches that silence can hurt as much as words.

How is the title “The Hundred Dresses” symbolic?
It captures Wanda’s imaginative world and hints at the deeper beauty and talent hidden behind her plain appearance.

What lesson is emerging in Part I?
Kindness matters. Judging someone by appearance can be deeply unfair, and staying silent can make one a part of the problem.

Why is Maddie starting to regret her silence?
She realizes her fear of becoming a target stopped her from doing what was right, and she begins to feel ashamed.

What does Wanda’s character teach us?
Dignity, patience, and silent strength. Even when mistreated, she holds her ground without anger.

What is the major conflict in the story?
The internal conflict in Maddie—between her loyalty to Peggy and her guilt for letting Wanda be bullied.

What can we expect in Part II?
A resolution to Maddie’s guilt and possibly a deeper understanding of Wanda’s world, talent, and silent strength.