Literacy circle
#1
Topic 1
Evan’s main obstacle is to stop being manipulated by his father. Put under pressure by his father, he often follows his father’s opinions. Told to be the man and to take control of those around him, Evan becomes abusive towards Katie. Evan needs to learn to have his own opinions and his own outlook on life. Katie’s main obstacle is to her confidence in herself. Katie pretends to be invisible, but when she gets the lead role in her school play, everything changes. Katie starts to stop seeing herself as invisible with the help of Evan who is also the lead in the school play. When her relationship with Evan starts to sour, she can’t seem to leave him. Evan uses her low self-esteem against her. Katie lets him push her around, harming her psychically and psychologically. Katie needs to learn to be her own independent person who doesn’t take anything from anyone. She shouldn’t depend on someone like Evan just because he has more confidence than her.
Topic 2
On page 133, “and then I remembered something that my father always said-repeatedly, incessantly. It didn’t matter if it was business or if it was personal life; either dominate or be dominated; either be in control or be controlled. Someone is always up in every relationship and someone is always down. And I wasn’t going to be down-not again not this one.” This passage shows that Evan feels like most always be in control. He is also very arrogant.
Page 121 “it dawned on me that that was the very first time I had ever stitched a little dream for myself about the future. But now because of Evan, anything was possible, anything could happen-now I could dream” this shows that Katie is unsure of herself, she is also naive because that Evan would never lie to her. If Evan really loved Katie he never would have hit her, action speak louder than words.
Topic 3
I predict that Katie will gain more confidence in herself during the early part of her relationship but Evan will start to abuse Katie psychologically and physically. I think that her performance in the play will help he gain confidence and realize that she doesn’t need Evan to make her feel good. She will realize that she shouldn’t let Evan push her around. I think Evan will she that he is becoming too much like his conceded father and will try to change to prevent himself from losing Katie. Evan will learn that everyone else is not a pawn is his life that he can control against their will and that he is just another person in the world.
Literacy circle #2
Topic 1
How does the protagonist of this novel mature?
Finding confidence on stage playing Katherine, Katie stands strong. One page 223, ”no, you decided that they were my favourite flower. I’ve decided that I love lilacs best” previously not having a opinion Katie learns about herself and speaks up. Page 223, “You taught me a lot, Evan. About myself, about…so much.” “did you think you were Petruchio, Evan? That you could manipulate, bully and smack me into submission? Tame me, like Bianca asks about the taming-school and Tranio admits that Petruchio is the master of it? Did that sound irresistible to you, Evan? Was it too tempting for someone like you to turn someone like me into the worshipping, mindless plaything?” After confronting Lisa and Travis about
Evans abusive and manipulating behavior, Katie decides to leave him. She becomes a confident girl, brave enough to voice her opinion. Even though a