Choose an event that happens in the reading that reveals a little bit about the author’s personality. Explain the passage and what has been revealed to you.

An event that revealed Jeanette's personality is the fire accident she had when she was making hot dogs. Even though she caught herself on fire, she wasn't afraid of fire. Instead she would go even closer to it. This showed us that her personality is fearless.

Choose a significant event that occurs in your reading. What do you think the author's purpose was in telling that part of the story?

A significant moment that occurs is her parents arguing most of the time, I think her purpose is to show how unhealthy her parents relationship is. I feel like this affects her and her siblings. It also shows the environment she grew up in.

 What tone and mood are created at various parts of the work?  Provide examples.

The time where jeanette said they couldn't afford food and were really hungry that her and her sister started eating butter, that tone was desperate. Them not having money for food made the mood sad and desperate.

• What experiences do you share with the characters?

  
  

  An experience I share with the characters is the part where the sister gets along with her brother. My brother and I have a very interesting relationship, he's there for me but he doesn't really talk to me, but if we were not together we get bored and lonely. that's an experience I share with Brian and Jeanette. Also my brother's name is Brian so that's another thing I can relate to the characters.

  
  

• In what ways is your family similar or different from those in the book?

My family is different on the part where Jeanette's parents are free spirited. My family goes by the rules and cares about what people think about our family. Another thing is unlike Jeannette's dad my dad is very hard working and works to give us the things we want so we won't be jealous of others.

• What did you learn about a character or group of people that you have not personally experienced?

I have personally not fallen out a car or my dad hitting my mom with a car.

I chose poverty because it's seen throughout the whole book when they move due to money issues and can't eat sometimes due to them not having money. I would also choose family because despite not having money there are times where the kids have special moments with their parents, and because they are always there for each other and help each other out like when Brian fights the girls for Jeanette.

• "Two months after we moved to Blythe, when mom said she was twelve months pregnant, she at last gave birth." Jeanette tells the reader that after her mom claimed she was twelve months pregnant she finally gave birth.

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  This quote stood out to me because a woman can't be pregnant for that long, and if they think that they need help.. call Dr. Phil asap.

The kids are aware that they are poor because they find themselves eating butter because of how hungry they are, and they recognize how the dad gets money sometimes by gambling and wastes it on expensive food instead of groceries that'll last longer.

How do economic conditions determine the characters' lives?

Jeanette's mom doesn't have a job but her dad does, unfortunately he can't keep a job for long. This results in them constantly moving, sometimes not having enough money, or not eating.

What ideological values are explicit or implicit?

Some ideological values that are explicit are that kids should learn from their own mistakes and Rose Mary makes that known by doing it with her own kids. She doesn't show it to the other teachers so she yells at Lori at school so teachers won't get upset with her for not "educating" the students.

Does the work criticize class structure?