The Graveyard Book Chapter 1 Summary

Questions and Answers

What is the man Jack doing in the house?

The man Jack is killing the Dorian family, but he cannot find the baby to kill it.

How old is the baby when the family was killed?

The baby is about 6 months to 1 year old (1 1/2).

What is the baby like?

He is very adventurous and precocious.

What does the baby see as it crawls up the hill outside?

He sees 'fog' surround him and it is the ghosts from the graveyard on the top of the hill. Signup and view all the answers

Who do the Owens see in the graveyard as the man Jack is trying to get over the fence, and what does she ask?

They see the baby's mom. She tells them that he (the man Jack) is trying to harm her baby and asks them to protect her son. Signup and view all the answers

What do the Owens want to do with the baby?

They want to keep it and be the parents since they never had children. Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the baby when Mrs. Owens hugs it as Jack is coming toward them, and what does Jack do?

It disappears and Jack goes toward them with his knife pulled, trying to find the baby. Signup and view all the answers

Who answers when Jack says hello, and what is this person like?

The caretaker answers. He is strange and wants to get Jack out of the graveyard. Signup and view all the answers

Why doesn't Jack try to stay in the graveyard?

The caretaker plays a mind trick on him and gets him to forget the baby and leave. Signup and view all the answers

How many 'people' are in the graveyard?

There are some ten thousand souls in the graveyard. Signup and view all the answers

What is the graveyard used as now?

A nature reserve. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Josiah Worthington?

He built furniture for the Worthington Manor house and was a local brewer, politician, and baronet. Signup and view all the answers

What are some problems the residents of the graveyard foresee if raising a baby?

They don't know where it would live or what they would feed him. Signup and view all the answers

Who is the caretaker?

Silas. Signup and view all the answers

What does Silas say he will do for the baby?

He says he will leave the graveyard to bring him food and be his guardian. Signup and view all the answers

What do they name the baby?

Nobody (Bod). Signup and view all the answers

How do they choose the baby's name?

They all say who the baby looks like, and Mrs. Owens says he looks like nobody but himself. Signup and view all the answers

What does Mrs. Owens do while she waits for the residents of the graveyard to decide if they should keep Bod?

She sings to Bod. Signup and view all the answers

Why doesn't Mrs. Owens know what a banana is?

Bananas were not discovered when she was living. Signup and view all the answers

What is the great democracy?

It is someone dying and going to heaven (death). Signup and view all the answers

What makes the graveyard decide to keep Nobody?

The lady on the grey rode by and talked to them. Signup and view all the answers

What do the residents of the graveyard give to Bod?

Freedom of the graveyard. Signup and view all the answers

What does Silas do after they decide to keep Bod?

He goes out before the sun comes up and goes to Bod's house to see the bodies of his family. Signup and view all the answers

What is troubling the man Jack, and what is he doing now that Bod is in the graveyard?

He doesn't know how his plan didn't work and wants to find the baby. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

The Graveyard Book Chapter 1 Summary

The Man Jack attempts to murder the entire Dorian family but fails to locate their baby.
The baby is approximately 1.5 years old at the time of the family's murder.
The child exhibits an adventurous and precocious nature.
While crawling outside, the baby perceives fog, which represents the ghosts from the graveyard on the hill.
The Owens couple sees the baby's mother in the graveyard, who urgently requests their protection for her son from Jack.
The Owens desire to adopt the baby and act as his parents since they are unable to have children of their own.
Mrs. Owens hugs the baby just as Jack approaches, causing the baby to vanish while Jack reaches for them with a knife drawn.
The caretaker of the graveyard, who is peculiar, confronts Jack and attempts to drive him away.
Jack is tricked by the caretaker into forgetting about the baby, thus leading him to leave the graveyard.
The graveyard is home to roughly ten thousand souls.
Currently, the graveyard is utilized as a nature reserve.
Josiah Worthington, a historical figure, was known for his furniture-making, brewing, political involvement, and status as a baronet.
Graveyard residents worry about practical challenges in raising a baby, including housing and feeding.
The caretaker of the graveyard is Silas.
Silas promises to leave the graveyard to provide food for the baby and to be his guardian.
The baby is named "Nobody," often shortened to "Bod."
The name "Bod" is chosen based on the observation of maternal resemblance, with Mrs. Owens' remark that he looks like "Nobody."
Mrs. Owens entertains Bod by singing as they await a decision from other graveyard residents.
Mrs. Owens is unfamiliar with bananas, as they were not known in her lifetime.
The term "great democracy" refers to the cycle of death leading to the afterlife.
The decision to keep the baby is influenced by a mysterious lady on a grey horse who interrupts their discussion.
Bod is granted the freedom of the graveyard by its residents.
Silas ventures out at dawn to visit Bod's home and inspect the bodies of his deceased family.
The Man Jack grapples with his failed plan while actively searching for the baby now hidden within the graveyard.

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Description

Explore the gripping events of Chapter 1 in 'The Graveyard Book' where a baby narrowly escapes a deadly encounter with Jack. The Owens couple steps in to protect the child, creating a blend of adventure and the supernatural. This summary delves into themes of family, protection, and the eerie ambiance of the graveyard.