Here are the questions that I want you to answer in the comments section below this post. The students who were in class today helped me come up with the questions. Thanks!
The deadline for your response is Wednesday, 9 March at 2:40 pm.
Don't forget to type your first name before you post. Click the "anonymous" option. If you are having trouble posting, please e-mail me at: asa.falk@pub.malmo.se
________________________________________
1. Why do you think everyone in the novel is terrified about the rumors of a bomb threat at the school?
2. What would be Ursula's reasons for helping Matt, do you think?
3. What would be Ursula's reasons for calling herself "Ugly Girl"?
Keyvan
ReplyDeleteDetta är mina svar, den andra kan du ta bort
1.
Answer: I think they are afraid of the rumour because they get 9/11 flashbacks. It´s not just schools but the whole society that is a lot more careful and serious about bombs and stuff like that because of 9/11. I also think that they have always been thinking hypotethical about bombs but never actually experienced it so it scares them a lot. Then there is the general fear when it comes to bombs: dying. Nobody wants to die and that is perfectly natural.
2.
Answser: She can feel the injustice and stands by Matt, She is also very sceptical about the whole rumour. She also describe Matt and that he is not that kind of a person.
3.
Answer: I thnik the reason is that she has nobody, and is surprisingly content with it. She is all to herself and I don´t think she is so beautiful based on how they describe her in the book. that she is not that social and her height and the way she thinks of herself.
Sandra
ReplyDelete1. I think everyone at the school is so afraid because it has happened before. It is mentioned in the book that other school-bombings had occurred previously at several American high schools. Students and teachers at Rocky River know that it is not an impossibility that this could happen to them as well. And obviously when people get nervous and scared they react in a bad way.
2. In the book Ursula is described as an idealist, even by her own father. Someone who believes in truth and has certain principles that she never fails. Ursula doesn’t believe in being like everybody else, she is her own person and is not afraid to say so either. She knows that Matt Donaghy is innocent and falsely accused and when she sees injustice she acts upon it, knowing that she probably is the only person who will stand up for Matt and what is right.
3. Ursula´s appearance is talked about a great deal in the book. Physically she is not as pretty as a lot of the other girls at school. She is very tall and big (muscular) and it is hard not to notice her with her baggy clothes and the dirty cap she always wears. She gets a lot of comments, not just by the kids at school but also at home. She feels as if she is being constantly compared to her tiny little sister, the ballerina by their mom. When she calls herself ugly and she actually thinks that she is, she makes it acceptable for everyone else to call her that as well. It’s her defense-mechanism not to get hurt. Her don’t-care attitude isn’t really working for her though; it just alienates people from ever coming close enough to really get to know her.
1. I think that anyone would get scared if they got to know that their school had been exposed for a bomb threat. Maybe especially in USA because they have had many schools massacres before and are afraid that it might happen again. It would be strange if people didn’t react in fear when there is a rumor about a bomb involved.
ReplyDelete2. Ursula had just been unjustly accused to lose the game with purpose and when she hears about Matt’s situation and the bomb maybe she recognizes herself. Everybody believe that she lost the game with purpose and everybody think that Matt has to do with the bomb threat without even have talked to him about it. She’s a person who’s not afraid to stand up for herself and Matt could need a person like her on his side when everybody else doubt.
3. Because she compares herself to the ideals of what a cute girl is. She doesn’t try to be cute or beautiful either or feel the need of being it. She has accepted that she looks the way she does and there’s nothing else to do about that. It’s not only her appearance she means by being an ugly girl, it’s her personality too. According to her she’s not a fun person to be around or talk to but I think that she actually wish that she was that kind of person who people like and like to be around.
/Louise
1. I think they are afraid because it is mentioned in the book that there have been other bombs in other schools around the country. People in the USA are hysterical about rumors about bombs, shooting and terrorism. Previous events at Virginia Tech and Columbine have made the american people more cautious. Rumors can be only rumors but it is best to check it out. Rather be safe than sorry.
ReplyDelete2. Ursula is certain that the rumors about Matt wanting to blow up the school is false. Matt has given Ursula a good impression of being a nice guy who never says or does bad things. Ursula isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes in and she knows that Matt is innocent. She believes that justice will be served and that is why she is helping him.
3. I would say bad confident. Ursula is aware of that she is not as pretty as her little sister Lisa and the other girls in school. She is very tall and has an athletic body which apparently is not a popular look in her school. Because of all the comments she receives at home and in school, she calls herself "Ugly Girl". She convinces herself that she is ugly. She comments her laugh, body, hair and breasts and turns everything about herself negative. So the "I don't give a damn" attitude doesn't work because she does care. If she had skipped the bad attitude maybe people would like her more and she wouldn't be so obsessed of calling herself "Ugly Girl" and pretend to not care about her looks
Irene
1. I think many are afraid of bomb threats just because it has happened before, especially in USA. Since the U.S has been through it before, they are taking these things very seriously and their safety has been increased a lot over the years. Small rumors becomes bigger by the time and people scare each other off very easy. But mostly because this is a serious matter, people become even more afraid.
ReplyDelete2. I think Ursula wants to help Matt, because she is the one who believes in Matthew and not the rumor. She is a person who stands for justice and therefore, I think she feels that she has to help him.
3. Ursula describes herself as the ugly girl most because of her looks. She is very tall and doesnt like her body that much, but she has accepted it the way it is. She has also accepted her nickname ugly girl and doesnt care if others call her that. She is hiding behind that name because she wants to be by herself and doesnt care about other people. She is content to be the ugly girl.
Nadja
The last two comments were e-mailed to me due to technical issues. I forwarded them to the blog.
ReplyDelete1. I think that everybody is terrified because they know that the rumor might be true. Bomb threats are something that has happened to many schools in USA and the students and teachers are of corse scared of the possibility that this could happen to their school.
ReplyDelete2. Ursula is a person that stands for justice and truth. She knows that the rumor about Matt is false, and wants to help him.
3. Ursula describes herself as the Ugly Girl because of her look. She is tall and has an athletic body. She feels like that her mom always compare her to her tiny sister Lisa, who's a ballet dancer, and she feels like she's not as pretty as the other girls in school.
/ Marielle
1.As a powerful country America has many enemies. These enemies are trying to make some attacks to influence the American people both mentally and physically, and these attacks have led to many people's dead. As i metioned before the enemies wants to effect the people mentally, and they have succeed. Through the years the american people have been more afraid and very paranoid, if they hear the word bomb they will take it very seriously.
ReplyDelete2.Ursula knows how Matt is like a person, she doesnt know him very well but she has been in school with him since fifth grade and she also have a class with him this year.
It's hard for Ursula to believe that Matt can do something like that, Ursula is a person who stands for what she thinks is right, and do not care what other people think. In this case she thinks that Matt is innocent, so Ursula is ready to do more than just watching this case.
3.Ursula is one of the best athletes at Rocky River High school, because of this Ursula has a typical athletic body. She is not looking like the other "pretty" girls because of this she calls herself for "ugly girl" And she also thinks that her family, friends and teachers think the same.
/ Aysun
1. As the book mentions and as everyone knows, bomb threats towards schools has happened before so i think that everyone are afraid to reexperience the terror all over again. Besides, they are just teen agers so they really dont want to die. When you think about a bad thing like a school recieving bomb threats you never think that could happen to your own school, but thtas just what happens in Rocky river high school
ReplyDelete2.
I Think she feels sympathy for him. Urusula heard the whole conversation and she knows that Matt didnt say such horrible things. She kind of know what kind of person he is so she doesnt want to believe this accusations and roumors. Urusla has no close friends, so this could be a good opportunity for her to be friends with Matt
3. Urusla lacks both self confidence and self esteeme. Many people bully her and talk about her behind her back but she actually finds outs that this behavior among her frinds is real . Ursula finds out that people thinks that shes ugly, masculin and big so eventually she starts to believe this crap and calls herself ”ugly girl” instead of ursula. And with her family being unsuportive makes her mental problems just worse
Martin Hernandez
1. I believe that in a country like USA, all such of rumors like this, about bombs and terrorism, becomes magnified. But seriously who would not get scared? I think anyone would get scared if something like that just showed up like that. I also think that the people in the school are afraid of it because they knows that this has happened before and now it might happens again. But I actually believe that they are over-reacting about the bomb threat. They scares each other to much, and gets only more afraid.
ReplyDelete2. I think Ursula feels sorry for him because she knows that the rumor is not true, and when no one believes Matt, she understands that she is the only one who can help him out of this. Ursula is a person who believes in justice, she knows that she is the only one who possibly would stand on his side, but she don´t care because she know it´s the right thing to do.
3.I think her reason for call herself ”ugly girl” is that she compares herself with other girls, that she thinks is much more prettier than her. She is an very good athlete with an very athletic body, and she thinks that´s ”ugly”. Basically this is called bad confidence, and I think she has that. She does not see the beauty in her, because she has always lived with that she´s ”ugly girl”, and she believes that everyone around her thinks that too. It does not make it better at home where she feels that her mother always compares her with her tiny little sister
She just being herself, and I think that would be good enough to not call herself ”ugly girl”.
/Nina
1. I think It's because everybody are chocked that a good guy like Matt would do such a thing. And america is always linked with bomb attack and threats. rocky river is a small school. Which 16-year old boy plays with bombs and guns. Maybe in a demonstrations things like this could happen, but in a lower school? Nowdays you hear A and after 1 hour you hear Z
ReplyDelete2.Maybe she see that little extra in him? Ursula don't think about things linked with her. I think she want to she the people around who she really are. If it's his friends who snitched on him then he don't have anyone on his side left. Ursula don't have friends, she know how to react. Or maybe she really just heard what happend in the cafeteria and want to rescue him out of this. You can see that she don't want to put dirt on her school.
3.I think she had divided her self into three persons, Ursula, ugly-girl and her self. ugly-girl, That is what she hear everyday, it doesn't matter to her. people around her don't like her so why not letting them call her ugly-girl. Maybe it's really funny to them. Ursula, that is used by the family. Now she must change her way of reacting. She don't like the names because it reminds her what people think about her.
/Zaman, I thought I could send it any time of the day, I's still wednesday
1. Well I think it's because a bomb treat aint that rare in the USA, so when someone jokes about it u have to take it serious. Rather be on the safe side then risking anyti'n. Top of that, when a nice/crazy guy like matt is joking about it you probably get freaked out.
ReplyDelete2. Maybe because she is seeing herself in the same position that matt is in, and that she knows the truth so she decides to help him. She knows by the look of Matt that he aint a guy who would do such a horrible thing and that it wouldn’t be fair if he got arrested for it.
3. Because. She got bullied for being an ugly girl, so by taking on the name and instead of being afraid of it, be proud of it, love your appearance no matter how ugly you are.
/ Erik "the almighty"
1.I think everyone is terrified because it's a big thing in U.S and the people there takes it very seriously about it and you can see that the book says that the bomb threats against schools in the country have happened earlier and if all magnify the rumor like they do and that a boy said he'd heard that a bomb - "a pipe bomb" had been found in a custodian's closet near the gym then it's obvious that they become more afraid. The rumor at school going to the mat which has made it and then it is clearly more scared when you think there is someone at school.
ReplyDelete2. I think the reason that Ursula wants to help Matt is that she does not think it is right, she feels sorry and does not believe in it and we have seen when she protested and said she did not believe the rumor that he could never do such a crazy thing. She sees Matt as a nice guy with sense of humor. Ursula is a girl who stands for justice, what she thinks and thinks and cares not for what others say. She does not know Matt as well, but what she had seen of him in school, he has not been the guy who has said or done anything like this before and because she thinks it is wrong that he has been arrested and where she wants to help him.
3. Ursula has made her peace with being anything but a cute, petite charmer like her mother and her little sister. Ursula, who is a top student, decides to become Ugly Girl, big, roughly dressed and definitely defiant. No one messes with big Ursula because she doesn't care what others think of her and she definitely does not put up with anyone, and that includes teachers. That is the main reason for calling herself ugly girl. Ursula has her hair cut short, and lots of earrings in her ears. She is the best basketball player on the girls' team, and she plays with skill and ferocity.
/ Eremal