Deadline for your response is Wednesday 23 March before class starts at 2:40 pm.
1. Can you understand Matt's mother's reaction to the situation or do you think she's overreacting? Explain.
2. Why do you think Ursula suspects the Brewer twins to have something to do with Matt's arrest?
3. Find a passage in the text (up to page 140) that you find interesting and explain why it's interesting to the story.
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Thanks to Felicia and Besarta who helped me come up with the questions.
Keyvan
ReplyDelete1.
Answer: I can understand the reaction that she has when she hear that neighbours and other people are scared and speak of it when she is around. It´s something that remain in your thoughts and affects you in several ways, one of them is the one Matt´s mother had.
I cant see any overreaction in this scenario. Sometimes you can ignore it for a while but in the end it will get to you, badly. So her reaction is completley normal to the situation.
2.
Answer: Because Matt had been rejecting one of the sisters. She liked him but he didnt want to be with her or go out with her. This was a matter of revenge and this is how they got their ''revenge''.
3.
Answer: The part when they explain how Ursula gets when Matt is around and how her heart beats faster. Typical signs of a crush for someone. I think it´s interesting because this is another step for Ursula. From being a person who is all to herself and not willing to open up for anybody to be in love. She hasn´t estabilished that to 100% yet but us who read the book notice that she is falling in love with Matt, I think.
1. -Yes , I understand her reaction very well. She seems to be a woman with many friends, but when the neighbors and her friends find out about Matt’s so called threat about blowing up the school they start to avoid her. And the whole thing does not make it better when her husband is absent so much. I don’t think she can handle all the press on her own, I think she need her husband’s support. I don’t think she is overreacting at all I just think she may would of think how she is behaving around Matt. This going to end up giving Matt guilt feelings.
ReplyDelete2. - - I think she begins to suspect the twins when they tease her and ask her weird questions about Matt when they meet her in the corridor. Ursula check their “back round” and finds out that one of them or maybe both were in love with Matt and that he dissed them. So she thinks that the twins wanted to get back to him some way. When the girls overheard what Matt said in the cafeteria they saw it as a great opportunity to get back at him. Then if you take a look what their parents are working with you will find out that their father is a priest. And in small towns/village a priest has much respect from many people in the village so it makes sense that the school believed in them when they accused Matt of waning to blow up the school. I also noticed that their father leave and pick them up every day. The school was really careful with not telling anybody who testified against Matt, and with their dad coming to pick them up every day it kind of makes sense that he wanted to make sure nothing happened to the girls.
3. - have not found it yet , i will return with a quote !
/ Beesartaa
1. No I don´t think she´s overreacting. It’s ok to react like that in a situation like that one. I think it´s hard to take that people in your neighberhood, and people you normaly talk to and say hi to suddenly avoids you, because of a rumor that you belives to 100% isn’t true. It’s not funny for any parent to hear that people around you are scared because of your son.
ReplyDeleteI understands her that she isn’t happy at Rocky river anymore, and that she wants to move. It’s completely understanding. No one wants to live in a comunity were everybody are turning theirs backs against you.
2.2. I think she suspects them becasue, why would they ever pushed her in the stairs that day, and tease her liked they did.? Because one of the twins liked/likes matt, but got no response back. Then they decided to get revenge on Matt. They found a good opportunity when they found him talking in the cafeteria about ”the bomb”. Later on when the twins finds out that ursula is trying to help Matt out of the ”bomb threat situation”, they attack Ursula.
3. I like the part in the book when matt passes his” friends” when they are talking about a party that weekend, and ask him if he wants to join them, and Matt just answer with a ”Thanks but i’m busy all weekend” Followed by the italic text ” Thanks Russ, thanks to all of you. My heart is a stone – it wont be broken again.
I like it because that shows us that matt doesn´t cares about them anymore for how they behaved when he got expelled from school. I like it because I think it´s hard to just ignore your ” friends” like that. I do not think that many people would do that, they would just pretend like there was nothing.
/Nina
1. I don't think she is overreacting, I think many people in her situation would react like she does. It can't be fun that people who used to be your friend suddenly ignores you. And it can't feel very nice when you know that your own neighbours are scared of your son. I think her reaction is normal,she is afraid that her son will get into more trouble and that he will get hurt because people are ignoring their family.
ReplyDelete2. I think Ursula suspects the twins the day they start to tease her and "be in her way". And when she finds out that one of the twin had a crush on Matt, but Matt didn't like her the same way. I think Ursula suspects them and think that this is their revenge, getting Matt into trouble.
3. I like the part where Ursula expalins that Matts desk is empty and that she miss him. I think it's intresting to the story because Ursula admittes that she misses Matt, but it can be that she misses him like a friend or that she is in love with him. It's also intresting becaus when you read you can see that she is not sure of his feelings about Matt.
/Sara. H
1. Of course, It damages their reputation. A stupid thing growing bigger everyday. This is bad for the whole family. They have everybodys eyes on them. How funny is that. Got hated by your neighbours.
ReplyDelete2. Ursula found some connection between Matts problem and the twins. One of them got dissed by Matt, that could be one. And the thing about being stressed up when Ursula claims that it were them who witness. They were like "you can't proof"
3. I got stuck at this part when Matt can't stopp thinking about the boys. (sue us) He had been so strong. He got to make up his mind if he's going to sue anybody or something. This part shows that Matt and ugly girl have same methods when they are thinking. Brainstorming every minute
/zaman
1. Sure, I understand the reaction. But to be honest, I dont think they should care about it that much. Maybe it's too overwhelming for her that all her 'friends' turned her back on her, but yeah then you notice who really your friends are, and I think that's a good thing. It's all just so american. I'm just imagining the whole scenario like the show "Desperate housewives". Kinda annoying hah. Maybe they should move away, but really, how easy is that.
ReplyDelete2. The twins started nagging Ursula and then she found out that one of them or both had a crush on Matt but he turned her or both down, and now they want revenge. These twins seem really crazy.
3. Aaah I just think the whole book is too 'american'. Maybe im the only one seeing it, but just take the mother for example. I just think its too much hah
Hampus
1. Sure, I can understand her reaction. She feels unsafe in the house and scared about the letters. But I think it's wrong that she's blaming Matt. This isn't his fault. And I think she's overreacting a little bit about the situation. I don't think it's necessary to move away.
ReplyDelete2. Because the Bewer Twins have this reputation of being really mean, and one time they oversaid to Ursula that they know about her helping Matt. She also finds out that one of the sisters has a crush on Matt, but he turned her down. So Ursula knows that it's a possibility that they did it to get revenge.
3. I picked a piece on page 130 when one of the Bewer sister happen to say too much about there involving in the whole bomb drama. ''Our father says we don't have to answer any questions. We're protected by the law'' This makes Ursula absolutely sure that they are guilty.
/ Marielle
This is Sandra's response:
ReplyDelete1 Sure, I can understand her reaction, to some extent. I don’t think anyone can prepare themselves for a situation like the one this family is in. How is she supposed to react when her son is being accused of trying to blow up the school , to the police investigations, the sudden media-attention, friends who stop talking to her and all they rumors that are spreading and at the same time, her husband is about to loose his job? It’s a lot to deal with. Her job in all of this should be to support Matt and the family and she can’t do that if she has constant breakdowns all the time. I think Matt’s mother is very selfish in the way that she cares more about what other people think about them and how all of this is affecting her, instead of how Matt is feeling and supporting him. I think you can tell that Matt isn’t getting the right support from home and that he is feeling very lonely in this whole process.
1. The Brewer twins were mean girls and nobody at school liked or trusted them. They virtually had no real friends at all. I think the twins were very influenced by their father the local priest who had strange but firm opinions and dislikes about other religions, sexuality etc. Ursula doesn’t like the twins at all, nobody does but lately they’d been calling her names and “accidentally” bumping into her which makes her really notice them at school. I guess she kept thinking who the person was that reported Matt in. Because obviously he hadn’t really tried to blow up the school so somebody was framing him, trying to make him look guilty. I think that’s why she suspected them, because no one else would do such a thing. Later Ursula finds out that Matt had refused one of the girls and so they had decided to get back on him.
2. Some of the good ones have already been taken! Like how Ursula is beginning to understand she has feelings for Matt and how she is dealing with all of this. And also how Matt is brave enough to leave his “friends” after they’d abandoned him when he needed them the most. In addition I think the reaction of the kids at school when Matt returns is interesting. He taught that when he returned to school everything would be normal again and that everyone would apologies for ever doubting him, but they didn’t. Just the whole atmosphere at the school has changed. Matt has changed. I think it’s interesting to see Matt find himself again on his own, this time without hiding behind “Big Mouth”.
/ Sandra
Åsa: via e-mail due to technical issues
Finally I was able to post, but the numbers look kind of funny in the post above. Sorry!
ReplyDelete1. Yes and no actually. The letter had no return adress, wich means that anyone could´ve sent it. Maybe its was a real threat from their neighbours but it could also be a joke from a student in Matts school so i think Matts mom should´nt go beserk that much. If i was her i wouldinvestigate nad maybe ask around the neighborhood to catch this sneaky person who sent the letter.
ReplyDelete2. Because Ursula founds out that Matt rejected ones one of the twins so maybe she did it to get a sweet revenge. If this is true she did a pretty good job. Ursula Destroyed the twins dreams by defending Matt so thats why they try to bully her. Så automaticlly she suspects them
3. When Ursula thought that she saw matt in the park with another girl. I really liked how the aouther described her feelings and what was going on inside of her. That truly proofs that i was right before when i thought she have a crush on him and her feelings towards him are getting bigger and bigger.
Martin Hernandez
1.Of course she got very angry and didn’t know what to say because, she knows the truth but everyone thinks that it wasn’t a joke. She also thinks a lot of what her friends, neighbors would think about them when they find out what happened about her son. She isn’t reacting but if she want to help him not to get bad feelings she have to stand by his side and not just think about the publishing in the Journal. But it’s a normal reaction for this situation, but she won’t let Matt feel better if she blames him instead of seeing the problem in another way and help him.
ReplyDelete2.
Because they have crush on him and he didn’t feel the same and they let her down and she god angry when she knew that Ursula was helping him through this and wanted to in any way show them that Matt is guilty but in real his not. A way to get payback for what he done.
3
Had Matt been about to jump? On the icy rocks and fall into the ravine?
How could they do something like that to a person who isn’t guilty! They let him go suicide because of them, that’s really crazy, if Ursula didn’t come and see him it would been too late to rescue him and what I found out was that it’s her favorite place. Its hard for him to get all the press from everyone but he have to show them that his strong and show them the truth and that he can handle it.Its interesting how some people can effect a person who had a good confidence and ending up like this.
// Ahlam
1. I understand her reaction, I would also get upset if somebody sent me a letter like that. What I don’t understand is why Matt and his parent don’t talk about the situation more. His parents talk to each other about it but the don’t ask Matt what he’s thinking and what he’s feeling about everything. His parents must have noticed that he’s not spending time with his friends anymore. Problems don’t disappear just because you ignore them.
ReplyDelete2. Because they “attack” her one day in school telling her stuff like we know who you are and sticking up for somebody that wants to blow up the school. Why would they care so much about her testimony if they didn’t have anything to do with it? And when Ursula confronts them they get nervous and saying that “they’re protected by the law”. Why would you need to be protected by the law if you’re not involved? It’s kind of clear that the Brewer twins are the two witnesses.
3. On page 132 when it comes out that the Donaghys are going to sue the school I found interesting because everybody had almost forgot about the bomb threat and moved on and then it comes to everybody’s acknowledge about the suing and it starts over again. I understand that people think that suing is maybe a little unnecessary but they don’t know what Matt went through so they can’t judge him. Without the suing Matt would probably not get any enemies but now he has.
/louise
ReplyDelete