Swindle

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

Think about the old saying, “Finders, keepers.” What are some of the moral implications of this guidance? For example, if someone finds $100 in the street and keeps it, what might the repercussions include? What might the decision to keep or not keep the money say about the finder? What are examples of different moral views that individuals might have on this topic?

Teaching Suggestion: Griffin’s family is struggling financially when Griffin discovers a Babe Ruth card in a building that is set for demolition. Griffin claims the card as his own, despite his friend’s protests that it belongs to the homeowner. The pair take the card to a local collector who claims the card is a reproduction and pays them $200 for it. Griffin later discovers the collector lied and intends to auction the baseball card for a massive profit. This sparks an ethical debate between Griffin and some of his friends as Griffin is determined to steal the card back from the collector because he believes it rightfully belongs to him.