Heidi Study Questions

1. Do you think it was right of Dete to leave Heidi with Grandfather? Did she have any other choice? What would you have done in her position?

2. Why do you think Heidi and Grandmother enjoy each other’s company so much? Is there anyone you love to spend time with?

3. Why doesn’t Grandfather want to send Heidi to school? Do you agree with his reasons?

4. How do you think Heidi feels when she enters Klara’s house? Have you ever been thrown into an entirely new situation? How did you react?

5. How does the city differ from the country? Where would you prefer to live?

6. Fraulein Rottenmeier tells Heidi that she is an ungrateful child because she wants to return to the mountain. Do you agree? How would you have reacted to this if you were in Heidi’s position?

7. Why do you suppose Heidi is so eager to leave Klara and go home? Why does Klara want her to stay? Have you ever been homesick? How did you get over it?

8. Fraulein Rottenmeier and Grandmamma have very different methods of running the household. Who do you think is more effective? Have you ever known anyone like Fraulein Rottenmeier or Grandmamma?

9. How do the tutor’s methods of teaching Heidi to read differ from Grandmamma’s methods? Why do you think Grandmamma was so successful? Have you ever taught anyone to do something?

10. Were you surprised to find out the true identity of the ghost? Who did you think it would be? Do you believe in ghosts?

11. In a certain way, Heidi’s trip to Frankfurt causes many things to change for the better. What were some of the things that changed? What do you think would have happened if Heidi had not gone away?

12. Why is Peter mad at the doctor? Do you think he is right to be upset? Have you ever been jealous of someone?

13. Why doesn’t Peter get in trouble for destroying Klara’s chair? Do you think he deserved to be rewarded? What is the best reward you ever received? What was the worst punishment?

14. When Grandmamma asks Heidi what she would like, Heidi answers that she wants her bed from Frankfurt sent for Grandmother. What did you expect her to ask for? What would you have requested in her place?

15. How does Grandfather change? What do you think caused this change?

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