Outside Text-Wizard's First Rule

Wizard's First Rule
Author-Terry Goodkind
Published-1994

Wizard's First Rule is the first book in the Sword of Truth Series. The book introduces the main characters Richard and Kahlan. I don't want to give a lot away, but basically Kahlan comes looking for a wizard, meets Richard, Richard discovers who the wizard is and is then named the Seeker of Truth. Richard is then pretty much the only person with a chance of defeating the villain Darken Rahl. It's a great book with lots of magic and magical creatures, love, hate, fighting, humor, and a lot of twists and turns along the way. It's great on it's own, but the series that it precedes is definetely one worth reading.

Grass

The Lost City of Faar-D.J. MacHale
Black Water-D.J. MacHale
Temple of the Winds-Terry Goodkind

For some reason I was really exited that there were horses in this book. It was an odd connection, but it really caught me and held my attention in the book, even though the horses had next to nothing to do with the story. I think the fact that the Hippae were horselike also helped.

Was I the only one that thought perhaps the foxen would morph into yet another creature? (I was thinking bats myself)

Grass

Related Texts:

A Million Open Doors - John Barnes

Hyperion - Dan Simmons

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card

I really enjoyed this novel. I thought that the evolution of the foxen was interesting, in that the Hippae did were antagonistic to what they grow into. The reactions of the Arabia to the malevolence of the Hippae was a good counterpoint to how mankind dealt with the disease they were spreading.

When the Arabia discovered that the disease they were suffering from was caused by the Hippae, it seems that they simply let it happen, following their moral code to do no violence to sentient beings. What kind of comparisons can be drawn between the Arabia in this novel and the buggers in Ender's Game?

Outside Text - The Amber Spyglass

Text:  The Amber Spyglass:  His Dark Materials - Book III

Author:  Philip Pullman

First published in 2000

This is a continuation of the story of Lyra.  In a remote cave in another world Lyra is being kept asleep by her mother, Mrs. Coulter.  While asleep she dreams of her friend Roger, whom she led to his death in the first book.  She talks to him and promises him that she will rescue him from the world of the dead.  Meanwhile, Will (the keeper of the knife that can cut anything including doorways into other worlds) is searching for Lrya with the protection of two outcast angels and Professor Mary Malone has stumbled into a world with elephant-like animals that are based around a wheel and natural roads.

Will finds Lyra and with the help of the armored bear king and two small spies, awakens her.  In an attempt to escape he breaks the knife by being unsure where he wants to cut to.  The armored bear king fixes the knife and then Lyra, Will, and the two spies go to the world of the dead where they must separate from their daemons (a part of their soul;  Lyra's takes a physical shape - Pantalaimon).  Lyra convinces the half bird half woman creatures that feed on the guilt and shame of the ghosts that they could have the job of showing those who tell the truth to the way out of the world of the dead and to a happier end.  The main creature leads them to where they would be able to cut into another world.  In the process they have to pass a hole of nothingness, in which Lyra almost falls.  Through the passage cut by Will, the ghosts pass through and become part of everything, what the ghosts feel as relief.

This world is dangerous for Will and Lyra because there is a war going on between the Metatron - the militaristic angel that took over for the Authority (claimed himself creator) because he was too old, and those who are trying to overthrow the Church.  A witch had previously made a prophecy the Lyra would be tempted like Eve and the decision she made would determine the outcome of the war and the survival of humanity.

Don't want to give away the ending!

Grass

The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. LeGuin
Foreigner - C.J. Cherryh
Gateway - Frederik Pohl

I found the hierarchy system on the planet of Grass to be quite interesting and also very amusing. I enjoyed the fact that the townspeople were more intelligent and productive than the bons at the estates, but still let the bons believe they were in charge.

Why do you think the author chose to explore the possibility of a romantic side (and thus the idea of beastiality) to the relationship between Marjorie and Him?

The Dispossessed

The Giver - Lois Lowery

Comment:

I liked the non-linear structure of the book.  The plot would not have been nearly as interesting if it went chronologically.

Question:

It seems that Le Guin was more interesting in writing about how society could change in the future rather than how technology would.  How relevant is the book when talking about present day American culture?

The Dispossessed

A Wrinkle in Time - L'Engle

Tuck Everlasting - Babbit

Stardust - Gaiman (also a film)

It was amazing to me how many subjects were covered in this book: socialism, sexuality, work, religion, etc.  

Why did LeGuin create two story lines of the same character (past and present) and alternate them, rather than giving the story in chronological order? 

A House Like a Lotus

3 Texts:
Jacob Have I Loved by by Katherine Paterson
Bridge to Terabitha by Katherine Paterson
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Statement:
The message of forgiveness and renewal is very strong and important in this novel. These are things that young adult readers are going through and dealing with, which makes this novel particularly applicable.

Question:
Zachary seems very rich and spoiled, why does he take interest in Polly? How much does she mean to him?

Ashley Haugen

That Hideous Strength

3 Texts
1984- George Orwell
The Crystal Cave- Mary Stewart
Brave New World- Aldous Huxley

Comment:I enjoyed the sinister aspects of N.I.C.E and the foil they served as for the people of St. Annes.

Question:What do you think C.S. Lewis accomplishes by blending Science Ficition, Fantasy, and our world in the early 20th century?

The Dispossessed

Two Planets - Kurd Lasswitz
Melbourne and Mars - Joseph Fraser
Red Star - Alexander Bogdanov

Comment: I enjoyed the fact that the book told the history of Shevrek by switching from present time to the past with every other chapter.

Question: Why do you think the author made Shevrek's interest in studying and writing about religion as important as the subject of Physics?

The Dispossessed

-The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin
-Rocannon's World by Ursula K Le Guin
-Planet of Exile by Ursula K Le Guin

Comment: I always enjoy when books start and end at the same location to reflect on what has been learned in between.

Question: How would this story have differed if Shavek was a woman?

Lynn

House Like A Lotus

-The Moon By Night by Madeleine L'Engle
-Meet the Austins by Madeleine L'Engle
-An Acceptable Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Comment: I would have never guessed that this was by the same author as A Wrinkle In Time.

Question: When looking for other books to recommend above, I noticed that Polly O'Keefe is a popular character in other books by Madeleine L'Engle (it also mentions this on the back of the book). I was wondering what type of role she plays in other stories and how they relate to A House Like a Lotus.

Lynn

A House Like a Lotus

Related Texts:
Bridge to Terabitha by Katherine Paterson
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Comment:
I really enjoyed this book. I think I would have enjoyed it even more, if it didn't skip from Athens to Polly's house all the time. I found it to be rather confusing and I would find myself lost at times.

Question:
Why didn't the author start the book by giving Polly and Max's complete history, instead of giving it in little chunks throughout the book?

House Like a Lotus

3 books:
-A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
-Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery
-Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Statement:
At first I was confused what the title had to do with the book but after I found out that the Lotus is a symbol for re-birth something that Polly experiences, I feel like the title fits the book perfectly.

Question:
Since this book deals with a lot of adult issues what age group do you feel should read this book? Would a middle schooler understand some of the issues that are being brought up such as all the relationships that Polly was in?

Mary Ellen Korby

A House Like a Lotus

Texts:
Speak- Laurie Halse Anderson
The Face on the Milk Carton- Caroline B Cooney
A Night Without Stars- James M Howe

Statement
An astute reader would notice near the beginning of the book that Polly refers to Beau Allaire as "her house," conveying earlier the fact that Max is a woman, while the rest of the text leaves her gender ambiguous for about 40 more pages.

Question
Is the prevalence of nicknames among the characters (Polly, Xan, Renny, Max, etc) significant? Is Max in particular given greater license for being different because she goes by many names?

A House Like a Lotus

A Wrinkle in Time – Madeleine L’Engle
A Wind in the Door -- Madeleine L’Engle
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants -- Ann Brashares

The structure of the book was pivotal in how I read and eventually interpreted the actions of Polly, however in some instances the structure proved to be confusing.

Why did Madeleine L’Engle begin the book with little description of Max’s interaction with Polly? Did this cause anyone to struggle with staying interested in the reading?

A House Like a Lotus

Texts:
"Waiting for Icarus," by Muriel Rukeyser
Almost a Woman, by Esmeralda Santiago
Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson

Statement:
When I was reading Speak, I knew Melinda's secret because I read a review about the book beforehand. Not knowing her secret did not make me want to read less. With Polly though, I had a hard time getting through the first fifty pages. Rather than entice me to keep reading, I thought the ambiguity surrounding Max made the reading slow. After that - especially as things picked up in her relations with Renny, Max, and Zachary - I thought it moved enjoyably.

Question:
Zachary explains Polly's character dead on when he states, "I'd say you're nearly thirty and nearly twelve. And there's something virginal about you." How does L'Engle evoke this complexity in Polly, and how does it parallel the complexity Polly's notices in others?

The Dispossessed

Foundation by Isaac Azimov
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
1984 by George Orwell


I liked the non-linear structure. That kind of thing can often be confusing, but I thought that the little pictures of the planets helped sort things out a lot!


Is The Dispossessed part of a series? It doesn't seem like there is really much of a resolution to any of the events of the story.

A House Like a Lotus

A Wrinkle in Time Madeleine L'Engle
Anne of the Island L. M. Montgomery
Judy Blume & Beverly Cleary's works

While I enjoyed the story for the most part, I thought that sometimes the dialogue was awkward and lo, too wordy.

Are people cool with the age differences in Polly's relationships? I was a little bothered by this.

A House Like A Lotus

Oh My Stars
Anne of the Island
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Statement:
This book was quite confusing for me. Throughout the entire book, I really got lost sometimes when it would go from back home to Athens. I also was really creeped out by the character Zachary and the types of things he actually said to Polly. He was just really blunt and straight forward.

Question:
Besides the fact that Zachary really liked Polly when he first met her and what not, why was he so blunt about everything he said to her?

The Dispossessed

House of the Scorpion- Nancy Farmer
The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm-Nancy Farmer
Ender's Game-Orson Scott Card

Comment: I found this book to be like the Giants' Star books: very hard to follow and full of descriptions of things I couldn't quite picture in my head.

Question: Why do the authors we've read so far write such derogatory roles for women? How is it based upon the time during which each book was written?

A House Like a Lotus

Related Texts:
Keeping the Moon- Sarah Dessen
Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen
Anna Karenina- Leo Tolstoy

Statement:
I am usually a fan of the small details. I feel that they make the novel more realistic. However, I think that the details were taken too far in this book. I found that it was easy to get lost in them, trying to remember all of the names, locations, and memories. I wish that L'Engle had stuck more to the value of the storyline, because beneath all of those details is a strong novel.

Question:
I also found it hard to follow the format that L'Engle used in the beginning of the novel. Jumping between past and present, memories and current was very confusing. When I had read more toward the middle of the novel, I thought that the format fit the story well.
Why did L'Engle chose to format her novel like she did?

Paige Roth

House Like A Lotus

Related Texts:
The Arm of the Starfish by Madeleine L'Engle
Dragons in the Waters by Madeleine L'Engle
A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle

This text required a more advanced vocabulary than the other adolescent books we've read this far. While the context provided many clues, I was impressed with the word choice.

This book focuses on Polly's relationships: Max, Ursula, Renny, Zachary, parents, family, and friends in Cyprus. How do these relationships shape Polly as a character?

Sarah

House Like A Lotus

Related Texts
1. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
2. This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
3. Green Angel by Alice Hoffman

Statement:
I think that L’Engle used too many coincidences to keep the plot moving- to the point where the story became unrealistic and unappealing. For example, Sandy and Rhea just happened to be detained, leaving Polly with an opportunity to meet Zachary; Renny is studying a very rare disease at a hospital close to Polly’s house, and Polly’s idol, Max, surprisingly has that disease. Things don’t fall into place that neatly in real life.

Question:
What does the Laughing Christ statue symbolize?

-Emily Allex

A House Like a Lotus

Books:

The Dark is Rising series, Susan Cooper
Bridge to Terabithia, Katherine Paterson
A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle

Statement:

I found this text a bit hard to follow. The plot lines fall off much like a 'Dan Brown-esque' adventure/mystery novel. I had to frequently back track to make sure I was following the right plot lines, and I still don't know if I got them all right. Also, I am highly impressed that there is even mention, let alone confirmation, of lesbianism in a 1980s novel. A brave step by L'Engle.

Question:

What happen's to Max and Ursula after the story ends? Does Max die and Ursula finds someone else?

A House Like a Lotus

3 texts:
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle
Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery

Statement: I found it very strange that the day after Max made a sexual advance on Polly, she was sleeping with Renny. From other things I've read and what I would expect, if a girl is just sexually traumatized, the last thing she wants to do is have sex.

Question: Were all the characters really necessary? There were so many characters throughout the story, I couldn't seem to keep them all straight. She had 7 brothers and sisters, plus her cousin Kate, her aunts and uncles, all the delegates at the conference, and others. I didn't really understand why all these characters needed to be introduced to the reader when many of them didn't play an important role.

Amber Steffenhagen

House Like A Lotus

Books:
-The Arm of the Starfish: Madeleine L'Engle
-Meet the Austins: Madeleine L'Engle
-Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants: Ann Brashares

Statement:
I feel this book was kind of hard to get into because it seemed to jump around quite a bit. It also did not seem to me that this was really a book that would be read by adolescents. It seemed more of a documentary of someones vacation that left a lot of things unanswered for the reader.

Question:
Was visiting Max so often good for Polly? Did she miss out on being a 16 year old girl and doing everything that that involves? Was Polly forced into maturity and adulthood too soon by the encouragement and influence of Max?

Ashley Martin

The Dispossessed

Texts:
Red Azalea by Anchee Min
Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Comment: I found this book hard to follow initially and by the time I understood what was going on I think I'd missed that window of developing empathy for the characters that comes, for me, from going on the journey with them from start to finish. Its an interesting idea of an anarchist society but not a story that really grabbed me.

Question: Why did Le Guin choose to alternate time periods with each chapter rather than telling the story chronologically? How does this help our understanding of the story and of Shevek's perspective?

~Laine

A House Like a Lotus

Meet the Austins-Madeleine L'Engle
Troubling a Star-Madeleine L'Engle
The Young Unicorns-Madeleine L'Engle

I thought Polly was remarkably mature. A lot of it had to do with her growing experience with Max, but I just do not think you can mature that fast without already having a lot of sophisticated adult qualities. I am not sure if visiting Max so much was good for her because she started out mature without Max, and in my opinion, what she really needed is to savior her childhood. She needed to be hanging out with friends, and experiencing life in her own generation.


Was visiting Max so much really good for Polly, or did she miss out on a lot of the things 16-year-olds are suppossed to experience? This question applies to any 16-year-old, when is it okay to get them thinking about the deep life issues and when should you just tell them to go be a kid?

Kevin Matuseski

Three Text:
1) The Arm of the Starfish by Madeleine L'Engle
2) Dragons in the Waters by Madeleine L'Engle
3) An Acceptable Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Statement: I thought this was interesting to read, but I felt that in some parts it was very complex and confusing. I believe this is what lead to me to being confused and feeling like I had many unanswered questions.

Question: Polly ran to Renny after having what seemed to be a sexual advance toward her from Max. Then Polly and Renny decide to have intercourse for the first time. Why would the author choose to put this scene in such a traumatic time in Polly's life?

House Like a Lotus

Books:
The Arm of the Starfish
Dragons in the Waters
An Acceptable Time All by Madeline L'Engle

Question:
I notice that Max is a mixed-gender name. Do you think that plays on the ambiguity of her and Polly's relationship, and its problems?

Statement:
I thought this was a fairly interesting read, but it was a little difficult to get through. I am a big fan of Madeline L'Engle, but sometimes her books are so intertwined and complex that they can be a lot to take in. I do however, like this book for its realistic qualities and Polly's journey of healing. Most of the books I have read by her are more fantastical.

A House Like a Lotus

3 Related Texts

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by: Ann Brashares

Heart of Darkness by: Joseph Conrad

Born Confused by: Tanuja Desai Hidier

Statement:
I have to be honest, I did not enjoy this book at all. By the end of the novel I had so many unanswered questions (See questions area), and I feel that it is the authors job to make sure all of those questions are answered.

Question:
1. How do all the references to lotus' go along with the book as well as the title?
2. What happened between Polly and Max after she got back from Cyprus?
3. What about Polly and Remmy's relationship?
4. What about Zachary?
5. How did the conference turn out?
-The characters kept talking about how it would change Polly's life, but I want to know Polly's reaction to it!
6. What happens to Polly after the conference?
7. How did Polly's parents and family just happen to have all of these connects with people from all over the world? Example: Krhis
-I'm not saying this isn't possible, but it's a stretch...

-Amy Culver

The Dispossessed

Related Texts:

The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. LeGuin

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card

Cosmonaut Keep - Ken MacLeod

Comment: Not one of my favorite LeGuin books. I liked the characters, and Shevek's back-story, the not really interested in the "current" goings-on.

Question: One of the complaints against Shevek's work was that it seemed to have no use to his society; it put food in no one's mouth nor made anyones life any easier. Can we justify science and discovery for their own sake, or must they have some discernable use from the start?

That Hideous Strength

Perelandra - CS Lewis
The Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
Wrinkle in Time - Madeline L'Engle

This book said it could be read by itself without having read the two previous books, but I feel like there is way too much terminology and history that I'm missing to understand this book completely.

Lewis uses multiple points of view in this text. At one point he uses "you" as a p.o.v. to describe the forest. Was this a technique designed to engage the reader in the scenery or just the simplest way to describe the setting?

That Hideous Strength

The Circle Trilogy - Ted Dekker
The Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Out of the Silent Planet & Perelandra - C. S. Lewis


All the way back in high school, I had to do a project about Sir Gareth and that got me somewhat interested in stories of King Arthur, etc. Anyway, it was cool/unexpected to find Merlin in this novel along with Ransom's role as Arthur.


Why do you think the big "evil organization/government" has such a great presence in the science fiction genre?

That Hideous Strength

His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - JK Rowling

Comment:

It was interesting to see so many elements from this book that are in more recent books that I have read.  The Golden Compass shares the evil experimental group, the Gobblers, which mirrors the N.I.C.E. and The Order of the Phoenix reflects the dreams and fear of transferring information through thoughts.

Question:

Since C.S. Lewis was an inspiration to so many, who inspired him?

That Hideous Strength

Related works:

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - C.S. Lewis

His Dark Materials books I, II, and III - Philip Pullman

Comment:

I thought the entire narrative to be rather vague at some points; I don't think this is because I have not read the previous two books.

Question:

What was Lewis trying to say about marriage in That Hideous Strength?

That Hideous Strength

The Narnia series - CS Lewis
A Wrinkle in Time - Madeline L'Engle
The Golden Compass series - Philip Pullman

Comment: Coming in at the third book in the series I wondered if my lack of knowledge on some aspects of the book were due to deliberate vagueness by the writer or if they had been explained in the previous books.

Question: Why do you think the author chose to preface this book by categorizing it as a fairy tale instead of fantasy?

That Hideous Strength

Related Texts:

The Lord of The Rings Series- J.R.R. Tolkien

The Narnia Series- C.S. Lewis

Comment:

I thought that the religious themes in this novel were very interesting, because they seem to play a huge part in how the novel plays out.

Question:

From my research on C.S. Lewis, it seems he was influenced a lot by J.R.R. Tolkien. I was just wondering if there are any parallels in this novel to Tolkien's work?

-Mike Eastman

That Hideous Strength

Related Texts:

- The Once and Future King : T.S. White

- Knight Life : Peter David

- Atlas Shrugged : Ayn Rand

Comment: I thought that is was interesting how the people of N.I.C.E. viewed the Head. He was their guide, but only a prototype of what they hoped would become their king. There was also a comment that this fate, simply existing as a head, could be given as a gift the the faithful, or a punishment.

Question: The two sides in this book, the dark-eldil people and Dr. Ransom people, act very differently, based on their views on morality and what is moral. So, is morality subjective, or are there certain things that all people should see as good or bad?

That Hideous Strength

The Narnia Series by C.S. Lewis
Descent into Hell by Charles Williams
Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain

Comment: I felt when reading the description of Ransom and of how Jane felt upon meeting him that it was very similar to the way the characters in the Narnia books felt upon meeting Asland. Both seem to leave those who encounter them in a mildly dazed, contemplative and extraordinarily joyful state, and they seem to fear and respect as well as love them.

Question: With all the mention of religion and traditional verses progressive views of humanity, social roles, etc., what was Lewis trying to say about humanity and our present direction, especially in light of the then-recently ended World Wars?

Laine

Ender's Game

Related Texts:
The Martian Chronicles-- Bradbury
Lord of the Flies-- Golding
Starship Troopers-- Heinlein

This book was very exciting and fun to read. I especially liked how the author never explained how the children were so gifted but instead left it to the imagination.

Throughout most of the book, Ender is being manipulated either by the IF or by his dislike of Peter. I kept asking myself why Ender just didn't quit at some points instead of being further manipulated and used. Is this just another of his amazing qualities?

Speak

Go Ask Alice, Anonymous
The Outsiders, by Susan E. Hinton
Monster, Walter Dean Myers

Statement:
At first I just thought this was another angsty teen novel full of the woes of highschool. However it proved to be something highly engaging, and sent a message (and talked about a subject) that I have not read in many other adolescent books.

Question:
I was surprised to read how athletically talented Melinda was, why do you think the author added this quality?


Ashley Haugen

Speak

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

Statement:

I really like the writing style of this book; the way the sections were broken up into the little chapters of her life, sentence structure, and the narrative thought process.

Question:

How does the inclusion of major cliques/clans/groups in school affect the actual stories that we have been reading? Does this just make the reader feel like it is more realistic so they are able to more freely relate to the deeper content of these books?

Nick Malm

Speak

3 Texts:
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher

Statement:
I liked how the author separated the stories like she did. Not in chapters, but in sections.

Question:
Did the author have a reason to not explain what really happened at the party until later on in the book?

Speak

Lucky by Alice Sebold
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Gossip Girl Series by Cecily von Ziegasar

Statement:
As I'm reading this book, I'm really drawn into the simple fact that we don't know what happened to Melinda with the party until later in the book. It really draws me in and inspires me to read more because I want to keep reading to see what else happens to Melinda.

Question:
I see a few comparisons amongst the "groups" as in my school, even though my school was very little. My question I think about is are there really "groups" like this in bigger schools or other schools?

Speak

Books:
Face on the Milk Carton- Caroline B Cooney
Handmaid's Tale- Margaret Atwood
Blind Faith- Ellen Wittlinger

Statement:
This book was very difficult to read because it was so well written that the reader feels Melinda's pain intensely along with her. As the author said in the prologue, who wants to relive the difficulties of adolescence?

Question:
How does the ever changing school mascot mirror Melinda's changing attitudes and social situations? Does the changing identity of the school resonate with any of the other characters as well?

Nissa Hannemann

Speak

Books:

Shiloh, Phyllis R. Naylor
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
The Pigman, Paul Zindel

Statement:

This book has a very good/meaningful lesson. It presents a fairly successful resolution of a major depressive episode and encourages its readers with the warm, fuzzy feelings of a principle character defeating an inner demon. I enjoyed seeing a book with a strong female lead. Many teenagers can relate to the central themes of secrets and teen-age alienation. This book was also very difficult to read because it hit very close to home.

Question:
Child and adolescent psychology are growing fields. Today, most high schools and some middle schools employ school psychologists/psychiatrists. But, many teenagers do not see therapy as a relevant avenue. If Melinda had had access to a counselor and sought therapy, what affect might that have had on her healing process?

Melissa

Speak

Books:
You Don't Know Me- David Klass
Damage- A. M. Jenkins
Harmless- Dana Reinhardt

I think that Anderson's using nicknames instead of names for many people makes the feel of being outcast and confused strong. Not knowing their real names makes it more difficult to relate to a person. Not knowing the name of the person speaking until page 15 truly leaves the reader feeling like Melinda, an outsider.

What is the signifigance of having Melinda receive C's and D's during the first semester when she is still skipping class and then once she starts attending class consistently, she receives D's and F's?

Paige Roth

Speak

Smashed-Koren Zailckas
White Oleander-Janet Fitch
To Kill a Mockingbird-Harper Lee


The most striking part of the story, for me, was when they returned to the bathroom stall and found out more people had been violated by Andy Evans. It just goes to show how many people have stories they need to tell, but never do. Justice is hard to come by if nobody takes action. However, I can see if you feel like you are the only one who has been affected you might not want to stand out by telling.


It seemed like Melinda totally changed her attitude at the end, but I am confused about what caused her to do this. It was almost as if just the nice weather made her more confident. Was there anything drastic that could have made someone go through such a huge transformation?

Kevin Matuseski

That Hideous Strength

-War in Heaven by Charles Williams
-The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
-King Arthur and His Knights of The Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green

Comment: From my observation, King Arthur/Merlin stories usually include the theme of gender roles. It was interesting to see this through remarks made by many of the characters in this book.

Question: What is it about Merlin and the Arthurian Legend that keep us reading different variations of the story?

Lynn

Speak

Related Texts:
Annie's Baby: the diary of anonymous; a pregnant teenager by Beatrice Sparks
Absolutely Normal Chaos by Sharon Creech
The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers

It isn't until the middle of the book until the reader learns what actually happened to Mel to drastically transform her outlook on life. Prior to these details, I had a fairly good theory of what happened through home and school interactions which changed how I read the book and perceived Melinda.

Mel's former friends will not associate with her after she calls the police at the party even though they have been close friends for years. Is this the same balance of friendship and popularity that most adolescents perceive in their own lives?

Sarah

Speak

Related Texts
1. Cut by Patricia McCormick
2. Inexcusable by Chris Lynch
3. Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Statement:
The description of all the freshman dividing up into cliques on the first day of school is accurate and powerful. This passage shows Anderson’s understanding of high school life and the pressure adolescents feel to fit in with a group of peers. Heather’s attempts to join the Marthas are a consistent reminder of this pressure throughout the book.

Question:
Speak greatly appeals to young girls, especially those who have been sexually assaulted; all high school girls have felt like an outcast at least once. Does the book appeal to boys as well?
--Emily Allex

That Hideous Strength

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court-Mark Twain
The Never War-D. J. McHale
The Pillars of Creation-Terry Goodkind

Comment:There were a lot of references to characters not having religion, yet the entire book seemed to be based on the overall belief of religion being a sort of supreme power or saving grace or something.

Question: I have not read the two books that precede this one so I was wondering what exactly happened to Ransom and how did he get hurt?

Speak

Books: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
After the Silence: Rape & My Journey Back by Nancy Venable Raine
Lucky by Alice Sebold

Statement: I have always loved this book. I especially love the passages, which are everywhere, about Mel washing herself away, or swallowing herself, or disappearing. I think the part where she is conjugating verbs in spanish, and does a few, but stops when it gets to forget, escape and hide...they are just so personal and she cannot face herself. It is so creative the way Anderson puts all these details in to add to her loss of identity...even the school mascot.

Question: How important is Heather's role in Mel's recovery process. I understand it as a friend, and her only link to feeling normal, but when Heather drops her, how does that relate to her getting enough strength to find her voice? What was Anderson's intention? Was it a wake-up call, telling Mel she has to face this?

Speak

Prom by Laura Halse Anderson

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos

I felt the way that this book was expressed through a singular viewpoint, similar to a journal format, was refreshing and brought the reader a closer connection to the main protagonist. I was also slightly surprised by how Anderson’s dark view of high school and her teenage years was explicitly shown in the opening letter to the reader.

Laura Halse Anderson decided not to tell the reader why Melinda called the police during the party initially. Is this to get the reader to guess, or presume what kind of situation unfolded that evening? Did it impact how the reader retained interest within the book? How would each reader’s opinion of Melinda’s character differ in the beginning of the book?

Speak

-The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
-Inexcusable by Chris Lynch
-It Happened to Nancy by an Anonymous Teenager and edited by Beatrice Sparks

Comment: I thought the author's "Comment on Censorship" at the back of the book was very well written. It ties into our discussion on censorship in class and defends the honesty of this book.

Question: Has anyone seen the movie adaptation? The book focuses more on Melinda's thoughts rather than dialog. In such case, I wonder if the film can even come close to being as powerful or relational as the book.

Lynn

Speak

Books:
-Cut: Patricia McCormick
-To Kill A Mockingbird: Harper Lee
-Stargirl: Jerry Spinelli

Statement:
I liked the way the novel was written in a sort of journal entry type of way. I think this helped to make the fact that she has spoken about her rape even more important. You are able to see her inner struggle with it and see how big of a step it is when she finally decides to speak up about the things that have happened to her.

Question:
I feel like the end of the novel kind of comes quick in this book and was wondering if it was set up to have another book follow it. What do you think the next book would talk about? Maybe Melinda's recovery?

Ashley MartinPublish Post

Speak

3 texts:
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
Inner Circle by Kate Brian

Statement:
I thought it was very interesting how the book was formatted. The dialogue wasn't formatted the way I was used to having it be and there were only four chapters, but they were each broken down into smaller sections.

Question:
Did Andy threaten Melinda? Is that threat the reason why she didn't want to tell about the rape or did she just decide that because she was protecting herself and possibly in a way, him as well?

Speak

Texts:
-Almost a Woman, by Esmeralda Santiago
-To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
-Lord of the Flies, by William Golding

Statement:
I have mixed feelings about the ending. I am glad that Melinda gets her friends back, that everyone at the school knows Andy is an ass, that she is able to express herself completely in a piece of art for Mr. Freeman, blah, blah, blah. That's great, and - as far as rape goes - that's the start of a happy ending. I also think it sends a positive/tell-people-about-your-rapist type of message to young girls. However, I don't think that is an accurate message for young people. Perhaps it is because of the stopping point of the story, but Anderson does not address the repercussions of admitting the truth. In our society, the likelihood is that even if Melinda presses charges she won't win, Andy will still be romping around Merryweather, and she won't feel better or safe instantly.

Questions:
If Laurie Halse Anderson wrote a sequel to Speak, how would she portray Melinda's recovery?

Speak

3 Books:

The Clique Series By: Lisi Harrison

Cut By: Patricia McCormick

The First Part Last By: Angela Johnson

Statement:

I really liked how the story is told from Melinda's point of view, and that there is focus on her thoughts and what is going on in her head I feel that makes Melinda's situations so much more real to the readers. I also feel that the author put a lot of time into Melinda's thought and dialogue, which makes the book that much better. I also feel that both boys and girls can relate to this especially upper middle school kids because this is an issue that they will have to deal with in high school. I feel that adolescents need to be more aware of this things, so that they can prevent this problems.

Question:

I have two questions...

First, in the last three books we have read, there is this constant concept of Jocks/Cheerleaders being mean/stupid/egotistical. Do you think adolescents really feel this way about that clique?

Second, if you were in Melinda's shoes, would you be able to speak up for yourself if something traumatic like rape happened to you?

-Amy Culver

SPEAK

3 books:
-Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson
-Feeling Sorry for Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty
-The Farther You Run by Davida Wills Hurwin

Statement:
Ever since I first read Speak in ninth grade it has been my favorite book. I love how when you read it, it sounds like you are being talked to, the reader is able to have a converstation with Melinda and is able to become a friend with her. I like how Anderson adds different titles to each section that Melinda talks about, even though the book is broken up with different sections it still flows very well. With each page you find out something new, I did not want to put the book down. I loved being able to read this book again!

Question:
Do you think that boys are able to relate to this book as well as girls are able to? Do you think that have a hard time understaning how hard it was for Melinda to go through something like this?

Mary Ellen Korby

Speak

Related Texts:
Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson

Comment:
I think that it is important that all teenage girls read this book, espcially the middle school to high school age girls. It seems like in society today teens are starting to drink at younger ages. They need to realize that they could easily be raped and taken advantage of.This book isn't only directed towards the kids who party, I believe it could be directed towards anyone. Speak will help the ones who have been raped or sexually abused come out and hopefully it will make other teenagers aware of what rape is.

Question:
Throughout the book I got the perception that Melinda's parents didn't seem to care for her that much. They didn't seemed really concerned as to why she wasn't talking and what happened to her that she doesn't talk. So my question is, Why didn't Melinda's parents show more concern about her?

Holly Bohlen

Ender's Game

Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card
Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
Lord of the Flies by William Golding


I really like how the last two books that we've read have allowed relativistic flight to play a significant role. It's something that is unique to science fiction, which makes it almost "comforting" to see in use.


What do you think the authors (Hogan and Card) are trying to achieve by foreshadowing events, personal victories, etc. by giving the protagonists, Ender Wiggin and Victor Hunt, the names that they have?

Ender's Game

Lord of the Flies - William Golding

Starship Troopers - Robert A. Heinlein

Any Harry Potter - JK Rowling

Comment:

This book is one of my favorites. Ender's Game was first written as a short story in 1977 and then expanded into a novel in 1985. While it did exist, the internet (the "nets" in the book) was not widely known about or used. Card hit the mark on both the internet and laptops (desks).

Question:

Given what else Card predicted, what else in Ender's Game, either technical or social, is a possibility?

Ender's Game

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - JK Rowling

Lord of the Flies - William Golding

1984 - George Orwell

I was also a little hesitant to believe that these kids were so young.  Not only were they smart and had the ability to create complex strategies, but in the case of Ender he was also able to reflect on things he had done and analyze his character.  This is an emotional maturity that is not usually reached until late teens and even for some early twenties.

Besides showing intelligence and that these children were trained from such an early age, why would Card make these characters so young?

Ender's Game

The Player 0f Games - Iain M. Banks
Children of the Atom - Wilmar Shiras
The Children's Star - Joan Slonczewski

Comment: On the whole the novel was very intelligent and well written and I enjoyed reading it immensely, but at times it was a little unbelievable that 6 and 7 year old children had this kind of mental capacity and wisdom even if it was set in the future.

Question: Why do you think the teachers at the command school had Ender believe he was playing a game when he was actually fighting the war? Do you think the outcome would have been different had Ender known what was happening?

Ender's Game

A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving
Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling
The Lord of the Flies, William Golding

When we first discussed Inherit the Stars, we talked about how certain elements of that story reflected Hogan's Englishness. It seems to me that emphasis on individuality and creativity found in Ender's Game make this a uniquely American novel.

At the end of the novel we see the world rejoicing when it learns hat Ender has annihilated the entirety of the Bugger race. Does it seem likely that after enough time has passed the people will begin to condemn Ender's actions (as Ender does)? (I've read the second book so I know the answer to this question!)

Ender's Game

Texts:
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A Heinlein
Childhood's End by Arthur C Clarke
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman

Comment:
I found that I would frequently assume that much time had passed and that Ender and his friends had grown up a lot based on the maturity of their thoughts and actions, only to be reminded in the text that they were only 7, 8, 9 or whatever age at a given point. While it's true that geniuses exist I find it hard to believe that their emotional maturity would be accelerated as much as the characters in the book.

Question:
What are the moral implications of taking a group of children and manipulating and exploiting them, even if it's for the protection of humanity? What does Card's opinion of this seem to be?

Laine

Ender's Game

-Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling
-Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
-Neuromancer by William Gibson


Comment: I couldn't help but think of a child I babysit. He is addicted to video games and his parents let him play any games at any hour. He literally will wake up from nightmares because he hasn't beaten the game and will go play it in the middle of the night.


Question: On page 231, Valentine ponders if it is impossible to wear an identity without becoming what you pretend to be. Ender fights this idea throughout the whole book. Which characters is this true for and which is it not? Why?

Lynn

Enders Game

The Giver-Lois Lowry
The House of the Scorpion-Nancy Farmer
Artemis Fowl:The Eternity Code-Eoin Colfer

Comment: I really liked the book, but I found it slightly frightening that the children in this book were so intelligent, I mean come on, and 7 year-old doing trig and 9 year-olds leading 'armies'. I just thought it was a bit creepy.

Question: Does it seem plausible that perhaps, someday, the government will try to limit the number of children a couple can have in order to control the population of the world? Or even, for that matter, that humans will ever be that intelligent?

Breaking Rank

Romeo & Juliet, William Shakespeare
Whale Talk, Chris Crutcher
The Outsiders, Susan E. Hinton

Breaking Rank takes the basic plot of Shakespeare's most identifiable and teenager-oriented play and updates and alters it to properly fit into a modern day High School. While the specific details about the Clan and the mainstream group and either on the unbelievable or simply underdeveloped, the plot remains as engaging, although not quite as heartbreaking.

There are many times in Breaking Rank where the reader learns that things are not quite as simple as they initially thought they were. Do these complications make this book one that give Breaking Rank an older audience?

Breaking Rank

Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher

Statement:

I found the whole situation of a large clan community adhering to some very peculiar principles, especially for the school children from the clan, to be curiously interesting throughout the book.

Question:

Like others I feel that the religious overtones of this book would at least have to be strongly considered before teaching this book. On the other hand, because this book deals so much with a group of outsider not well understood by society and the theme of anti-establishment that takes form in a violent action, comparable to many of the school situation we have today, would this make Breaking Rank a valuable to teach in schools? Or just another reason to keep it from schools in general?

Nick Malm

Breaking Rank

The Outsiders by Susan E. Hinton
West Side Story by Arthur Laurents
Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare

This book deals a lot with stereotypes and first impressions. Baby and the Clan are a lot more than people see. This novel is especially important because it teaches us to look below the surface. It is necessasary that we don't take things at face value.

Question:
There is definitly a fear of others who are different from us. How does this book address this issue and show us how to get over that fear?

Ashley Haugen

Breaking Rank

Hole in My Life- Jack Gantos
The Giver- Lois Lowry
Lord of the Flies- William Golding

Statement--
I found the structure of the book very appealing; it switched between two viewpoints at by chapter. Also I thought it was unique that the beginning of each chapter started with a few words which were bolded. I also found it interesting how Casey dealt with overcoming the stereotypes which divided the clan from the rest of the school; she approached the challenge with an all or nothing mentality.

Question--
I found this book to be more censored than Whale Talk, when the idea of sex was brought up it was done so in a delicate way, with no direct reference. So is this book considered more youth friendly then Whale Talk?

Dain Clausen

Breaking Rank

Books:
Whale Talk- Chris Crutcher
The Outsiders- S.E. Hinton
Making Lemonade- Virginia Wolff

Statement:
I found it interesting how the entire town and school were afraid of the clan yet they had done nothing to deserve those assumptions. It seems as though the town should have been worrying about the athletes of the school than those who just seemed to be outsiders and minding their business. I think it was kind of interesting how Randle switched those roles and the average assumption.

Question:
It seemed like the ending of the book flew by and was incredibly rushed. What was the meaning behind that? Was that the actual read end of the novel?

Ashley Martin

Breaking Rank

Texts:
The Outsiders by Susan E. Hinton
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespear
Whale Talke by Chris Cruthcher

Statement:
As I read this book and learned more about the Clan, I thought it was really interesting how everyone assumed they were bad. Even at the beginning, I too thought the Clan would steal or was a bad gang in their school and i was very surprised and happy to find out that they weren't.

Question:
Really, what is the purpose of Casey tutoring Baby? I still can't figure it out.

Breaking Rank

Texts:
The Big Bazoohley- Peter Carey
Lord of the Flies- William Golding
Ender's Game- Orson Scott Card

Breaking Rank shows the fear our culture has for 'otherness.' The Clan does nothing illegal (for the most part) and yet the whole town is terrified of them because they do not fit into the mold.

What kind of statement is the Author making with having one of the more mature members of the Clan be named Baby? Does this name reflect Baby's treatment by other clan members, Lenny in particular?

Breaking Rank

Books: Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
Downsiders by Neal Shuster
The Outsiders by Susan E. Hinton

Statement: I think the author held off a really long time telling what the Clan was about. I thought this was interesting because it did not allow for me to form my own opinions about whether the Clan was a good thing for Baby or not, though it leads the reader to think that it is not good. It seems gang-like, but I thought there was more to it, which there was.

Question: I found that the censorship was distracting. When someone would presumably swear, he would write that he said "a word", or when anything sexual happened, it would be "a gesture" or he felt "something somewhere." I did not understand why he sort of beat around the bush. Is this because he wanted to censor swearing or sexual material, or because he wanted to leave more imagination t the reader?

Breaking Rank

Texts:
Whale Talk, by Chris Cruthcher
Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare
A Walk to Remember, by Nicholas Sparks

Statement:
This is the first book that I’ve read (in a long time) where I was too distracted by literary devices to enjoy the plot. There is not a lot of literature I don’t enjoy; my theory tends to be that if someone else has enough talent to get something published, then there is probably something I can learn from his or her text. Not Breaking Rank. The text was loaded with clichés, metaphors, and poor similes. It felt as though half the communication was done through the eyes: they looked superciliously, surreptitiously, begged, pleaded, held each other, told life stories, and the receiver of the gaze [almost always] understood and communicated back.

Question:
Casey is chosen to tutor Baby because of her personality, compassion, and knowledge. Given this, it would be expected that her reaction to Baby would be more accepting than the “average” person, but (even) she is surprised at his knowledge and loses her temper occasionally. What does this say stereotypes and prejudices? What does it say about our culture?

Breaking Rank

3 Texts:
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
The Freedom Writers Diary by The Freedom Writers
Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher

Statement:
I really liked the analogy about the otters that Baby made on p. 171. I feel like both Baby and Casey were looking for their "water" throughout the whole book.

Question:
On page 83, Randle writes that Baby "let it all out" instead of writing what he really said. Was there a reason behind that?

Jessica Johnson

Speak

The Lovely Bones- Alice Sebold
It Happened to Nancy-Anonymous
The Outsiders- Susan E. Hinton

At first I felt like the book seemed very choppy. After awhile, I really enjoyed the way Laurie Halse Anderson broke up the book in to small sections/chapters of Melinda’s life. This style is very different from other books I have read.

What age group is this book intended for? What age/grade should a child reach before this book is appropriate for them to read?

Breaking Rank

Books:
1. Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare
2. Whale Talk, Chris Crutcher
3. Parrot in the Oven, Victor Martinez

Statement:
It seems that in both Whale Talk and Breaking Rank, "jocks" are the bad guys in high school. I wonder if this is an accurate representation of high school athletes. From my experience, jocks and bullying do not go hand in hand.

Question:
God/Religion seems to be a topic that appears throughout the book that guides Baby in making big decisions. Do you think some schools or parents would have a hard time with this book being taught in a public school?

Breaking Rank

Books:

Romeo & Juliet, William Shakespeare
The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton
The Giver, Lois Lowry

Statement:

While this book will not be one of my favorites, Randle provides us a glimpse of what it's like to live in a gang and what might happen to people who rebel against an institution. This book may be appealing to teens because of the anti-establishment themes.

Question:

Why did Casey tutor Baby? What find of rational fulfillment does she get from shutting out her friends and devouring Baby's world ?

Breaking Rank

Related texts:
1. Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare
2. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
3. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Statement:
I thought it was interesting that Casey shut out her friends and social circle when she started tutoring Baby: it was not only one sided. This is not something which I would have predicted.

Question:
How will the attempted shooting at the end of the book change how the clan is perceived within the community and how the clan perceives itself?

Sarah Reuss

Breaking Rank

Related Texts
1. Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos
2. The Only Alien on the Plant by Kristin D. Randle
3. Make Lemonade by Virginia Wolff

Statement:
Breaking Rank appeals to adolescent readers through the Clan’s mysterious nature and Casey’s rebellious actions. Teens will especially enjoy this book because it deals with coming-of-age issues directly, just like readers have to do in real life.

Question:
What is Randle’s message to readers? Is she trying to encourage acceptance of others, discourage gang membership, or both?

--Emily Allex

Breaking Rank

Related Texts:
1.) Making Lemonade- Virginia Euwer Wolff
2.) A Step from Heaven- An Na
3.) Pictures from the Fire- Gaye Hicyilmaz

Statement:
I started reading this book expecting a very cliche situation where the popular, racial majority student falls for the racial minority deliquent. In many ways, my expectations were fulfilled. Despite that, I think that the way Randle went about this definitely puts a new spin on this old plot.

Question:
I have read many books in my life regarding the jocks of the school being the emulated and popular. Yet, in many of those books, despite their popularity, they are perceived as the "bad guys." Why are the "bad" students in these stories considered the most popular?

Paige Roth

Breaking Rank

Related Texts

1. Just Listen By: Sarah Dessen

2. The Outsiders By: S.E. Hinton

3. Romeo & Juliet By: Shakespeare

Statement:

I have to admit that I did not think I was going to like the book when I first started reading it, but by the end I absolutely loved the book! I feel that the reason I could not stop reading the book was because the author made the characters and the plot (not so much the battle under the bridge...)relateable (I do not think that is a word...) to myself and things that I have gone through in the past.

Question:

I was a bit thrown off by Baby's explanation of this "Presence", first mentioned on page 75, inside of him. Did this "presence represent his conscience or a God, or even some other guiding voice?

My other question is about the ending, I felt that the ending came too soon. Do you guys feel/think the ending was truly the ending?

-Amy Culver

Breaking Rank

3 books:
Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher
A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli


Statement:
I believe that this book would be a good for students both boys and girls in the middle school to early high school years. One of the issues that is brought up in this book is cliques. MIddles schoolers as well as high schoolers deal with people discriminating against different groups that are in the schools. It would be easy for them to relate to the situations that the characters are going through.


Question:
What made Casey want to tutor Baby even though she knew it would cause trouble for those in the clan and the people outside of the clan?


Mary Ellen Korby

Breaking Rank

3 texts:
1. Stars in the Darkness by Barbara Joosse
2. Scorpions by Walter Deans Myers
3. The Wild Children by Felice Holman

Statement:
I saw many similarities with this book and whale talk. One thing I really noticed was how letter jackets are associated with stuck up and "evil" people/jocks. On page 219, Casey says "I hate letter jackets" referring to Dickon and Gene and their qualities. Although letter jackets do sometimes represent "evil" people, I hope readers understand that not all jocks/letter jacket owners are bad people.

Question:
Why Casey would be so eager to get involved with a gang member? She didn't even know Baby but she was so excited to help him when the principal asked her even though it immediately put her in a dangerous situation.

Amber Steffenhagen

Breaking Rank

Related Texts:
Whale Talk- Chris Crutcher
Warriors Don't Cry- Melba Patillo Beals
I Was a Non-Blonde Cheerleader- Kieran Scott

Statement:
I thought this book taught alot about racism; although racism was used in a different meaning than most people know. When you think about racism; you think about discriminatina against skin colors; in Breaking Rank racism was demonstrated towards the Clan. Everyone thought that the Clan were bad people. This book taught me to look whats on the inside and not to judge by the outside of a person.

Question:
Why didn't the author tell more about the reaction of Casey's parents when they came to pick her up at the police station?

Holly Bohlen

Ender's Game

Related texts:

Starship Troopers - Robert A Heinlein

Forever War - Joe Haldeman

Hyperion - Dan Simmons

Comment: I had never read this book before, so I found it very interesting and I enjoyed it a lot. I thought that the storyline with Peter and Valentine was an interesting parallel to what was going on with Ender and Rackam.

Question: In the book, a lot of cruel things are done to Ender and the other boys at Battle School with the goal of producing the soldiers and officers I.F. needs in order to fight the buggers. Do the ends, the defeat of the buggers and the threat to the human race, justify the means, turning children into soldiers? How much can the end outcome justify what we do in the present? A

Breaking Rank

Related texts:
The Outsiders- S.E. Hinton
Maniac Macgee- Jerry Spinelli
Tangerine- Edward Bloor

Statement:
Our schools now days expect kids to learn certain things they probably will never even use when they grow up. We expect a lot out of adolescents by asking them to go through so many years of schooling, and working hard at things that may not even pertain to their hopes and dreams. In Breaking Rank, Lenny shows childhood rebellion against a society telling him to get his education, and instead, he goes off and does what he loves. However, there is a catch to doing what you love in today's society. As Baby shows, sometimes you must give into the education system, and finish schooling, in order to have access to your dreams. I like how Baby understands society, yet he is still his own person.

Question:
Since Lenny became a mechanic, and not much in school can teach him those skills, would it still be beneficial for him to recieve a college degree? What about other kids, is it right to force kids to go to school until they are 22 years old when they had enough skills to do what they want when they were 18?

Kevin Matuseski