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The story takes place in the 21st century in Portland, Oregon it  follows a teenage girl named Jade who is struggling with her identity. Jade attends an all whir private school but still as to go home to her two bedroom apartment she shares with her mom and uncle(EJ).Jade is destined to succeed and get a lot of support from her family, friends(Sam and Lee Lee), and mentor (Maxie) but still carries a lot of guilt about the opportunities that are accessible to her that most people she knows could only dream about. Jade also struggles with her confidence, she is a heavy set dark skinned girl with natural hair and she hasn’t quite come to terms with how beautiful she actually is, although everyone else around her lets her know she is.The theme of the book is coming of age. This is the theme because throughout the story we watch so many of the characters grow and change but especially Jade. She comes out of her shell and less shy.

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Renee Watson is a African American writer who specializes in young adult novels. The book “Piecing Me Together is the story of her life. She has been nominated for an NAACP award and has won a “Coretta Scott King Author Award” and a John Newbery Medal.

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“Maxie like she’s afraid that if I open my mouth, I’ll say the wrong thing, embarrass her or something”
pg:160

I feel horrible that I can’t do better than that. I try again. “That’s really amazing”
pg:153

I tell them, just to be sure Lee lee, Kobe, and Andera know Sam isn’t trying to make them feel better about Northside”
pg:102

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In the story “Piecing Me   Together” by Renee Watson one of the most important style elements she added was first person narrative. The story being told from the perspective of Jade (the main character). This perspective allows us to better understand her and her thoughts. Jade is very shy so this narrative allows readers to understand her, even when she doesn’t say what she means or wants readers can still understand her through her thoughts.

This matters in the context because her thoughts are exemplary of all the things she wants to say but doesn’t. Jade is shy and tries to prevent confrontation at all cost, so getting access to her thoughts help you understand how she feels about the things that happen to her throughout the story.  For example when Maxie kept talking for her when she met Maxie’s family hurt her feelings.  But she didn’t say anything, so if we didn’t have first person narrative we wouldn’t know how Maxie made her feel.

The style of a story impacts the reader because we get to better understand Jade. We get insight on her all the thoughts, ideas, and emotions she doesn’t say.

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I am a sophomore at Science Leadership Academy@ Beeber who loves to listen to music and dress others. I’ve grown so fond of dressing myself and other people I started a personal shopping business and it’s been doing very well.

While reading this book, I have become a more consistent reader. This book has forced me to read more often. It’s allowed me to get lost in reading and truly enjoy it.

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The life that I want seems so far from reach, I know what I’m doing with Jade at “Woman to Woman” is important but the thought of my mother remains in the back of my mind. I just want to make a difference and I think helping Jade is how I can do it. I just wish I had support from the people who matter most to me. I honestly feel like Jade is helping me more than I’m helping her.Talking to her has given me a whole  perspective on the world. While I’m somewhere complaining about my on again off again boyfriend she’s worrying about things that have never even crossed my mind. Real world problems like where her next meal is coming from. Meeting her helped me realize I disconnected from the average teenage girl I actually am.

Jade has been my mentee for 6 months now and in that time I feel like I've gotten to know her so well. Being around her just makes me feel good about myself. Like I’m doing something that really matters. But sometimes I feel like she doesn’t like me as much as I like her. When I put my foot in my mouth and say something stupid I can feel it. I know when what I say hurts her feelings, and I really don’t mean to offend her I just don’t understand. I’m learning but I still don’t see the world the way she does. I’m ignorant to her lifestyle. I wish she would just talk to me, tell me how she really feels.

Meeting my family probably really intimidated her, I hope she didn’t hear what my mother said. She’s nothing like what my mother said.  She’s not a charity case she’s actually helping me find my way. She’s the best thing to happen to me in a longtime and for that I am grateful.

First person point of view

Make a difference=idiom

Put my foot in my mouth=idiom

Compound sentences

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Element 2 -Figurative Language (Explanation)

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Element 2 -Figurative Language (Explanation)

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The style element being depicted by Renee Watson in her book “Piecing Me Together” is Figurative Language. Figurative language is language that uses words that veer from their literal meaning in order to create a more complex effect. The figurative language expressed on page 141 is an example is an idiom. An idiom is a phrase that uses figurative speech to change it;s meaning.  “Fixing a plate” is a phrase used when food is being put onto plates in order to be served.

The figurative language is important in the books plot because it adds more to our knowledge of the story. The figurative language used when describing a character tells readers more about them. For instance the author used an imagery when describing how Jade’s mother looked in her earlier years. Which tells the readers that the events in her  life that have taken a toll on her appearance. It also gives the idea that Jade’s mother looked happier when she was younger.

Figurative language in the story not only gives readers a complexified idea of what the author is trying to depict. But makes the commentary more interesting for readers. The author just writing that the boys were loud at the table wouldn’t give the same effect that the simile did.

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“Maxie like she’s afraid that if I open my mouth, I’ll say the wrong thing, embarrass her or something”
pg:160

I feel horrible that I can’t do better than that. I try again. “That’s really amazing”
pg:153

I tell them, just to be sure Lee lee, Kobe, and Andera know Sam isn’t trying to make them feel better about Northside”
pg:102

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“She is wearing jeans and a shirt, but somehow it looks stylish.”    Pg 100

“But for real. there’s not much to say about Northside.”Pg 101

“This city has so much to offer, so much great art to see.”
Pg 111

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The style element that my book “Piecing Me Together”  has is compound sentences. A compound sentence is a sentence that has two independent clauses and a comma. The author incorporates compound sentences commonly throughout the book. The sentences symbolizes the character adding to a simple thought.

Sentence structure matters because it is often used in the character’s thoughts or dialogue. Which helps readers not only understand characters thoughts but rhetoric. Making it easy to differentiate their characteristics.

Sentence structure helps readers understand the characters better. The dialogue of the characters in the sentence help helps readers understand the characters personality. Based on my example I can tell that Maxie (the character)has a deep appreciation for her city.