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Loss of Innocence:

"It occurred to me in the middle of the night that Michael asked if I was a virgin to find out what I expected of him. If I hadn't been one then he probably would have made love to me. What scares me is i'm not sure how I feel about that." (22)

Context: During the time that Michael and Katherine were alone together, they started having an intimate moment with each other where Michael felt the need to start undressing Kat in which she responded that it wasn't the right time yet. In which Michael assumed that the reason that Kat is taking a while to give into him is because shes a virgin, which Kat confirmed was true. But then afterwards she started thinking to herself what the outome would have been if she lied and said that she was not a virgin.

Commentary/ Analysis: The topic of loss of innocence is one of the main themes in the book as the back of the book claims that Kat ends up losing her virginity to Michael which indicates Kat's lost of innocence. But this could also symbolize Kat's adulthood and matureness because lost of innocence not only can represent Katherine no longer being a virgin but also it can be looked at in a way as Kat giving into love and her love for Michael since throughout the book she is frequently stopping Michael from going any further with her and since the book already states that Kat ends up sleeping with Michael can represent her lost of innocence mentally and emotionally and not just physically since Kat has said that she does not see sex as a physical thing but as a way of expressing love.

Everlasting love:

"Katherine and Michael are in love, and Katherine knows its forever- especially after she loses her virginity to him. But when theyre separated for the summer, she begins to have feelings for another boy. What does this say about her love for Michael? And what does "forever" mean anyway? Is this the love of a lifetime or the very beginning of a lifetime of love?"

Context: So far in the book, Kat and Michael seem to have a healthy relationship with communication and patience, in which would make the readers think that Katherine and Michael are destined to be together "forever", especially after she loses her virginity to him. But being apart really test their love for each other and also shows a way to understand that feelings can change and things arent always what they seem to be.

Commentary/ Analysis: In situations such as Michaels and Kats, it is normal for couples to think that their love for each other is "everlasting" and "forever". But in some cases that does not always turn out to be true especially if one of them ends up loosing feelings for the other and instead develop feelings for someone else, such as Kat. This can show that  couples like Kat and Michael, that picture their life together to be a happily ever after with a fairy tale ending can be easily destroyed and heartbroken if someone makes the wrong move or decision that can end up not being able to return back to the everlasting love that was once there.

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Heartbreak and Betrayal

¨I wasn´t going to touch you tonight...just to prove I didn´t get you up here for sex. . .Michael kissed me and reached down between my legs but I caught his hand and moved it away. ´No...not tonight...´ ´I don´t care´
´But I do.´¨

Context:
Michael and Kath are both dating after meeting at a New Years party, Kath is still a virgin and doesn't want to have sex unless she knows for certain she loves the person, but she has her worried and her reasons for hesitation. She's too scared to have such a physical relationship because she has been used before by her previous boyfriend, Tommy, who told her that if she didn't have sex with him, he would find someone else who would.

Commentary/Analysis:
Kath has told Michael several times that she's not ready, and wants to take it slow with him, and every time, Michael agrees and tells her that he won't try and touch her. Kath believes him every time but holds restraint because she still has her reservations and worries. It started out in the den at Kath's house when Michael asked if she was a virgin, to which Kath later realized was him asking her what his expectations of him were. Later on, as the story progresses, Michael continuously attempts to touch Kath or get her alone. The example stated in the quote is when Kath and Michael went up to go skiing with some of Michael's family. Michael went into Kath's room on the first night and started moving closer between her legs, despite Kath turning him down several times, and asking him to stop or go slow in their relationship many times before. However, despite Michael's questionable advances, Kath keeps trusting him and allowing him to be close with her, even though she shouldn't. Not only is that in and of itself a betrayal, but the fact that Kath says "not tonight" and Michael responds with "I don't care" is extremely dismissive and inconsiderate of her feelings, especially as the person you should be most considerate of.

Coming of Age

¨'I´ve been thinking,' Erica said, 'that it might not be a bad idea to get laid before college.'

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#1 - Coming of age:

Quote:

"'What about Tommy Aronson?' 'That wasn't love... that was childish infatuation.' 'You said it was love... I remember' 'Well, I didn't know anything then.' 'Oh.' 'Someday you'll understand.' 'I doubt it," Jamie said. I wish she hadn't brought up the subject of Tommy Aronson, because I did like him a lot last year, but only for a few months. Now he's at Ohio State and the news I get is he's so busy making it with every female on campus he may flunk out. I hope he does. Sex was all he was ever interested in, which is why we broke up-- because he threatened that if I wouldn't sleep with him he'd find somebody who would"(14).

Context:
The protagonist Katherine and her sister Jamie are having a conversation about her first love when Jamie brings up a boy named Tommy Aronson, who is Katherine's ex. Jamie recalls Katherine saying it was love, to which she replies by saying she didn't know any better since it was back then, and it was  childish infatuation. Katherine explains that although she liked Tommy, it was only for a few months. The only news she's really heard of since then is that he's been going around with several different girls on campus and because of this, he may flunk. She continues to explain that he was only ever interested about sex, which is why they broke up. She says that he threatened to break up with her if she didn't sleep with him, and that is exactly what happened.

Commentary/Analysis:
The significance of bringing up Tommy Aronson in the story is to contrast her ex with her current love interest, Michael. Back then, when she liked/loved Tommy, she didn't know any better because she was younger and didn't truly know what love was. She states that Michael is not the same as Tommy because this time, she's sure she is in love with him. She believes that Michael is different from Tommy because he loves her for her, regardless of sex. This contributes to the coming of age aspect of the novel as it mentions the phrase "back then", meaning that the protagonist has grown from past experiences and that now, she better understands what love truly is.

#2 Self preservation:

Quote:

"If Artie and Erica hadn't been there I doubt that I'd have stopped Michael from unbuttoning my jeans"(28).

Context:
Katherine invites Erica, Michael, and Artie over to her house while her parents go on vacation. Erica and Artie were playing board games in the other room, and Katherine and Michael laid next to each other next to the fire. Because it was only their fifth time seeing each other, Katherine had asked Michael to go slow with her. However, while they were cuddling, Michael attempts to unhook her bra and unbutton her pants. Katherine refuses and stops Michael from going any further. She comes up with an excuse saying that they shouldn't yet, not when Erica and Artie are in the room next door. They take a minute to themselves and Katherine heads up to the upstairs bathroom. She thinks about how if Erica and Artie weren't in the next room, she might've not been able to stop Michael from doing anything else.

Commentary/Analysis:
Katherine stopping Michael from unbuttoning her jeans demonstrates how she values self preservation, despite her yearning for Michael. Even though she has strong feelings for Michael, she stops herself, and Michael, so that they don't end up doing something she may or may not regret. If Katherine hadn't done what she had done, she would have made a mistake, despite what happened with Tommy and thus contradicting herself because even though she disliked how Tommy only thought about sex when they were together, and even broke up with him because of this, having sex with Michael right away would have made her seem like a hypocrite.

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1. Communication — verbal and nonverbal

Quote: "But when he fumbled with the snap on my jeans I sat up and said, ' No... not now... not with them in the other room. ' Michael rolled over onto his stomach and kind of groaned. I bent down and stroked his hair. ' You're not mad, are you?  '  ' No ' ' You're sure? ' ' Yeah... but this is really rough... '  ' I know it... '  ' Give me a minute by myself, okay?' he asked." (Blume, 27)

Context: After seeing each other for 5 weeks in a row, Katherine asked Michael to go slow with her, him promising  he would. However, one night as everyone —Michael's friend Artie, Katherine's parents, and her friend Erica — were in other rooms, leaving the two of them alone, he tries to unbutton her jeans. Unprepared and slightly uncomfortable, Kath explains that they can't go further, as it feels wrong with her friends and parents who were just a door away. Michael rolls over, groaning while she says she needs a minute by herself.

Commentary: Communication is present in Michael and Katherine's relationship. As Kath explains how they shouldn't do anything more, Michael backs off, groaning. This is an example of verbal and nonverbal communication, with Michael's actions hinting at his dissapointment. Soon after, Kath mentions bending down and stroking his hair, a nonverbal way of telling him to relax, or a way to pleasure him in a nonsexual, soothing way. Communication like mentioned in the book, is very important especially in relationships, as those that lack it often fall apart. In this quote, Katherine tells Michael no, which can be a very hard word for some to say to their partners. If Kath hadn't said what she said, Michael would have continued his previous actions, thinking she was alright. This not only showcases the importance of both verbal and nonverbal communication in the book, but in real life aswell, since the events that occur within the book also happen outside of it.

2. Coming of age

Quote: " ' Tell me the truth, Kath... don't you think about it? ' ' Well, sure... but I want it to be special. ' (Blume, 30)

Context: After Michael and Artie leave, Katherine and Erica discuss losing their virginities. The two share their opinions on the topic, Erica mentioning you don't need love to have sex, while Kath thinks the opposite. Despite their different beliefs, they share a civil conversation about what it would be like, and who the other person would be.

Commentary: One of the main themes found in the book includes coming of age, the transition from a young person to an adult. Katherine and Erica discuss their thoughts on losing their virginities, which is a major step in adulthood. Although they haven't done it yet, their conversation implies that the two are preparing, or expecting to have sex sooner or later. This of course doesn't mean that they'll lose it the next day, but shows that they are becoming adults and need to start thinking about the said topic.

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1. faith vs doubt:

¨I wasn´t going to say I loved Micheal yet. I was too quick to think I´d loved Tommy Aronson and he and I never even got to be friends.¨ (blume 29)

context:
Katherine invited Artie, Micheal and Erica over to hangout at her house. The boys left, but Erica was going to stay the night so this gave the girls an opportunity to talk to one another about the time they spent with Artie and Micheal. They sit on the bed and Erica asks Katherine how she feels about Micheal after discussing her uncertainty towards Artie. Erica asks Katherine to tell her her about Micheal and if she loves him. Katherine doesn´t respond with a yes or no, instead she replies, ¨I like him a lot...that´s all I know right now¨.

commentary:
Throughout this book, we can already see Katherine is still healing from her former love interest, Tommy. She seems to have developed trust and commitment issues due to him. He never showed her true love but instead only wanted her for her body. This resulted in Katherine having doubt that Micheal will be any different because she has declined having sex with him on multiple occasions. Though, she has strong feelings for Micheal, she wants to take her time with him to really make sure he is the one. She has faith because he has been understanding of the fact that she is not mentally prepared to loose her virginity, so maybe he will be different from Tommy.

2. self preservation

¨You don´t need love to have sex¨ (blume 30)

context: Erica and Katherine are having a sleepover which leaves the girls to discuss their opinions on the boys and on sex. While Erica believes sex is simply about pleasure, Katherine sees it as a way to express love for one another. They are both virgins but Erica shares how she wants to loose it before college. Katherine however, wants to wait till the right time and wants to make sure she is truly in love.

commentary:  Katherine is still a virgin and plans to be until she finds the right guy. This shows her maturity and level of self control because most girls in high school fall into the pressure of having sex at a young age. Katherine expresses her self preservation as she declines having sex Micheal. She wants her first time to be perfect, she wants to be in love with the guy. This is a great representation of most young girls perspective on sex. Although girls tend to be pressured into giving themselves up, most value their bodies and want to save themselves for the right person and right time.

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Amazing job, Sammy! You do a great job of analyzing the greater significance and connecting it to your Big Idea.

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#1 - Change versus Tradition

Quote:

"In the old days girls were divided into two groups - those who did and those who didn't. My mother told me that. Nice girls didn't, naturally. They were the ones boys wanted to marry. I'm glad those days are over but I still get angry when older people assume that everyone in my generation screws around"(37).

Context:
After dinner, the protagonist, Katherine, was having a talk with her grandmother about Michael. She warned to be careful about getting pregnant, as well as receiving STDs. Katherine denies that she's been sleeping with Michael, to which her grandmother replies with "yet". Then, Katherine thinks about how back then, it was traditional or normal for girls to be categorized/divided into groups based on what kind of girls boys wanted to marry. Katherine feels relieved as she says that she's glad those days are over, however, she still gets upset when older people assume that everyone in her generation screws around.

Commentary/Analysis:
This shows how there have been many changes since back then, such as the societal norms. Unlike past times in previous generations, newer and younger generations have come to be more open, accepting and understanding about the topic of sex. Even though those days are over, Katherine still feels upset about the fact that older people believe that all their generation does is screw around. This highlights the difference between different generations, and therefore, suggests a change in old traditions and societal expectations compared to today.

#2 - Coming of Age

Quote:

"I'm glad you decided I could go to Vermont, Dad." "Well... you'll be off to college in the fall... I have to let you go sooner or later... I guess you're not a little girl anymore"(59).

Context:
Michael and his family invited Katherine to go on a skiing trip in Vermont. After much persuasion, Katherine finally convinces her parents to let her go with them. She thanks her dad for allowing her to go. He responds by telling her that he might as well let her go sooner rather than later, since she's older and is "not a little girl anymore". He says that she is even going off to college in the upcoming fall.

Commentary/Analysis:
This conversation between Katherine and her father show a coming of age theme in the novel. Her father believes that she is no longer a little girl because she is going to college in the fall, even though she is still his little girl.  Her parents feel as if it's too early to let their children go because they'll miss them and won't be able to protect them as much if they're farther away. Therefore, this shows that Katherine is becoming an adult and her parents have to realize that because she is getting older, she should be allowed to explore the world more on her own rather than being under her parents' wings forever.

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1. Manipulation

Quote: " 'That's very interesting... now would you please leave so I can change.' 'Are you ashamed of your body, Katherine?' 'No... of course not.' 'Then what's the difference if I stay?' " (Blume, 41)

Context: As a water fight broke loose when washing the dishes, Kath and Michael decide to go to the bathroom and wash one another over the sink, lathering their hair with shampoo. Afterwards, Katherine informs Michael that she needs to change, hinting she wants him to leave. However, Michael insists that he stay, promising Katherine that he won't touch her. Still unconvinced, she stands her ground, not changing until he leaves. Michael changes how she views the situation by asking if she is ashamed of her body, and Katherine, wanting to prove him wrong ends up changing in front of him.

Commentary / Analysis : Manipulation is the act of controlling or influencing a person cleverly or unfairly. In this scene, Michael is shown to be influencing Katherine's decision into letting him stay in her room as she undresses. Although he insisted on staying, Katherine at first remained unconvinced, showing she had no plans on letting Michael watch her change. Michael then uses this opportunity to bring up what most teenage girls her age are insecure about: their bodies. He asks if Katherine is insecure about hers, in other words, declaring that if she was confident, she'd let him stay. This changes Katherine's perspective on the situation, forgetting about her privacy and personal space as she lets Michael stay, refuting his point.

2. Dangers Of Ignorance

Quote: " 'You promised...' I reminded him. 'I'll hook it for you.. that's all.' 'Don't bother.' 'It's no trouble' But instead of hooking it he slid his hands around to my breasts and kissed the back of my neck. 'Please, Michael... don't' 'Why not, Kath?' " (Blume, 41)

Context: After letting Michael stay, Katherine turns around and proceeds to undress slowly. Now naked, she feels Michael's presence behind her, and reminds him that he promised not to touch. Michael overlooks this statement, saying all he'll do is hook her bra on. Katherine finds that that was patently a lie, when she feels his hands sliding around her breasts, and his lips on the back of her neck. Katherine, still standing, pleads for him to stop and Michael asks her why.

Commentary / Analysis : Although Michael breaks his promises, Katherine's ignorance causes her to keep believing in him. Katherine, unbeknownst to what Michael is doing, stands there, waiting for him to hook her bra on like he said. Not only does he break his promises, Michael seems as though he is trying to arouse Katherine, by kissing her neck and wrapping his hands around her breasts. This suggests that he wants to take it further with Kath, hoping that once she is in fact aroused she'll let him do whatever. However, Katherine just stands there, unable to move and barely convincing him to stop with her words. If Katherine had known any better, or if she had more experience with boys, she would realize Michael's motives the first time he asked to stay and would have avoided the situation.

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1. Faith versus Doubt

Quote: "I could have said it back to him right away. I was thinking it all along. I was thinking, I love you, Michael. But can you really love someone you've seen just nineteen times in your life?" (Blume, 66)

Context:
After arriving at Vermont, Michael and Katherine stay at his sister's ski house. While getting ready for bed, Katherine hears Michael asking to come into her room. She lets him in, and they start kissing. When Katherine reminds Michael of his not-so-far-away sister, he dismisses it and tells her not to worry. The two lovers continue having their intimate moment, which ends shortly after Katherine asks for Michael to stop. He then tells her he loves her, but she doesn't reciprocate. Katherine reflects on his words and thinks about if it really is love that she feels for Michael, although she has only seen him for 19 times in her life.

Commentary:
In this quote, Katherine doubts her feelings for Michael, and even though she was very certain that she loved him, she was left speechless when he told her he loved her. Although Katherine is fully confident that she loves Michael—considering the fact that she was "thinking it all along"— she might not be ready to say it out loud in order to protect herself. Katherine's doubts may be caused by her previous relationship, in which her ex-boyfriend Tommy only wanted to use her for her body. A toxic past relationship, specially one that made her feel unworthy and unlovable could make Katherine hesitate with her actions even when she is sure she's in love, as she might be afraid to go through the same thing again. Thus, her faith in what she feels for Michael clashes with her doubts, influenced by her past relationship. This particular scene offers a bit of realism, as people coming out of a toxic relationship usually develop a tough barrier when it comes to love, and more often than not hesitate when starting a new relationship as they are afraid of experiencing it again.

2. Wisdom of Experience

Quote: " 'Daddy said sometimes spending a lot of time together can end a romance faster than anything else.' My father actually blushed when I looked at him. ' Were you hoping this would end it? ' I asked . 'Don't be silly, Kath,' Dad said. ' Then why would you have said such a thing?' 'It was a general discussion... not one about you and Michael. ' 'We also discussed how being together can make a romance even stronger.' " (Blume, 80)

Context:
Katherine gets home after her vacation with Michael, and is greeted with Jamie asking her if they (Katherine and Michael) still have feelings for each other. Confused, she confirms that they still like one another. Katherine learns that while she was away her family had a "general conversation" about how spending too much or not enough time can affect a relationship.

Commentary:
Wisdom is the ability to use your experience and knowledge in order to make sensible decisions or judgments. In this scene, Katherine's parents' have a discussion about relationships, and how quality time might affect it. Their marriage and experiences make them a reliable / trustworthy "source", as opposed to Katherine, who still lacks experience with love. Her father mentions how sometimes spending too much time with each other can end a relationship, which implies that he has gone through the particular situation, presumably before his marriage. Her mother, on the other hand, argues that other times being close to each other can strengthen a relationship. This also suggests that her mother has had experience with something of that sort. The two inform their daughters about what seems to be the wisdom they've gained from past experiences, much like other parents, teachers, or partners. In the real world, teaching usually requires experience beforehand, as it benefits both parties (the "teacher" and the "student") because not only does the "student" gain authentic knowledge, but the "teacher" gets an opportunity to reflect on past experiences.

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Wish you would have completed the second one, Ari. Your first DJ was great!

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Great Context and Analysis/Commentary, Mar!

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Great Job, Kishi. Amazing job analyzing the significance/greater implication of the quotes.

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Good quotes and context, Olivia. Work on elaborating on your commentary. Why is this quote significant outside of the text? What does it tell you about life and human nature?

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Individual versus Society:

" 'Tell me the truth, Kath... don´t you think about it?' 'Well, sure...but I want it to be special.' " (Blume 30)

Context:
During this quote, Katherine and her friend Erica are talking at night after Katherine's boyfriend and the boy that Erica is interested in have just come over to hang out together. After the boys leave, the Erica and Kath are discussing the idea of sex and their personal thoughts or hesitations about it.

Commentary and Analysis:
This quote perfectly displays the idea of individual versus society. Prior to this quote, and even after it, Michael, Katherine's boyfriend, has tried initiating something, or making moves on her with the hopes it would lead to them having sex. Katherine is very hesitant about the idea in and of itself, and wants to have her first time be with someone she truly loves. She doesn't see sex as something solely physical, but also emotional, and meaningful, whereas Erica believes it's something that is just based on the physical action. Erica states how she wants to get it over with, and from the looks of it, many people share that same sentiment. We know this because over the course of the plot, everyone, even family has told her that if she's having sex with her boyfriend, to just be very careful, despite the fact that Katherine does not want to start having sex until she is completely sure.

Desire to Escape

"Now I wanted the boys to go home[...] I was sorry I'd invited Erica to spend the night." (Blume 28)

Context:
In this quote from page 28, our protagonist Katherine had her boyfriend Michael, and his best friend Artie over along with her friend Erica. She was excited to spend more time with her boyfriend, and her other friends. The context behind this quote is that Michael had tried making a move on her in the den in her house, after she explicitly told him not to do anything and to go slow with her, because she was still wary of relationships after her ex-boyfriend, Tommy. Erica and Artie were outside playing games and Kath had to tell Michael over and over to get off of her and to not try anything, especially while they were still in the house. Michael finally agreed but threw a bit of a tantrum over it, and he along with his friend Artie left the house.

Commentary and Analysis:
This quote shows Katherine's desire to escape from everyone, despite the fact that she was glad and excited for it originally. Her desire to escape is made explicitly clear in the two lines where she quite exactly says that she wants all of her guests to leave, after she just had a traumatic experience with her boyfriend. In this case the desire to escape is not mentally as much as it is physically, she doesn't want to have to keep up appearances, what with Erica staying the night. Katherine felt guilty about the whole situation, rather than blaming Michael, and just wanted to be left alone to be able to think it over, despite it not being any fault of her's.

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1.

quote: ¨I was thinking, I love you, Micheal. But can really love someone you´ve seen just nineteen times in your life?¨ (66)

context: Katherine joined Micheal, Ike, and Sharon on their ski trip in the mountains.

commentary:

2.

quote: ¨´I  want you so much,´ he said. ´I want you to,´ I told him, but I can´t...I´m not ready, Micheal...´´Yes, you are...you are...I can feel how ready you are.´¨ (50)

context:

commentary:

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Facing reality:

"Im glad-Im so glad its over! Still, I cant help feeling let down. Everybody makes such a big thing out of actually doing it. But Michael is probably right- this takes practice. I cant imagine what the first time would be like with someone you didnt love."

Context: Michael had just taken Kats virginity but it didnt turn out how she thought for her first time. And since Kat is the type of person to romanticize how it would be like to not be virgin, experiencing it for the first time was mildly disappointing because of how much everyone makes a deal out of it but shes glad that at least she did her first time with someone who loved her and who she loved because then it would have been a worse experience if it was just a one night stand, especially considering how Kat feels about love.

Commentary/ Analysis: For most people, losing your virginity can be a very scary and exciting moment because it represents matureness and adulthood. And even most people still remember who they lost their virginity to and when because it was such an important or remembering moment. But what people dont say is the reality of having sex for the first time, and how its nothing compared to how they make it seem in romance books and movies, no matter how much we would like it to. And the reality is also realizing that its ok for your first time to not be great, most peoples first time arent, but people like Kat who see sex as a way of expressing love hope that losing their virginity goes how they planned it would in their head, but usually end up disappointed with the outcome because of much people make being a virgin and not a virgin a big deal when in reality it doesnt need to be.

Change versus tradition:

"He and Mom started reminiscing about their college days. I didnt tell them that with Michael and me its different. That its not just some fifties fad, like going steady. That with us it is love-real, true honest-to god love.

Context: Michael had just called Kat saying that he will be going on a ski trip for a whole week and so of course Kat was sad to hear that since it will be their longest time away from each other. But Kats parents felt that because Michael was her first real boyfriend that she has committed to that they feel the need to watch over her everyday to make sure that she will do ok without him. Then Kat's father was asking her if she is going steady with Michael in which Kat responded that they do not call it  going steady but instead they are going out together which means that she doesnt want to see anyone else. Afterwards her parents started discussing their old relationships back in college and how it was common for people not to be committed to each other and is the reason why her parents keep questioning if Michael is really the only guy she wants to be with. But Kat knows that time is different now and that what her and Michael have is real and true.

Commentary/ Analysis: The idea of change versus tradition in this situation is that back in the older times it was normal or ordinary for people to be seeing more than one person or just not committed with one single person. And some people have the mindset that some things now are still normal for them like back then. But in this case, Katherine knows that times are different and her relationship will stay true and real because she believes that she loves Michael and he loves her and being with him is not just some phase like how her parents assume it is. And whether some people like it or not, different people have different preferences and see the world differently because while some people see the tradition of women who are for the kitchen, others dont see women that way. And while Kat's parents think its normal to see or talk to more than one person, Katherine will have to disagree with them.

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Loss of Innocence

"Like my mother said, you can't go back to holding hands and anyway, I didn't want to." (Blume 116)

Context: In this quote, Michael and Kath are sitting in Katherine's kitchen doing homework and share a kiss. Her train of thought from the kiss followed all the way back to the night when Michael and Katherine had sex, and she reminisced on something her mother said, being, ´You can't go back to holding hands.´

Commentary: This quote along with Katherine's train of thought, shows her loss of innocence because before all of this, she was constantly telling Michael that she wasn't mentally ready and she knew she wanted to make sure he was the right person, and that it wouldn't be a repeat of her first boyfriend, Tommy Aronson. Tommy would try to pressure her into having sex, and when she refused he threatened to go find another girl who would. This quote, or more specifically her train of thought and the connection here is very reminiscent of a Loss of Innocence due to her giving in to having sex with Michael, despite her being very disappointed by it. She wanted to make sure it was with someone that she loved, and who loves her for her, and who she was truly in love with, and not for what she can give them.

Lost Love

"The nerve of him, coming back into my life today, of all days! And asking for Erica's number just to make me jealous-as is I care one way or the other!" (Blume 110)

Context: In this quote, Katherine's Ex-Boyfriend, Tommy Aronson calls to tell her that he is back home for the weekend, and wanted to go out that night. When Katherine kept turning him down, he relented and simply asked for Erica Small's number, Katherine's best friend. She gave it to him and hung up, upset that he happened to have called on the day after she lost her virginity.

Commentary: This quote displays the idea of lost love, because at one point, before Michael, Tommy was Katherine's first love and they only broke up because she refused to have sex with him. Even after this scene, Jamie points out "You used to like him," to which Katherine shuts her down and shows that Michael is her only boyfriend, and she won't humor talking to Tommy again. So while Katherine may not have feelings for him anymore, and while she now has a stronger bond with Michael and trusts him more, she no longer cares for Tommy, and is in fact angry with him now. What used to be her love for him, now turned into anger and hatred of him.

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Lost love:

"I couldn't finish. Tears were stinging my eyes. Maybe there's something wrong with me. I don't know. Maybe if Michael and I had been together for the summer this never would have happened...Later, when I read the letter over, I knew I could never send it. I ripped it into pieces and threw them away."

Context: Katherine's parents sent her away for the summer to a camp where she is an assistant tennis counselor and during her stay there she meets the head of the tennis program,Theo. But Kat decided that since she is going to be away from Michael for 7 weeks that it would be best if they sent each other letters and in this quote Kat was debating to send Michael a letter that was basically explaining how she started developing feelings for Theo and how she doesn't know what to do because she loves Michael so much but she doesn't want to lose him. And therefore just's ends up not sending the letter to him after all, afraid of how the outcome would turn out if he ever received it.

Commentary: The idea of lost love in this quote is that Katherine started having feelings for Theo and even to the point where she kissed him, and felt confused on why she was feeling this way even though she was in love with Michael and so she was afraid that what her and Michael had was lost forever. But maybe the whole time when she was with Michael she kept trying to convince herself and everyone else around her that she really did love Michael especially because after her last relationship with Tommy, she probably felt that since Tommy and her didn't have any love or connection between them, Katherine was desperate to find that love that she was missing when she was with Tommy and hopefully find it when she was with Michael. But since she was blinded by her so call love for Michael that she wasn't able to see how manipulative he really was and that's why when Kat was with Theo she felt cared for and loved by him and had a feeling that what she had with Theo, was now missing in her relationship with Michael and therefore was able to catch feelings for Theo so fast. Because if Kat really loved Michael like she said she did, she would not have gave in to Theo so easily like she did so it just shows that Katherine's and Michael's love was lost or just never even there.

Heartbreak of betrayal:

"Finally he opened the bathroom door. His shirt was still inside out but he'd tied his sneakers. He walked over to the nightstand and put on his glasses. "I'm not about to share you," he said, sounding very calm. "I want it the way it was before...so make up your mind..."

Context: While Kat is still at camp, Michael decides to surprise Kat and goes to visit her which catches Kat off guard because she was not expecting to see him anytime soon, especially after what happened with her and Theo. He then takes her to dinner to talk about everything that has happened and catch up on their lives. Afterwards he takes her to the hotel where hes staying at and where they start undressing themselves and having an intimate moment but during that time, Kat felt guilty that Michael didn't know that she was catching feelings for someone else and therefore tells Michael to stop and then tries to explain to him what shes been wanting to tell him. And of course when Michael found out he was upset and felt betrayed because he thought what he and Katherine had was something that can last forever and was everlasting but turns out he was wrong. He then's tells her that he cant be with her if she cant make up her mind about what shes feeling and ends up breaking up with her.

Commentary: The whole idea of the book "Forever" is that it shows the relationship of Katherine and Michael and what "real" and "true" love looks like, but it just turns out in the end that their love for each actually wasn't forever and everlasting as they thought it was. Which just shows the reality of most relationships that think that their love for each other is eternal and that nothing could ever break that but relationships like Katherine and Michael's where one mistake or mishap can ruin everything and destroy connections that people have, not only for relationships romantically but also for friendships and relationship between family as well can be broken. Which just shows how unfair life can be where there are so many moments that we wish we can go back and fix everything before it was destroyed like in this moment with Kat and Michael where he feels betrayed and heartbroken that his first love broke his heart after they committed their lives together, and Katherine hoping that their love for each other isn't gone forever because of how much she was attached to him and the idea of him.

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1.  Loss of Innocence

¨I´m glad it´s over-I´m so glad it´s over! Still, I can´t help feeling let down. Everybody makes such a big thing out of actually doing it...I can´t imagine what the first time would be like with someone you didn´t love¨ (Blume 107)

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1. Dangers of Ignorance

¨I didn´t tell them that with Micheal and me it´s different. That it´s not just some fifties fad, like going steady. That with us it is love-real, true honest-to-god-love¨. (Blume 91)

context: During dinner Katherine´s father began a conversation that involved ¨going steady¨. Katherine explained to her father how her relationship is to the point where they don´t want to see anyone else rather than they can´t see anyone else. This struck up a new conversation between her parents and their college days. While the two were reminiscing and discussing their ¨steady¨ relationships back in college, Katherine was busy thinking about her love for Micheal. The next morning, her father continued the conversation by noting that he believes she shouldn´t be tied down to him. Her parents want her to focus on the future.

commentary: Katherine believes she is madly in love with Micheal and that she wants to spend forever with him. While some might think this is appropriate for her to feel this way, I believe this concept of ¨forever¨ with someone is quite dangerous. She is young and still has her whole life ahead of her so due to her ignorance, Katherine chooses to focus on Micheal rather than her future. Many girls find themselves in similar circumstances where they find a boy who they fall in love with and plan their life with only to get heartbroken within months and are now stuck in a low point in their lives because they now have no alternatives to go to. So, its important to take all aspects of your life into consideration when getting into a relationship because you don´t want to loose your future over your blinded love and ignorance for someone.

2. Lost of Innocence

¨I was hoping we´d make love again but Micheal said he was kind of exhausted¨ (Blume 143)

context: Just after Katherine´s 18th birthday, she spent the day at Micheal´s house. They spent sometime talking in his bedroom, however after a sensual conversation the bathroom, Micheal and Katherine end up having sex on the bathroom floor. They then went to sleep for an hour only to wake up and do it again. Only this time, Micheal lasted much longer and Katherine was able to experience herself finishing. Micheal and Katherine take a shower, go out to eat and return to Katherines house. They sat in the den together with no sexual activity, although Katherine hoped for some.

commentary: At the start of the book, Katherine wasn´t necessarily scared of loosing her virginity but she just wanted to make sure her first time was with someone she loved. After getting into a relationship with Micheal, she believed he was the one she was going to have sex with. For a while, Katherine still found herself mentally unprepared. Micheal continuously pressured Katherine into it until she finally gave it up. Katherine felt relieved that she got it over with because she believed people had been making a bigger deal about sex than what it is. Now, Katherine craves intimacy almost all the time. This is also something many young girls go through. People have different points of views on sex. Some believe it is a sacrid activity that should only be done with the love of your life, while others see it as a pleasure thing. Its important to know that whatever your view on sex is, you should not let others pressure you into loosing your innocence at whatever age or with whoever.

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#1 - Responsibility

"I told her, 'I think it's my responsibility to make sure I don't get pregnant.' She nodded and said, 'Do you have one special boyfriend?' 'Yes.' 'Have you discussed this with him?' 'Not really.' 'How do you think he'll feel about it?' 'I'm sure he'll be very happy. He approves of birth control.' 'But coming here was all your idea?' 'Yes... absolutely'"(126).

Context: After Katherine and Michael first have sex, Katherine decides to go to a birth control clinic. Although Katherine has not hit the age of 18 years old yet, she goes to the clinic alone. After some small talk with the staff worker during her private counseling session, she asks Katherine her reason for coming to the clinic. She responds by telling her that she believes it is her responsibility to make sure she doesn't get pregnant.

Commentary: Katherine's decision to go to the birth control clinic demonstrates an act of responsibility. She wants to make sure that even if she has sexual intercourse with Michael again, she won't end up getting pregnant. Though she doesn't communicate with Michael about it just yet, she waits to tell him afterward as a surprise so that her thoughts about the decision won't be hindered. Katherine knows that if she chooses to tell other people, it will be less of an experience for herself and she chooses to keep it as her own experience. Therefore, Katherine's act of going to the birth control clinic by herself shows that she is responsible when it comes to sex but is also keeping her sexual life private.

#2 - Everlasting Love

"I love to watch him while he sleeps. Besides everything else he is really my best friend now. It's a different kind of friendship from the one i have with Erica. It make me wish I could share every day with him--forever"(141).

Context:
Katherine and Michael have sex again in Michael's bedroom. They decide to rest afterward and cuddle with each other on his bed. He falls asleep beside Katherine as she watches him sleep, thinking to herself about how much she loves him. They've been getting closer recently and Katherine talks about how over time, she's begun to see him as her best friend. Unlike her friendship with Erica, she wishes she could share every day with Michael forever.

Commentary:
Katherine loves to use the word forever when it comes to her relationship with Michael. Though nothing lasts forever, she believes that their relationship and the love they have for each other will be everlasting. This is significant because even though her friendship with Erica is greatly valued, it is different with Michael because she ranks him as her best friend, which shows much care and love for him is present. Her feelings, while she's holding Michael in her arms, is an example of what she wishes it was like forever.

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Faith vs. Doubt

¨ 'Now then, I need your written consent for the gonorrhea culture...' She hesitated for a moment, then added, "It's simple and painless.'
'But I can't possible have gonorrhea,' I told her.
'There's always a possibility...and it's often difficult for the woman to tell...'
'But Michael...besides...'
'Look...it only takes a few seconds and it's so much safer to be sure...'
'All right,' I said, deciding it was easier to agree. I signed my name. I tried not to think of Michael and that girl on the beach in Maine. " (Blume 128)

Context: In this quote, Katherine went to visit Planned Parenthood in order to get birth control. When the nurse was asking questions about her health, she answered all of them with ease until it came to the nurse suggesting that Katherine take a STD test just in case anything was transmitted to her. Katherine, knowing that Michael would be the only one who could've given it to her, is hesitant and denies that it's possible.

Commentary: This quote displays Faith vs. Doubt because she wants to trust Michael, and wants to believe that if he did have something, he would have told her. She is too scared to get the test at first because if it turns out that she does have gonorrhea, it means that Michael lied to her. She wants to trust the person that she loves, because she cares for him and knows that she would tell him, so if he didn't tell her, it would cause a rift in their relationship. However, even though she wants to trust him, there is always the possibility, and Michael is not a virgin and slept with people he didn't even know, so while Katherine believes he wouldn't lie to her, she also knows that it is entirely possible that he either doesn't know, or got caught up in the moment.

Wisdom of Experience

"First I read the note.

Dear Kath I hear that you and Michael are officially going together. Thought these might come in handy. And remember, if you ever need to talk, I'm available. I don't judge, I just advise.
Love,
Grandma

I pulled out a whole bunch of pamphlets from Planned Parenthood on birth control, abortion and venereal disease. At first I was angry, Grandma is just jumping to conclusions again, I thought. But then I sat down and started to read. It turned out she had sent me a lot of valuable information.

Context: In this quote, Katherine gets a letter from her grandmother when she got home. She opens it to find many pamphlets and excerpts on pregnancy, sex, and sexual health in general.

Commentary: This quote displays wisdom of experience because while Katherine may have been initially upset, she has no experience in the field of sexual intimacy, she originally was bothered and figured that what she does should be entirely private. However, after she started reading the pamphlets, she noted that she could use some of the information, and later in the book, she actually continues to follow some of the pamphlets' advice. She comes to the realization that her grandma was not prying, but only offering help should Katherine choose to accept it. To further prove this, the grandma even says in the letter, "I don't judge, I just advise." showing that the grandma only wants to offer assistance and to help guide Katherine so that she doesn't make any mistakes, which especially in the realm of sexual health, are dangerous.

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1) Knowledge versus Ignorance

Quote:

" 'What's wrong with being involved?' 'Maybe that's the wrong word. What I mean is, I don't want to see you tied down.' 'Who's tied down?' My father sighed. 'Will you stop throwing questions back at me ... what I'm trying to say is, you're too young to make lifetime decisions.' 'I'm not making lifetime decisions.' 'You have to consider the future, Kath.' 'What about it?' " (Blume, 81)

Context:
After Katherine's discussion with her family about how spending time with one another can affect a relationship, she gets ready for bed. Half an hour later, her father comes into her room, starting another conversation regarding his thoughts on her new relationship with Michael. The two then get into what seems to be a heated argument, with Katherine dismissing her father's words as soon as they leave his mouth.

Commentary:
Knowledge versus ignorance can be found in this quote, with Katherine's father representing the "knowledge", and Katherine herself, representing the "ignorance". Her father proves to be educated on the topic of love and relationships, as well as experienced, in reference to the previous conversations they've had. Katherine however, demonstrates her lack of experience and naivete as she ignorantly puts all her trust into a relationship with a person she's only met just recently, not thinking about the future at all. The two quarrel, with Katherine's father making sensible arguments about how she should consider her future, and her repeating them back as questions. This obviously causes her father to feel frustrated, as his only goal seems to be helping out his daughter. Katherine ends their conversation by telling her father that the "future will take care of itself," indicating that she cares more about her relationship with Michael than her own future. It is not rare for parents and their children to get into disagreements such as the aforementioned, because most parents just want to inform and lecture their children, and them being stubborn, often talk back. People usually recall arguments like these when they change and become more  knowledgeable, as a form of comparing their journey of once being naive, to themselves now. Thus, Katherine could look back on her conversation with her father—displaying knowledge versus ignorance— as an opportunity for reflection in the future.

2) Trouble Facing Reality

Quote:

" 'Does Daddy want me to stop seeing Michael?' 'Of course not.' 'Because I won't... not even if he asks me to...' 'He's not going to ask you... he'd just like to see you get around more with other people... the way you used to...' 'But I don't want to... I don't want to be with any other boy.' 'I understand, Kath... and deep down inside, so does Dad... he's just having trouble accepting it...' " (Blume, 81)

Context:
The morning after Katherine's conversation with her father, she avoids him and waits for him to leave before talking with her mother. Katherine asks her if her father doesn't approve of Michael like she surmises after the argument, to which her mother denies. The two continue speaking in a civil manner, as opposed to when Katherine spoke with her father. Her mother then tells her something that could possibly explain her father's previous "harsh" lecture.

Commentary:
Although Katherine's father is not present in this quote, he seems to be having trouble facing reality, that of which includes his daughter growing up. It seems as though her father clings onto the past, not wanting to let Katherine's younger self fade away when her mother mentions that he would "like to see [Katherine] get around more with other people, the way [she] used to."  As people grow up, they tend to shrink their social circle, focusing on strengthening their bonds with those who mean a lot to them instead of pointless relationships. This, along with Katherine becoming closer and closer to Michael proves that she is growing up, and her father is unable to accept that fact, hence his disapproval of her relationship. Therefore, not only was her father trying to educate her the night before by trying to get her to reconsider her actions, he was also partially afraid of "letting his daughter go".  Katherine's mother says he has trouble accepting "it," which from a superficial level sounds as though she is referring to Katherine's relationship. However, "it" could actually symbolize his inability to face the reality: his daughter is not a child anymore.

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Coming of age:

" Well...you'll be off to college in the fall...I have to let you go sooner or later...I guess your'e not a little girl anymore."

Context: Before Kat got ready to go to bed her father came into her room and sat down the edge oh her bed like he used to do when she was little and he started discussing how Kat is going to start college soon and how much shes grown as a women. Then he started mentioning later on he trusts her with her decision with Michael and how they are still young and he just doesn't want to see his daughter get hurt. But Kat reassures him that everything is going to turn out fine between them.

Commentary: The way coming of age is being used in this quote is that Kat's father is finally realizing that his little girl is growing up and is ready to go off and explore the world on her own. But as any parent would do, they are worried about the decisions they're children makes because they only want the best for them and want to see them achieve, especially in this case with fathers who become very protective over their daughters. But Katherine being with Michael is a way of her growing up into adulthood and coming of age since she is in a committed relationship which is why her father is so worried about Kat getting heartbroken because he probably has experience on relationships and only wants the best of the best for his daughter. But maybe the reason why hes so skeptical about Michael is because it means he has to accept the fact that Katherine is growing up and he probably doesn't feel ready to let her go just yet.

Everlasting love:

"Inside was a small silver disk, with Katherine engraved across it, on a slender silver chain. "Oh, Michael...its just beautiful." "Turn it over," he told me. I did, and on the other side it said, Forever... Michael. Right away I knew I was going to cry. I bit my lip and tried to hold back the tears but nothing worked."

Context: Katherine has waited the week of her birthday to tell Michael that she was on birth control but he had planned to take her to dinner for her birthday and then took out a small black jewelry box. And Katherine felt so loved by him at that moment because since shes never really been in a committed relationship, him giving her the necklace meant so much to her because it showed how much Michael loved her.

Commentary: Everlasting love is shown in this quote when Michael gifts Katherine a disk with her name and his engraved on it with the words "Forever". Most times, when couples gift each other something significant, it can be a way to show their partner how much they mean to them, mostly because they put their time and effort to get something special because it just signifies how important they are to each other. Such as this example when Michael gave Kat the necklace, it was his way to proving to Katherine that she is the only one for him and wouldn't change what they have for anything in the world because that's how much he cares and loves her, because technically Katherine is also the first ever girl hes committed to. And for most people its hard for them to open up to people and show their vulnerable side because of how insensitive the world can be so when someone does show their emotional and sentimental side to you is because they trust you with their feelings, and even more if they put their effort to show you how much you being in their life affects them in a good way, just like Kat and Michael at this time.

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#1 - Blinded by Love:

Quote:

"Question three didn't interest me that much so I jumped ahead to question four, which made me very angry. Why should I have to think about the end with Michael when we are just at the beginning? And I didn't like the way he said, Rejection is rejection whether we call it divorce, puppy love, or adolescent turmoil. Anyway, who says a relationship has to end?"(112).

Context:
After Katherine's call with Michael, her mother comes into her room with a piece of today's Times article. It was titled What about the right to say 'no'? The subtitle was Sexual liberation. Katherine's mother gave it to her because she thought that she would find it interesting. In the article, the director of medical clinics at Yale who wrote it talked about four questions he always asks adolescents when talking to them about sex. One of the questions that Katherine was upset about was number four. It asked, "Have you thought about how this relationship will end?". She became angry with how it made her think about the end of her relationship with Michael when they were only at the beginning of it. She questioned this by asking, "Anyway, who says a relationship has to end?"

Commentary/Analysis:
This demonstrates how Katherine is blinded by her feelings for Michael. She doesn't think about the reality of relationships and sex or how it will affect her relationships because she believes that she and Michael will last forever. Her becoming angry at the fact that the article said to think about how sex might end a relationship shows that she is being ignorant about the consequences because she personally feels attacked. In reality, this is probably what love will do to you sometimes. You might choose to ignore the consequences and the red flags of your relationship because it's hard to accept that you are being blinded by love.

#2 - Coming of Age:

Quote:

"About school, I have two things to say. One, senior year is a bore, except for activities and history, and two everyone is just marking time until graduation and all the teachers know it. About my other friends, which I also haven't mentioned, I already know that after graduation we won't be seeing much of each other. It's funny how you can grow away from your friends, when just a few years ago they were the most important people in your life" (114).

Context:
After Erica and Katherine walk into class, Katherine is surprised that she hasn't figured out that she's no longer a virgin, even though Erica said she would be able to tell in a minute. Katherine is sitting in class thinking about the reality of high school. There are two main things she has to say about it. One, senior year is actually quite boring. The only things you can look forward to are activities and history. Second, once senior year hits, everyone's just counting the days until high school is over. Another thing is that after graduation, you probably won't be seeing much of each other. Even your friends who you might've spent everyday with. It's crazy to think about how you can grow away from your friends even though they were such important people in your life once.

Commentary/Analysis:
Katherine sitting in class thinking about what senior life or life in general will be like shows that she has come to a point in her life where she is growing up and this is what reality is like. After senior year, like she says, you probably won't be seeing much of your friends anymore because everyone is going to be spread out. The people you're closest to now and might hang out with everyday will be gone soon, even though they were such important people in your life. This shows that things can and will change. Graduation is a sign of growing up because it shows that as you become older, you eventually have to prepare and get used to a lot of changes in your life. This applies to real life because we don't expect things to change while we're living in the moment. However, these changes are just part of the stages of growing up.

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Beautifully written commentary, well structured and analyzed. yes ner LOVE it!

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Well written and great commentary!

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1. The Close-minded vs The Experienced

Quote:
" ' But you have to be sure you can handle the situation before you jump into it... sex is a commitment... once you're there you can't go back to holding hands.' 'I know it.' 'And when you give yourself both mentally and physically... well, you're completely vulnerable.' 'I've heard that before.' " (Blume, 84)

Context:
Katherine and her mother continue their previous conversation, the subject transitioning from her father, to the aftermath / consequences that come with losing your virginity. The two exchange words, as her mother drives her to school. Katherine's mother also gives her advice centered around sex, telling her that it is a commitment. She also emphasizes how serious losing your virginity is. While doing so, Katherine nonchalantly shrugs it off, claiming she knows, and that she's heard the advice before.

Commentary:
Although Katherine and her mother are not having an argument, it is apparent that her being close-minded is clashing with her mother trying to lecture her, from experience. To be close-minded is to have or show rigid opinions, or a narrow outlook. Katherine demonstrates this as she can be pictured dismissing the advice from her mother. When Katherine says, "I know it," and "I've heard that before" it can be heard in a "know-it-all" tone in the readers' minds. Her mother, on the other hand, talks in a well-educated manner, when she lectures her daughter. The close-minded and the experienced duo are often incompatible, because no matter how useful the advice given is, the close-minded will always be closed minded, not taking in anything. The novel often includes very similar themes involving the ignorance of one clashing with another's knowledge. Throughout the novel, Katherine can be seen having many conversations with her parents, the contrast between their levels of relationship experience  emphasizing how Katherine lacks it. Conversations like these provide a realistic insight on how young adults feel, giving the readers a better understanding of how and why teenagers do what they do.

2. Blinded By Love

Quote:
" ' Not your house, ' I told him the next night when he called for me. ' I couldn't... ' ' Why not? My mother and father won't be home before 12:00. ' I checked my watch. It was 7:30. ' I don't know...' I said. ' I feel funny about going to your house. ' ' Look,' he said, ' we don't have to do anything... we can just go there and talk.' 'I think I've heard that before!' " (Blume, 136)

Context:
Michael calls Katherine the night after he gifted her a necklace, and asks for her to come over. She denies his request, as it seems to be too late in the evening. Michael manages to convince Katherine, claiming that they "don't have to do anything" and that "[they] can just go there and talk."

Commentary:
To be blinded by love means to have a strong emotional attachment to a partner, to the point where you are unable to see their flaws and other harmful side effects that come with the relationship. Katherine displays this as she is "blinded" by her love for Michael, allowing him to take advantage of her. The night before Michael calls for Katherine to visit him, he surprises her with a necklace, both of their names engraved on it. Although Katherine knew she loved him by then, after receiving the beautiful piece of jewelry she was 101% sure what she was feeling was love. The night when Michael asks her to come over, he mentions how they wouldn't have to do anything, and Katherine recognizes his intentions as she says, "I've heard that before!"  Despite knowing his motives, she still follows through with his plans, showing that she is unable to see the obvious red flags. This is due to her love for Michael, which was intensified by the previous events leading up to the call. Being blinded by love can be dangerous in many ways. In this particular situation, Katherine puts herself in harm because the last time Michael promised they wouldn't do anything physical, she was touched without consent, and if history repeated itself, it would have happened again. This time, Katherine could have prevented it if she was not intoxicated on one of the most addictive drugs—love.

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1. Everlasting Love

¨After, we lay in each other´s arms and I thought, there are so many ways to love a person. This is how it should be-forever¨. (175 blume)

context: After Micheal´s graduation party, Katherine and Micheal go to her house. They lock themselves in the den and make love to one another all while Katherine´s parents are asleep upstairs. Micheal makes a comment to Katherine on how aggressive she is being and he seems to be enjoying it. Just after sex, Katherine finds herself thinking about her love for Micheal.

commentary: It´s quite common for young couples to believe they are going to last forever and that their love for one another is everlasting. Its also very frequent to see one partner become emotionally attached to the other after having sex, more commonly the female partner. However, in most cases, the outcome is always the same. One person will fall out of love leaving the other heartbroken and in despair. Taking Katherine as an example, we can see how convinced she is that this relationship will grow and the two will live into her happily ever after fairy tale. She did, in fact, loose her virginity to this guy so it´s fair to see her become so attached to Micheal. While, it may be nice for a while, young couples are still growing and its very easy for them to feud due to their lack of maturity. This is why its important to really take it slow in relationships and never rush to the idea that this is your soulmate.

2. Blinded by Love

¨'I can't believe this,' I said. 'I always thought you were really fair...both of you... but I can see I was wrong...way wrong...' 'I know how it seems now, Kath...' Mom said. I held up a hand. 'Don't feed me any of that crap how grateful I'll be when I'm older...' I wasn't going to...' she answered, but I didn't stick around to listen.¨ (Blume 153)

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Motherhood:

"I'm getting an IUD so I wont get pregnant again because I've got no intention of giving up sex...but the next time I have a baby I want to make sure i can keep it...did you see how much hair she has? My mother says it will probably all fall out and her regular hair will be completely different." She sighed, then smiled at us.

Context: Erica and Katherine's friend from school, Sybil, had gotten pregnant and had delivered her baby 2 weeks early and so they decided to go visit her and her baby in the hospital. But Sybil thought it would be best if she gave her baby daughter up for adoption instead of keeping it knowing she wouldn't be ready to care for a baby in high school, but she also didn't want to get an abortion because she wanted the experience of giving birth. And so the girls just went and stopped by the nursery to see her baby girl and then went to Sybil's room and got her a bouquet of daises. Afterwards Sybil tells them her experience of the birth and how it actually seemed easier than they make it seem in movies and then started ranting about how much hair her baby has and how she was supposed to graduate that night but obviously couldn't, and that the next time she does get pregnant she wants to make sure she can keep it this time.

Commentary: The idea of motherhood in this quote is that it is represented by a teenage girl who is still in high school and has the decision to give up or keep her baby. And for most people, this will be one of the hardest choices they will experience because being a mother is something so pure and thrilling because it shows how much stronger a women can be and can even reveal parts about oneself that they hadn't known before about. Which is why i think the reason Sybil had picked to give up her daughter because she knew that she wouldn't be able to give her daughter the time and love she needed, but she now feels more in touch with her body and the idea of being a mother so that for her next baby she would be able to give them the care they need when she feels ready to experience motherhood again. Which i believe is a really selfless thing for her to do because it would be unfair to her and her baby if she had decided to keep her knowing the circumstances while there are many people in the world who would not be able to choose the best decision for their baby while still thinking about themselves.

Facing reality:

"So tell me," he said, "what do you want to do with your life?"
"Do?" I repeated
"Yes...you've thought about it, haven't you?"
"Sure."
"So?"
"I want to be happy, " I told him. "And make other people happy too."
"Very nice...but not enough."
"That's all I know right now." I turned and walked away from him

Context: It was the day of graduation for Michael and afterwards he was going to have a gathering at his house where Katherine was able to meet his parents and the rest of his family. She was having a conversation with Michael's father when one of his uncles came to join the conversation and then Michael's father had left Kat alone with him. And in their conversation Michael's uncles had asked Kat what she plans on doing with her life which her response was something he wasn't satisfied with, but Katherine didn't care and decided to just leave him by himself.

Commentary: Facing reality is being represented here because as we are getting older, the question many adults ask us is what do we plan to do in our future. Which most of us don't really have the answer to because for us the future seems pretty far, and we only care about now which is what Kat is doing because she doesn't seem too worried about her life later on because shes too busy focusing on things that matter to her in the present, such as Michael, who she sees herself being happy with and hopes she can make him happy as well. But on the other hand, another reason why we aren't thinking about the future too much is because we are afraid of what the future can contain and who will be in it and who will not be in it. In which is why Katherine seems to avoid the question by responding with an answer that seems simple and easy while in reality we cant always be happy and we aren't always guaranteed happiness in the future. And so Katherine just hopes her plan in the future is having Michael in it because hes what makes her happy and doesn't even want to think of him not being in her future since hes already her present.

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Coming of Age

"Jamie is in love. His name is David and he's in her math class. She says he looks a lot like Michael. They've decided to act as if they hate each other in public so no one will be able to guess the truth and tease them. When I hear that I'm glad I'm not thirteen anymore." (Blume 144)

Context: In this quote, Katherine is talking to her younger sister Jamie, and Jamie tells her that she is in love with a boy in her school. When Katherine is told how they behave and act towards each other in public, she compares it to her current relationship and is thankful she doesn't behave that same way with her boyfriend, Michael.

Commentary: This quote shows the idea of Coming of Age because it quite bluntly talks about the difference in age and experience between different people and different age groups. Firstly, love is often a thing that most people consider to be acceptable the older you get. You wouldn't imagine a young baby falling in love or getting married, since they aren't developed enough to know what is is, however it is a completely average sight to see an adult falling in love and marrying, because they understand better about the concept of love. So therefore, the idea of Jamie as a teen falling in love with a boy shows how Jamie is slowly starting to come of age and starting to take a romantic interest to other people her age, even if it is inspired by her sister's relationship.

Change of Power

" 'I already have...and my mind's made up...so you can call Foxy and tell him to find somebody else.' I threw down my napkin and stood up.
'No,' my father said.
It hit me then that his mind was made up too. I understood the whole thing, just like that." (Blume 152)

Context: In this quote, Katherine and her dad are arguing because Katherine does not want to travel to another state to teach at Jamie's camp, because she and Michael are going to University after the summer, and only have a couple months together. She's angry that her parents are trying to separate her and her boyfriend, especially since soon they won't be able to see each other for months on end. She's also angry that she doesn't have a choice in whether or not she goes.

Commentary: This quote displays the idea of change of power because Katherine, who is used to having a certain amount of freedom and is used to being able to make her own choices, is now limited and not allowed to make a choice that's very important to her. Not only this, but she is an adult now, and is probably even more upset because she isn't able to make choices she considers herself to be fully capable of making. None of us enjoy having important decisions made for us, that applies especially to those of us who are used to having a certain amount of freedom, and expect that freedom on even the most simple decisions. Change of power is the shift of freedom of choice. Katherine's dad took the freedom of choice away from her, and made an important decision for her, therefore causing her to be upset and start arguing.

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#1 - Losing Hope

Quote:

"Sure... you spend your whole life trying to make it and for what... so you can wind up in some cancer ward full of needles and tubes with nobody giving a sh**... that's what you've got to look forward to... that's what we've all got coming..." (155).

Context: Erica invites Artie, Michael, and Katherine over to her house for supper. At the time, Artie was in a high, energetic mood and entertained them with stories about his family, until Katherine brought out a cupcake with a candle and set it in front of Michael. It was his birthday next week. As he blew out the candle, Artie suddenly became quite somber and began to rant about how life would start to go downhill.

Commentary: Katherine bringing out the cupcake and Michael nearing his 18th birthday triggers something inside of Artie that causes him to feel hopeless about life. Many things happen when you turn 18. You turn into an adult and have to handle more responsibilities, think about ways to survive independently, and pursue a career you'll have to stick to for the rest of your life. Overwhelmed by the future, Artie begins to feel helpless and hopeless. Most of the time, Artie expresses his jubilant and cheerful self to his friends. However, there are many times when this happiness quickly fades away, and his pessimistic side reveals itself. Perhaps due to issues at home or internal conflicts with himself, he begins to lose hope in life and believes that the worst is yet to come. Though at times he may express feelings of joy, he tends to think negatively about the future and disregard the present. He believes that even if you work the hardest in order to achieve great goals, life will crumble and turn out in the way you least expect it. Therefore, Artie feels discouraged and as if he should give up.

#2 - Facing Darkness

Quote:

"Michael said he should have listened on Saturday night, when Artie was driving home. 'He wanted to talk... I knew it but I didn't care...I was so wrapped up in my own problems I pretended to sleep all the way to my house. I wish I had it to do over again... I'd listen this time" (161).

Context:
After Artie, Michael, and Katherine stay over at Erica's house, Artie gives Michael a ride home. Caught up in his own problems, including his fight with Katherine about getting a job in North Carolina without discussing it with her first, he pretends to be asleep on the ride even though Artie tries to talk to him about his problem and feelings. On Thursday morning, the day of Michael's birthday, Artie hangs himself from the shower curtain rod in his bathroom. Fortunately, the rod broke and he instead fell in the tub. However, he ended up getting a concussion and several cuts as well as bruises. After the event, Michael and Erica both blame themselves for what happened, saying they should've listened on Saturday night and talked to him about it rather than ignoring him.

Commentary:
In the novel, Artie faces a darkness that he sometimes hides. Often, he becomes gloomy thinking about life and his personal issues. Artie's darkness comes from his confusion about his sexuality. Though he does not want to commit any sexual acts with Erica, she persuades him to in attempt to 'help' him figure it out. However, this puts Artie in a difficult and complicated position as Erica's 'help' actually hurts him and confuses him even more instead. So much so, to the point where he even attempts suicide as a result of this. Therefore, the novel depicts Artie's feelings of darkness and hopelessness through his and Erica's complicated relationship.

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1.  Facing Reality

¨How can you love one person and still be attracted to another?¨ (Blume 190)

context: The campers and staff hang out in the canteen every night listening and dancing to music. This night Marsha decided to play a slow song and tried to dance with Theo but he politely declined and insisted in dancing with Katherine instead. Katherine and Theo danced with one another, feeling a connection even though they were quiet and avoided all possible eye contact. When the record ended, Katherine pulled away and ran out to the lake where she sat on a rock, crying and contemplating her love for Micheal.

commentary: Katherine is facing reality as she must decide between two guys, Theo and Micheal. I think she is disappointed in herself for feeling something for Theo when she was so convinced that her and Micheal were ¨forever¨.  This is why I think its so important to be reasonable when dating at such a young age, things change and people grow apart. The two spent time apart, and Katherine couldnt resist Theo because like most young girls, crave intimacy, attention and love every day. So because she wasnt with Micheal, she didnt receive what she so deeply desires, resulting in Katherine trying to distract herself. No matter how guilty she felt, she gave in and is now facing the consequences. When you truly love someone, no matter how long you go without seeing them, you dont even imagine being with someone else.  I think Katherine has now came to the realization that maybe her love for Micheal was not everlasting.

2. Realization

¨I couldn´t finish. Tears were stinging my eyes. Maybe theres something wrong with me. I dont know. Maybe if Micheal and I had been together for the summer this never would have happened...Later, when I read the letter over, I knew I could never send it. I ripped it into tiny pieces and threw them away.¨ (Blume 199)

context: On July 31, Micheal sent Katherine a letter sending his remorse for her grandfathers passing in which Katherine felt she could not respond to after meeting Theo. Days later, Micheal sends another letter asking if shes okay and questioning why he did not get a letter back. Katherine begins writing a letter back to Micheal explaining how she truly feels and the confusion that as arose after spending this summer away from one another.

commentary: Katherine spent time away from Micheal and realized that maybe after all their love wasn't "everlasting" and that there are other things to focus on besides just one guy. Most people don't realize how easy it is to fall under a love spell and be so naive to the world around them. It took her grandfathers passing, a traumatic event, to put her mindset where it needed to be. Although she struggled with letting Micheal go, she made the difficult decision to leave him and rethink what her true desires are. This gives girls a warning as to what some of the consequences of being in "love" may bring. We can learn from Katherines mistakes and make sure we are certain on what we want.

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#1 - Temptation and Destruction

Quote: "Sometimes I dream that Michael and I are making love. I can understand that. But in the middle of the night after the movie, I woke up drenched with perspiration and ashamed--more ashamed than I've ever been in my life. I dreamed I was with Theo. It was so real--I could smell him, taste him, feel him--and I wanted him so much. I did things to him I have only read about"(189).

Context:
After Theo invites Nan and Katherine to watch a movie with him, Katherine wakes up in the middle of the night, ashamed that she dreamt about making love with Theo instead of Michael. Usually, it's normal for her to dream about making love with Michael, but not this time. In her dream, she imagines doing things to Theo that she never thought she would do, things she only ever read about.

Commentary:
Katherine's dream about making love with Theo could represent how she's falling into the temptation to have feelings for Theo and be with him. However, her lust for him would cause destruction to her current relationship with Michael because it would be considered cheating. Though she knows she can't do anything or be anything more than friends with Theo, she realizes that her feelings for him are growing and her relationship with him is no longer merely a crush and a friend.

#2 - Heartbreak of Betrayal

Quote: "'Are you saying it's over, then?' 'You said it... just now.' 'Couldn't we sit on it a little while and see what happens?' 'You can't have it both ways.' 'Then it's really over, isn't it?' Suddenly question number four popped into my mind. Have you thought about how this relationship will end? 'I guess so,' he said" (205).

Context:
Michael visits Katherine at the camp and takes her out for the night. As they try to make love, Katherine tries to think about other things, pretending Michael's someone else. But she's not a very good liar. Michael figures out that there must be some other guy, which is what is stopping Katherine from continuing. They talk but Michael is too upset with Katherine to listen. After locking himself in the bathroom, he finally comes out and Katherine tries to reason with him and come up with an agreement to sit on it for a while and see what happens. However, Michael denies it, saying she can't have it both ways. Just like that, it's over between the two, and Katherine thinks about one of the questions from the article her mom gave her. Have you thought about how this relationship will end?

Commentary:
Katherine and Michael are both heartbroken. Michael is devastated that he was cheated on and that it won't be the way it was before now that Katherine is uncertain of her feelings. He's just been betrayed by someone he loved and trusted so much, all to find out that she was disloyal after all. Katherine, on the other hand, is heartbroken because she knows that her feelings for Michael aren't the same anymore. What she thought was forever turned out to be just a temporary love. Like the questionnaire asked, Katherine never really thought about how her relationship would end. Therefore, she must've felt unsure of how to feel.

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1. Fear of Change

Quote: " I wrote Michael a four-page letter the next day, to keep my mind where it belongs. I stayed as far away from Theo as I could. Even so, I knew there was something growing between us. Something I was afraid to even think about. " (Blume, 189)

Context:  After Katherine and her sister Jamie arrive at camp, she frequently exchanges letters with her close friends and relatives, including Michael. The letters at first start off regular, with the two lovers informing one another about their days, and how much they miss each other. However, when her attraction for Theo--one of the camp counselors--grows, she is unable to ignore her feelings, and writes longer letters to Michael.

Commentary:
Katherine proves to be afraid of change, as she denies her obvious feelings for Theo. She mentions writing a 4-page letter to Michael to "keep [her] mind where it belongs," implying that she has been thinking of Theo. Her distress could be because of her guilt, as she doesn't want to break her first love's heart. Thus, she avoids Theo, while writing longer letters to Michael in hopes of possibly strengthening her feelings for him. Although knowing that she can't escape / ignore how she is feeling for Theo, she claims to be too afraid to even think about it. Katherine seems to be avoiding what seems to be an inevitable change, a common feeling many people falling out of love with their significant others share. Before a breakup, some would continue being in the relationship despite being unhappy or losing feelings as they are--like Katherine--afraid of change.

2.Actions Driven By Emotions

Quote: "I put my arms around him and pulled him close and I kissed him, the way I had in my dream, and at first he kissed me back--then he untangled himself from me and said, 'Not like this ... not with death for an excuse.' I ran to my room and started crying all over again." (Blume, 196)

Context: When Katherine finds out her grandpa dies, she walks to the lake alone, and reminisces about the memories and fun times they've had. She then feels a presence, indicating that she is no longer alone. To her surprise, she turns around and finds Theo. The two have a conversation, with Theo comforting Katherine as she explains how she has to break the bad news to Jamie, her little sister. At the end of their conversation, Katherine kisses Theo. After reciprocating her actions for a couple seconds, he breaks the kiss and untangles himself from her, leaving Katherine disappointed.

Commentary: Most of the time, when people feel strongly of an emotion, whether it be anger or happiness, they might do something they normally wouldn't do. Katherine provides a good example of this, as she kisses Theo, her soon-to-be regretted actions driven by her grieving. Her actions are proven to be out of the ordinary, because before she heard of her grandfather's passing, Katherine tried her best to suppress her feelings for the said counselor, by avoiding him. As predicted, Katherine can be seen regretting her actions soon after, when Theo breaks their kiss and she runs back to her room crying.

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Love at different ages:

"This summer Jamie is going back to camp in New Hampshire. She says she cant wait. It doesn't matter to her that she wont see David for seven weeks, which proves that love at thirteen is nothing like love at eighteen.

Context: Jamie, Katherine's little sister, has a crush on someone at her school name David who she will call every night. Which makes it hard for Michael to get through to Kat since they only have one phone. But Jamie is going to a camp in the summer which means that she wont see David for a very long while, but she doesn't seem to mind too much as she is too excited to go to camp instead. In which Katherine points out how love at her sisters age could never compare to love at her age.

Commentary: The idea of love at different ages in this quote is that it represents that when we are our younger selves, we tend to be more naive with love because we imagine it to be fairy tales and a happily ever afters. But when we are at a more mature age such as eighteen, we tend to have more experience on the world and more experience on love, such as realizing that love isn't something that comes off as easy. Like someone at Jamie's age, when we have a crush we almost every time think that they are our true love, but what kids at that age don't realize is that there will be many heartbreaks and many prices to pay when it comes to love and will eventually learn that the hard way. While in Katherine's situation, it is also commonly known that even though we are more mature at eighteen, we can also still make questionable choices for love, since this time we are more skeptical about it because due to past relationships or experience we have a more insight on what love should look like and what it shouldn't, but still at times it can be very confusing with what you are feeling.  But then again it just depends on the person and their experiences with love since everyone can come across different situations and still be wise or more mature with their choices and decisions than others.

Fear in love with another:

"I wrote Michael a four-page letter the next day, to keep my mind where it belongs. I stayed as far away from Theo as I could. Even so, I knew there was something growing between us. Something I was afraid to even think about."

Context: Since Katherine has been at camp during the summer, she cant deny the chemistry that she has been recently having with Theo. And in the middle of the night she woke up drenched with perspiration and being more ashamed than ever in her life because she was dreaming that she was Theo and how it felt so real because in that moment she realized that she wanted him so much. And then after is when she decided to write Michael the letter hoping to get her mind off of Theo and all of the the things that she wanted to do to him.

Commentary: The idea of fear of being in love with another is shown here when Katherine is having dreams of Theo and being afraid that the more shes around him the more her feelings will start growing stronger, despite still being with Michael. It can be hard to admit to yourself sometimes that there are more than one people in your life that you have feelings for especially if you are already with someone else because then it feels as though you are betraying your significant other. But the heart wants what it wants and is even something that people don't really understand, because how could you be in love with someone and the next, love another? But despite this, it can be known how your heart can have multiple connections with different people and even more so it has been said that the more time you spend with someone, you can easily develop feelings for them without even realizing it whether you want to or not. Which I believe was the situation with Katherine, the more time she spent with Theo the more she saw how much of a great guy he was and started admiring him for it in which eventually turned into something for her because she knew that there was chemistry going on between them even though she had already devoted her love for Michael, she had to admit to herself that her heart wanted something more than Michael can offer and therefore fell for Theo instead.

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As always, amazing insight. You have a clear writing style that is so easy to follow.

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Amazing commentary, Mar! Reading your DJs makes me want to reread this novel!

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I love your commentary on the impulsive nature of strong emotions. Kishi. Nicely articulated commentary.

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The heartbreak of first love and betrayal is REAL! Your DJs were well-written and nicely analyzed. Thank you for being such an amazing nerd!

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Your commentary is spot on, Olivia! I agree: this is, indeed, "a warning to girls on the consequences of falling in love."