Matthew's Dream

by Leo Lionni

Questions for Philosophical Discussion
by Kate Vigour and Nancy Soudant
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Matthew is very impressed when he goes to the art museum for the first time.

  1. If you draw, color, or paint, does that make you an artist?
  2. If someone is passionate about their artwork, does that make them an artist?
  3. Do you consider yourself an artist?
  4. Does your work need to be in a museum for you to be considered an artist?
  5. Could a child’s artwork be in a museum?


When Matthew goes to the museum, he says, “The world is all here.”

  1. What did he mean by that?
  2. Could the whole world actually be in one building?
  3. Is it possible for a museum to have a representation of the whole world in it?


Matthew goes to the museum and is inspired to become an artist after looking at all of the art work there.

  1. What does it mean to be inspired?
  2. Have you ever done or saw something that inspired you?
  3. Do you have to have inspiration to make good art?
  4. Can art be made without inspiration?
  5. Does something have to be good to inspire you? Why or why not?
  6. Is it good if it doesn’t look like anything recognizable?



The book shows several different pieces of art from the museum.

  1. Does something have to be man-made to be considered art, or can it come from nature?
  2. Does something have to evoke a feeling in order for it to be considered art?
  3. What if you see something different than what the artist meant for you to see? Is that OK?
  4. If someone really likes a piece of art, and another person really dislikes it, can it still be considered a piece of art?
  5. Can two people interpret the same thing differently and both be right?


Not all art is realistic.

  1. What is abstract art?
  2. What makes it abstract?
  3. When you look at a piece of art, especially an abstract piece, do you all have to see the same thing in it?
  4. Can you think of any other types of art other than paintings?


After visiting the museum Matthew is able to see his dark, dreary corner in the attic in a new way.

  1. If it was still the same old newspapers, magazines, broken lamp, and doll parts, how was he able to view it differently?
  2. What made it possible for him to see things differently?
  3. Can something messy, broken, or junky also be beautiful, and if so how?

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