Changes & Meeting New People

pages 41-85

Summary - (First Day of Camp)  In this part of the story Riley is getting know other members of the summer camp. She doesn't seem to like the idea of staying in Spirit Ranch for a week, because she thinks that "...the whole God thig was impose.Godliness was next to dubiousness." (Howell 44) Riley sort of feels creeped out by other camp members in the beginning, because they acted like angels. Then she realizes that their not all good campers. The protagonist (Riley) also gives the reader hints about her behavior. She says that she has done things like taking drugs, drinking alcohol, and having sex. It is also shown that people think she is fat and that she has always been bugged about it including now.
       Riley also starts talking to two camp members called Dylan and Craig. They are both popular in Spirit Ranch. Riley was impressed by the looks of Dylan and Craig. All the girls in Spirit Ranch have a crush on Craig and every girl had a crush on Dylan until he got in an accident, which got him in a wheel chair. She actually starts thinking about how it would be like to go out with one of them, which shows that she is still very immature. During breaks Riley often goes outside to smoke with Dylan and even gets "high" with him. 
       On the next day Riley finds out that Craig is going out with a girl named Fleur that also goes to Spirit Ranch. She also becomes friends with her room mate,Sara, who wants to die. Then in a field trip Riley fell from her canoes and her breast was revealed. She was completely embarrased and went to take a smoke. The weird things is that Craig still talks to Riley, even though she doesn't have a reputation. It looks like he is going to be a bad character in this story, because he flirts with Riley but he has a girlfriend.
* Riley still plans on leaving the camp on Wednesday and she even called Chloe to make sure they were both on the same page.

Quote- "Dylan was dozing, listening to something on his MP3. I could hear it enough to know it was hard core...I pulled the white cord out of his left ear. "Can I have some of that?".....He smiled and turned the volume up and the singer screamed and raged against an insane beat. I blocked my other ear with my hand and let the chaos in." (Howell 76)

Reactions- The author doen't really use foreshadowing but Howell does use imagery. The setting of the story is always described and so is the atmosphere. The story is told from a first-point of view so I am able to learn a lot from Riley. I am only allowed to see everything from Riley's persepective which may not be hundred percent accurate. I like that the story is told from a made up a teenager's point of view. I also like Riley's character because she is a rebel but I can infer that she will change by the end of the story since sh eis the protagonist. So far I can't see that Riley is accepting herself and society still does not accept her. She is still in the first two steps of a bildungsroman.
           The quote above shows that Rile is building a friendship with Dylan and at the same time it shows that Riley doesn't face her problems. In the quote Riley sits with Dylan after being embarrased in the lake. She does not want to be made fun of so she just run away from her problems. For example, in this case Riley listens to music to calm down but then on other days she smokes or gets high. It's like the wants to shut out the outside world and stay in her own little world.
        

Everything Beautiful by:Simmone Howell

pages 1-40
Summary- This section of the story is basically an introduction on the main character. The protagonist in this story is Riley Rose. She is in high school and and known for acting like a rebel. Riley tries to be happy by going to parties, drinking, and trying to be "cool" like her friend Chloe. Riley mentions that her mother died and I can assume that her mother's death is one of thereasons for her actions. She is also bothered by her father's girlfriend, Norma, even though she is kind and makes her father happy. It seems like Riley thinks Norma is replacing her mom.
          Riley is sent to a summer camp for seven days called Spirit Ranch, but she doesn't plan on staying. Riley got a letter from her friend Chloe with a ticket for a bus to Melbourne. She would rather escape and go to the party of aboy she has a crush on.
        
Quote- "My mother,Lilith Maree Rose, died two years ago,when I was fourteen. Of all the facts of my life, this was the one that wouldn't change." (Howell 10)

Reactions- So far this book seems to be very interesting and it is eay to see that this is a bildungsroman. A lot of teenagers can probably relate to the situation that Riley is in. I also like how the first chapter of the book gives the reader a little sneek peek of what's going to happen later on. I can infer that Riley is going to become close friends with the boy (Dylan) that is mentioned in the first page and that she is going to run away from him.
      This quote shows that Riley has been greatly affected by her mother's death. I think that she acts the way she does to fill up the hole that she has. She says she can't change that part of her life which makes me things that she tries to change other things in her life to make herself happy. She must of been affected mentally by her mom's death.