Story+of+a+Girl+3

===**__Story of a Girl__ by Sarah Zarr **=== //Group: ////Kariss Morales, A manda Mezzina, Gina Dolson, Megan Villone, and Sabrina Mayo//

Topic: Characters (Section 1 out of 5 of your text)
 * WEEK 1: OCTOBER 1 **

This week, at the book club meeting, the topic was Characters. In the novel, Story of a Girl by Sarah Zarr, we talked about the protagonist, and the other important characters in the story. To start off, we began talking about Deanna Lambert. She is the protagonist of the story, who was caught at the age of 13 having sex with her brother's 17 year old friend. This character is trying to change her life, and as a group, we talked about the different ways she is trying to do this. We were all sharing our opinions about her personality, and her decisions that she made, which is the reason that her life is a mess. Not only did we talk about the protagonist, Deanna, but we also shared our thoughts about her brother Darren, and his girlfriend. Darren at the age of 16 was caught smoking drugs, and later got his girlfriend Stacy pregnant. They not live in the Lambert's basement with their daughter April. The thoughts shared about these three characters were about the decisions Darren made since he was younger, and how their life is not changed. We all feel that the decisions Darren and Stacy made were unnecessary. We also were discussing all these characters relationships with the parents. The father does not speak to Deanna, and has small talk with Darren. He does not have a good relationship with his girlfriends Stacy. This is because he feels she messed up her life, and it is all her fault. As a group we talked about the ways they are trying to change their life, and how the dramatic decisions they made caused their life to change. We also came to a conclusion as a group, that the mother tries to settle the mood, and the father has very high standards for their children, and does not like the decisions they made. Overall, our group had a great discussion about the character of the novel, Story of a Girl by Sarah Zarr, and are looking forward to the next book club meeting.
 * Group Summarizer - Amanda Mezzina**

1. What happened to Deanna that makes her classmates call her names and how old was she when this happened. -When Deanna was in 8th grade, she was caught with her brothers friend in the back of his car. His name was Tommy Webber and he was about 4 years older than her. She wasn’t even sure if she liked him. Ever since then everyone at school hasn’t forgot about it and call her mean names. 2. Who was she caught by and does it still reflect the relationship that they used to have? -Her father caught Deanna with Tommy. Before this all happened she was close with him. Now her father will barely even talk to her, yet even look at her. 3. Why does Deanna want a job so badly and what is she planning on doing with the money? -Deanna wants a job so badly because she wants to save up all her money so she can try to buy a house with her brother, brother's girlfriends, and their baby April. 4. What job did Deanna wind up getting and is she happy about it? - Deanna winds up getting a job right away at an old run down pizza place. She isn't thrilled about getting the actual job, but is excited to make money so she could hopefully try to find a place for her and her brother. 5. Out of Deanna's family (Her mother, father, brother, brother's girlfriend, and baby names April) who is her favorite and can go to when she's sad.  - Deanna's favorite in the house is her brother's daughter named April. She loves to watch her when she has the chance and loves her as company.
 * Key Questioner - Sabrina Mayo**

 In the novel Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr a girl struggles to deal with everyday life. Deanna, the main character, has been raped in the back of a car having sex with her brothers friend. Her father caught them and he has not talked to her ever since. Deanna struggles to patch things up with her dad while her mom trys to lighten up the mood. Her brother and his girlfriend also live in the basement and have a baby named April. Deanna loves April and hopes to move in with her brother soon after she gets a job. Deanna's dad doesn't like his sons girlfriend and they are constantly fighting. Deanna is trying as hard as she can to get a job so she can be happy again.
 * Group Summarizer - Kariss Morales **

**Quotation Finder - Megan Villone** “Deanna Lambert is beyond pathetic.” Page 18 “The stories in my head about the girl on the waves, the story I started that night with Tommy, didn’t get onto paper until I had Mr. North for English.” Page 19 “ Yeah, well, this is Pacifica. One high school, one grapevine, one feature story: me.” Page 29 “ We wont live here forever, Stacy.” Page 35


 * WEEK 2: OCTOBER 8 **

1. If you were Darren and Stacy do you think you could be able to live in that house with their father constantly fighting with them? 2. How do you think you would act if your father ignored you most of the time? Would you act like Deanna or different? 3. Do you think if you were in Deanna’s place would you be able to work with Tommy? If not why? 4. What do you thinks going to happen between Deanna and Tommy now that he’s back in her life? 5. Why do you think Deanna rights about the girl on the waves?
 * Key Questioner - Megan Villone**

Now in the story we have gotten to the point where Deanna wakes up and gets ready for her first day of work. Her mother comes in and Deanna tells her mother about her job. Her mother asks why she didn’t tell her and if she asked her dad. When her mother tells her father about the job he gets even more anger and brings up the night that changed Deanna’s life. Then Deanna arrives on her first day right on time and her boss, Michael, shows her around. He introduces her to her new coworker and as she saw his face she froze. It was Tommy. The Tommy who her father caught her with in the back of his car and who nicknamed her as now the school slut. Michael asks her if there are going to be any problems. Deanna needs this job because if she wants her plan to work than she needs money so she decides to just stay and try to ignore him as much as possible. We leave off with Deanna and her best friend Lee at the booth eating pizza. Tommy is trying to flight with Lee at first, but she hasn’t found out yet about who he really is. Lee asks Deanna a serious question and Deanna’s is jealous and her response is rude which makes Lee get up and leave.
 * Group Summarizer - Sabrina Mayo **

1. If I was Darren and Stacy I do not think I would be able to live in that house with their father constantly fighting with them. This is because he would always get on my nerves, and would always start problems. 2. If my father ignored me all the time, I would be really upset. Its hard to live with someone that you see everyday and you care about so much, that won't even talk to you. I might act like Deanna at times, but I would most likely be upset. 3. If I was Deanna I would not be able to work with Tommy. If I was the girl who had that reputation, and mostly because of Tommy, I would not be able to work with him. I would get too annoyed, and I would lose my patients. 4. I think rumors are only going to get worse. Especially because he was at the job first, so many people might think that she is trying to follow him and be with him again, even though that is not true. Even though she says she is done with him, that is not what people may think. 5. I think Deanna is right about the girl on the waves, because she is saying enough information about it that makes it hard to not believe her.
 * Group Leader - Amanda Mezzina**

1. If I were Darren and Stacy I would not be able to tolerate the fighting. It would always bother me and probably affect me. 2. If my father ignored me I would try to make things better but if he didn't acknowledge me I would be really annoyed and upset. 3. If I was Deanna I would not want anything to do with Tommy. Tommy pretty much would have ruined my life. 4. I do think rumors are going to get worse. Things get around fast and you can't control what other people say. 5. I think Deanna is right about the girl on the waves, she is always talking about her life and other information that she' s pretty believable.
 * Group Leader - Kariss Morales**


 * WEEK 3: October 15**

1. "She just wants the attention" Page 99 2. "His voice loud in the kitchen, i said i was sorry again" Page 105 3. "I, Deanna Lambert belong to no one, and no one belongs to me" Page 115 4. "Tommy didn't scare me, I knew what he was all about" Page 122 5. "It should have never been like that" Page 128
 * Quotation Finder- Kariss Morales**

1. " I turned around. I walked up the stairs. I did not look back" 2. "Please dont be nice to me right now. Don't be understanding, don't be deep." 3. "If youcan't see through a guy like Tommy, you shouldn't even be thinking about having sex." 4. "I Ignored Tommy the rest of the night..." 5. "He's not like I pictured," she said, "but i think i get it. He has, like, an energy."
 * Quotation Finder - Amanda Mezzina**

1.What happens between Deanna and her dad?
 * Key Questioner- Gina Dolson**

2.What happens between Tommy and Deanna?

3.Where did Stacy go?

4.What does Deanna think Tommy is all about?

5.What do you think will happen in the future between Deanna's dad?

1. Deanna and her dad start to talk for the first real time since the incident.
 * Group Leader- Sabrina Mayo**

2. After work, Stacey doesn't show up to pick up Deanna from work. When Tommy asks her if she wants a ride Deanna decides to just let him take her home. As Tommy's driving he does not go the way to where she lives. He takes her to where they used to go all the time. They start to do stuff when finally Deanna realizes that whats happening is not right and she cant let him ruin her life again. She pulls Tommy away and gets out of the car crying and her and Tommy start to fight.

3. Stacey went to her friends house. She went to her friends house that she used to be best friends with at school who is trouble. They went out partying,

4. Deanna starts to forgive Tommy and move on. Tommy told her he was sorry and Deanna decided to just forgive him a little bit. She knows that he is a player and just wants to stay out of his way.

5. I think in the future that possibly Deanna and her dad will start to talk and he will forgive her and they can have the relationship that they used to have before he caught her with Tommy.

This week we discussed the mood and tone of The Story of a Girl. The mood is very dispressing. Deanna's family has many issues. Every sence the day he caught Tommy and Deanna together he hasn't been much of a father to her. Deanna feels completely disconected to everyone in her family but Darren, Stacy, and April even though those relationships seem to be dissapearng too. Deanna is facing the world alone.
 * Group Summarizer- Megan Villone **

1. How has Deanna's dad and Deanna's relationship changed from the beginning of the book? And how? 2. How does the theme of the story effect the relationship between Deanna and Tommy? Deanna and her dad? Deanna and her mom? 3. What does Deanna think about Tommy now that they work together? 4. Since Deanna has been trying to save money, how has her plan changed? 5. How do you think Stacy ran away effects the relationship between her and Daren?
 * WEEK 4: OCTOBER 22 **
 * Question Finder- Amanda Mezzina**

1. What is Deanna now planning to do due to the fact she is earning money? 2. What is your opinion on Deanna and Tommy's relationship? 3. What does Deanna now think of Tommy? 4. Do you think Deanna's new relationship with her dad is for the better or worse? 5. Do you think Deanna's relationship with her mom will get better or worse?
 * Question Finder- Kariss Morales**

1. Deanna and her dads relationship hasnt changed much from the begining of the book. However, their able to be around each other with a little bit less tention. 2.The theme effects Deanna and Tommy's relationship by making them enemies. 3. She thinks that Tommy hasnt changed much from when she has known him. 4.Deanna's plan has changed because she now knows that she probbly wont be able to move in with Stacy, Darren, and April. 5.Darren will not be able to trust Stacy and now their plans for their future will probbly change
 * Group Leader- Megan Villone**

1. "I woke up to an empty house, which normally I wouldn't mind. Normally, that would be my preferred method of entry into any given day. But nothing was normal" pg 130 2. "There was a party. She invited me. I went" pg 133 3. "How come you never asked me out?" pg 141 4. "Tommy didnt show up to work, I wonder why" pg 148 5. "Dad's jaw started working and he put down his mug and said, "And why is he giving you rides?" pg 157.
 * Quotation Finder- Sabrina Mayo**

Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr was a great book and has a fantastic story line. The characters and conflict made the novel very interesting and suspenseful. I would recommend this book to someone else because it is a wonderful book and the a great read. There were problems that each character was facing, and most of the problems are easy to relate to. Since it is easy to relate to and are easy to comprehend, it makes the book that much better and much more enjoyable to read. I would recommend this book to other students because Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr was such a good book.
 * WEEK 5: NOVEMBER 1**
 * Reflection - Amanda Mezzina**

The book //Story of a Girl// by Sara Zarr was an amazing book. The way the author portrayed scenes was fantastic and filled with details. The story line and the whole theme of the book was also very original and interesting. This novel was also very suspenseful due to having many conflicts and resolutions. Each character had problems that they were trying to solve which made the book very intricate and complex. The book was also really easy to understand. I would highly recommend someone to read Story of a Girl, especially other students.
 * Reflection- Kariss Morales**

I thought the book //The Story of a Girl// was a good book. However, I feel that there wasn’t enough drama to keep a reader who chose that book for a reason to keep reading. I wouldn’t recommended it for a reader or for a school curriculum just because it’s a very girly book and I don’t think men guys would be happy about reading it. The benifit about this book though is that many young girls can relate to it and understand what Deanna is going though.
 * Reflection- Megan Villone**

I thought the book //The Story of a Girl// by Sara Zarr was a very good book that i would definatly recommend. Whenever I was reading the book I would not want to stop because their was always a good part coming up next. I wouldnt recomend this book for school classes because it is more of a book that females would relate to and understand where as men would not. However I enjoyed this book very much and I think that other females would enjoy it just as much as I did.
 * Reflection- Sabrina Mayo**