Chapters # 9-10-11

Questions 13 to 17

13- Which clues should have indicated to Bryon that Mark was selling drugs?

First, he was bringing home more money than he never brought. Secondly, when Bryon and Mark went to the hippie house, everybody knew Mark. They were all saluting him. Mark had probably have been there few times to sell his drugs and make money.  He was the only one who knew where M&M was hiding.  He might have sold him drugs occasionally. Also, Mark was being more and more distant with Bryon. We all thought it was because of Cathy but it could also have a link with the fact that he was selling drugs.

14- In your opinion, why did Bryon call the cops on Mark?

Bryon was so surprised by what he had found in Mark’s hiding spot. He couldn’t believe it. Moreover, he just came from the hospital where M&M was hospitalized. He had seen in so much bad condition Cathy’s brother was. It was all because of drugs. M&M was in a certain danger. The doctors didn’t know if he would survive and live a normal life again. Bryon panicked, and there was a chance that all of this happen to M&M because of Mark. He didn’t know what to do else than call de cops.

15- In your opinion, why did Bryon and Cathy’s relationship end?

Bryon had changed. He wasn’t the same since he got Mark in jail. The days following this event, Bryon wasn’t really active. He wasn’t even thinking of Cathy anymore. He had lost all his feeling. Bryon didn’t know who he was. He had lost himself, lost his best friend and now Cathy to. When she came by to see how he was doing, Bryon was so harsh on Cathy and didn’t even bother. Since then, he was going to school, and going to work but that is all: he wasn’t the same Bryon kind and sweet.

16- What did you think of the ending? Was it predictable? What part of the story foreshadowed such an ending? 

I think it wasn’t that much predictable. In my opinion, we could foreshadow the ending when Bryon called the cops. That was the turning point where we realise about Mark’s secret. I think it is unfortunate that Bryon’s life was torn apart. Everything in his life was getting better. He had a rough time after Charlie’s death but he had Mark and Cathy to support him. Everything went down when he found M&M and right after Mark’s drugs. From then, we could guess the end of the story. We also could understand the title of the book.

17- In your opinion, did Bryon do the right thing by calling the police on Mark? Explain.

I honestly don’t know if it was the best thing to do. It is obviously wrong what Mark had done, but if Bryon had talked to him before calling the cops, could he have changed without being arrested?  Maybe Bryon overreacted to the situation and called to fast the cops, but he was all mixed up and troubled because of M&M situation at the hospital. He was angry that Mark did such bad things. He probably felt guilty that his girlfriend’s brother was in bad shape and that was maybe his best friend’s fault. Indeed, calling the cops and putting Mark in jail made torn them apart definitively. Mark would never forgive Bryon.

Chapters #7-8

Chapters 7 and 8 – Questions 9, 10, 11 and 12

9- When Bryon talks to M&M’s dad, he thinks about how his own mother raises them: “I could have told him that Mom never worried about Mark and me –she loved us but let us run our own lives”. What do you think about the way Bryon’s mother raises the boys? Do you think it has consequences on their lives? What are the consequences?

I think it might not be the best way to raise children. They are kind of left alone, by themselves without any adult supervision. Also, Bryon and Mark are living in difficult situation: they don’t have a lot of money; they live in a poor and dangerous neighborhood. Although, it’s not because she isn’t present in their life that she doesn’t like them, on the contrary. She loves them and cares about them. She just demonstrates it in a different way that usual parents who protect their children. There probably will have some consequences in their future and probably had in their past. They do whatever they want, even bad things without any punishment.

10- In chapter 7, Mark says: “So are we [just kids]. Nothing bad happens to you when you’re a kid. Or haven’t you realized that?” Do you agree with Mark? Do you think Mark’s opinion is going to change? Why?

I do not agree with what Mark says. Nothing bad happened to them when they were kid. I would call it good luck, but not every kid has it. It is not because Mark never got caught or never been into serious trouble that life is safe when you are a child and you don’t worry about a thing. I don’t think Mark’s opinion will change until he gets confronted to an actual situation where he could be in danger. Basically Mark thinks like a kid, he doesn’t take his responsibilities, he steals frequently and doesn’t think of his future: nothing affects Mark.

11- In chapter 7, how does Mark’s previous statement from chapter 2 (“That is one stupid guy. [… ] if anybody ever hurt me like that, I’d hate them for the rest of my life.”) become prophetic?

In the previous chapter, Mark got incidentally into a fight at the school party. He unfortunately got badly hurt and end up at the hospital. In fact, it was because Angela had asked a guy to beat up Curtis, but it was Mark who hit. Angela didn’t seem to bother or to feel guilty. As Mark said in chapter 3, if anyone ever hurt him like that, he would hate this person for the rest of his life. I think Angela is one of them. Thus, when they saw Angela and her friends on the side of the road Mark wanted to revenge himself. He invited Angela in the car for a ride; he bought some alcohol for her and Bryon so he could have his payback without Bryon defending Angela. So basically, he was quite mad about what Angela did to him and probably hated her. He got his revenge to satisfy himself but will never forgive her.

12- In your opinion, why does Mark know where to hunt for M&M in this chapter?

Mark probably understand M&M situation. He has been through a lot of things in his life: his parent’s death, his stealing problem, his friendship with Bryon suffering because of Cathy… Perhaps, Mark may have felt the same way once in his life and might have been to this house of hippies. He possibly went there to feel better so he thinks M&M could have done the same thing.  In fact, when he went there with Bryon, people in the house knew who he was.  Actually, they were saluting him friendly. He was right about it though. Unfortunately M&M left before they came. 

Chapters # 5-6

6-   Were you surprised by Charlie’s death in chapter 5? Why/Why not?  In your opinion, what will be the consequences of this death for Bryon and Mark?

At first, I was surprised but it was kind of predictable: When the guy pointed them with his gun than shot, we know Charlie protected Bryon and obviously went in front of him. Unfortunately he got shoot above his eye. I think the consequences will be between Bryon and Mark. They don’t think alike. Bryon was so shocked by the death of Charlie and was thinking of it usually. He had changed since the accident, and grew apart of Mark. They maybe will separate one day because they will become too much different of each other.

7-   In chapter 6, Cathy and Mark’s relationship evolves.  How do they feel about one another?  What events prove that?

They don’t really appreciate each other. They kind of are fighting for Bryon: clearly Cathy likes Bryon; they’re dating. Mark on the other side is mad to lose his best friend, his brother for a “chick”. So they don’t stand each other and moreover, in the car (when they were going to the Ribbon) they started arguing. Mark got pissed off and just left to go join another friend. Bryon is stuck in between and don’t say anything. He doesn’t want to lose neither of them.

8-   Chapter 6 ends with M&M running away.  What do you think makes M&M choose to do that?

 He is unfortunately living an unhappy life at home. He has his father who is always around commenting and criticizing everything he does. They don’t accept M&M as he is. His long hair, the way he dresses and the way he thinks should not be a reason to not love him as their child. It is not because he is different than the others that he is a bad kid.

Chapters #3-4

Chapters 3 and 4 – Questions 4 and 5

1-    In chapter 3, many different (sometimes little) events give us some insight about Mark and Bryon’s relationship.
Identify the elements that give us that insight on the boys’ relationship.
For each event that you list, explain what it says about their relationship.

        i.            Mark knows Bryon cares about his appearance and the way he dresses. He knows there is a dance coming so he gave a blue shirt, to the right size to Bryon. For a matter of fact, they both know blue is the color that fits well Bryon. Bryon is pleased. He doesn’t know if Mark stole it or bought it but it doesn’t matter, the point is that Mark brought it for him. It shows how connected they are: Mark definitely knows that Bryon will be happy and touched. Moreover,

      ii.             “-Listen Bryon, […] when we get there, at the hospital, stay with me O.K? […] -I’m not taking this trip for a ride, I said.” (p.60) 

            Obviously, Bryon is loyal to Mark and won’t abandon him. Moreover, Mark needs Bryon’s company and he is not shy to ask him to stay with him at the hospital. They are really like brothers; they take care of each other no matter what. Considering that they were at their dance, Bryon didn’t matter to leave with Mark without telling Cathy (his date).

  

2-   After reading chapter 4, explain the relevance and the meaning of the title of the book. Include two quotes from chapter 4 to illustrate your opinion.

“Do you ever get the feeling that the whole thing is changing? Like somethin’ is coming to an end because somethin’ else is beginning? ” (p.68)

“-But there’s a difference. I wonder what the difference is? […] “-The difference is, “I said evenly, “That was then, this is now”.” (p.69)

That was then, this is now: it explains well how things changes.  As we are getting older, we grow apart our friends and our gang to define ourselves.  In a certain way the past is over and we can’t change it but our action in the present represents well who we are. When we change, we don’t see things like we used to.  Mark and Bryon used to have a lot of fun with their gang. They were so close that they would do anything for each other. But time is flying and there comradeship changed. They are not as closed as they used to be with their friends. They don’t need each other as much as before to make who they are.

Chapters #1-2

1-      In chapter 1, when Mark and Bryon save M&M from Curly Sheppard’s gang and afterwards want to beat up on another innocent by-stander, M&M says:

“You make me sick!  You just rescued me from some guys who were going to beat me up because I’m different from them, and now you’re going to beat up someone because he’s different form you.  You think I’m weird – well, you’re the weird ones.”

· Discuss difference in Mark and Bryon’s world.  What does it mean and what does it cause? 

·      What does that event enable you to infer or predict about what will happen in the story? 

              In Mark and Bryon’s world, difference means danger. Unfortunately when you are different, you get beat up by some gangs. They have been raised in a certain way and to be different means they will get involuntarily into trouble. In the first chapter, M&M was confronted by a gang. This poor little boy was different and Curly Sheppard’s gang felt the need to beat him up. It doesn’t make any sense to me, why should we beat up somebody different than us? I predict than later on, in the book, somebody who seems different than the others will obviously be beaten up, even if he is innocent.

2-      In chapter 2, Mike’s story ends with the girl saying “kill the white bastard”.  Why do you think she said that?  Explain from the context.

            I think the girl said that to protect herself. She had cried earlier and we could still notice it. She probably did not want to explain to all her neighbourhood her story. It was easy for her to blame Mike, he was a white kid and he had given her a ride. She knew her story would make sense because it was suspicious that a guy, different than her, was kind and enough generous to take her back home safely.

3-      At the end of chapter 2, Mike says:

“I still don’t hate Negroes, least of all Connie.  I mean I can almost see why she did it. Almost.”

Mark later says about Mike:

“That is one stupid guy.  [… ] if anybody ever hurt me like that, I’d hate them for the rest of my life.”

What does that comment allow you to foreshadow about Mark?

          I think Mark will be confronted to a situation where maybe he will be the different guy that will be beaten up. He thinks Mike is stupid to forgive somebody that almost killed him. I believe that Mark doesn’t understand Mike’s position because he has never been in any circumstance similar. Bryon statement of the end of chapter two makes me predict that Mark will get beaten up by somebody and will never forgive his attackers. Maybe it will be a close friend or even Bryon that accidently will hurt him.