AJ
I came to school this afternoon feeling like shit cuz today is the class meeting and all my old "friends" will be here again. I don't know how to stand them telling about the pretty life they have.... Omigod why is my life such a disaster?!
The first years at Florida University were quite well. I started studying journalism with lotsa optimistic and the hope to become a TV reporter cuz I wanted to commentate football plays. I stopped playing football all day long and started to learn and tried to spend my spare time with Ruthie.... oh Ruthie... how could ya have done this to me???
I would love to met her again but at the same time I'm afraid to look her in the eyes... her beautiful eyes... I dunno what to say or how to behave...
"Yo man! Whassup??" Kevin gaves me a big hug. I haven't expected him to come but now I'm really happy to know him being with me. Maybe this evening wouldn't be as bad as I thougt... if I didn't have to tell anyboday about my life.
"I'm fine. What's about you? Do you like your football career?"
"You wouldn't believe how many girls would love to be with me now... There are some really beautifoul chicas but most of them are stupid... They fell in love with me... ya know... and then they are crying and such a stuff when they see me with another girl.
Oh man I'm so happy to see you. Do you have seen Erika again? I mean I knew how she looks like you see her face in all kinda media. And where is Ruthie? I haven't heard about you since... ohmmm... since a long time?!"
Here we are now. - Ruthie - the main topic in my life. She is the one who decides if my life is worth something or if it is just shit. I've nothing if I don't have her, I'm nothing if she isn't with me. Kevin went on talking but I couldn't hear him I remember the words she said to me that day... I was like in trance...
Erika woke me up. She joined the other girls who were there. I wasn't surprised to see her in expensive clothes, a lot of jewelleries, make-up and the hair like Marylin Monroe. The last time I saw her was when Franco showed me the playboy. They was also a big articel about her career. She is the winner of a casting show for singers and now she is as famous as Beyoncé I guess. She has changed a lot. Now she could be proud of her life, Kevin too... Both have a future, they earn money - they would be the perfect couple. But what is perfect? Wasn't Ruthie and I the perfect couple?
And now she has destroyed my life. Bitch. I've lost my job. I had to leave my appartment. I've no home. My dad can't help me - he spends all his money in alcohol. And Franco, Franco is death... the drugs killed him. And the parents of Ruthie doesn't want me to see Anthony not before I have made a therapie. Anthony has the life that he ever deserved and I won't take him that. I can understand them. How will I care about him if I don't could care about my self. I can't do anything right, I couldn't even kill myself. I'm like my dad, the alcohol is my best friend. I'm alone... alone....
Then I saw Ruthie and all the pain came over me again. My heart was near to explote my feelings changed from hate to love, from despair to helpless in one second. I felt like crying. I was shaking, my body was cold and hot at the same time. I wished I could die. I'm tired of all the hurt.
"AJ, I need to talk to you."
"What happened honey? You look sad."
"I didn't meant to hurt you."
"What are you talking about? Calm down, baby and then tell me why you are so confused."
"I'm so sorry, I feel like a bitch."
"Don't say that darling!"
"I've slept with Christian."
- SILENCE -
"And now I'm pregnant."
"NO WAY!!! STOP KIDDING ME!!"
"I'm not kidding... Oh AJ I wouln't it ending this way... I never wanted to hurt you, please believe me... I still like you but..."
"HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO ME? I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!
"I ..."
"HOW CAN YOU SAY YOU DIDN'T MEAN TO HURT ME?!!
"Aj..."
"DAMN!!! SHUT UP!"
- Silence -
"Why???" I was crying "Why??"
"Christian has time, he understands me..."
"WHAT the hell... was it my fault that you slept with him?"
"I've never said that."
"You will leave me?"
She nodded
"Don't touch me!"
"I'm so sorry..."
"Stop that bullshit! Leave me alone..."
"Aj..."
"GO AWAY!!!"
I still love her, but seeing her pregnant, walking hand in hand with this white ass, I felt like killing her and her snob. Christian works in the company from his dad earning a million of dollar... I already see their future: " They live in a big white villa with 3 children. Dad is working and mom do care about the kids. Sometimes she works for a help organisation for the black community. They have a dog, bello. All sunday evenings the have dinner together. Ruthie is a great cook."
I have to throw up.
Aj left the school... Searching for the brigde nearest to him. Nobody has ever seen him again...
Mittwoch, 3. Oktober 2007
Questions to the author
1. Do the characters in the novel are fantasy-persons or do they have a similarity with persons you know?
2. Which character do you like the most? And why?
2. Which character do you like the most? And why?
Dienstag, 21. August 2007
Part V
Ruthie 196-201:
Graduating day
1. Ruthie's speech
2. Christians Senior party
Erika 202-204:
She doesn't spend time with her girls. She is working.
Kelli is pregnant.
AJ 205- 212:
He and his friends are sad about leaving each other.
Franco and AJ would like to give money to Ruthies parents for taking care about Anthony. Ruthie doesn't accept Franco's money but it shows that he cares a little and Ruthie's parents doesn't want to take the money from AJ. They he just should make good grades at college and AJ will try to do so.
Erika 213-216:
At a party she is talking friendly with AJ, it still hurts but she is getting over him.
She decided to change her life which makes her feel proud of herself.
AJ 217-221:
AJ says goodbye to his mum, his dad and to Anthony which makes his little brother crie. He seems to love his whole family.
He spends his last night together with Ruthie. He thinks about marrying her after the college.
Ruthie 222-225:
AJ leaves and Ruthie has to cry all the weekend. She feels somehow empty without him. But they will try to stay together because they love each other.
She met Erika again and they had a really understanding conversation.
Like AJ she feels ready and prepared for the future.
Graduating day
1. Ruthie's speech
2. Christians Senior party
Erika 202-204:
She doesn't spend time with her girls. She is working.
Kelli is pregnant.
AJ 205- 212:
He and his friends are sad about leaving each other.
Franco and AJ would like to give money to Ruthies parents for taking care about Anthony. Ruthie doesn't accept Franco's money but it shows that he cares a little and Ruthie's parents doesn't want to take the money from AJ. They he just should make good grades at college and AJ will try to do so.
Erika 213-216:
At a party she is talking friendly with AJ, it still hurts but she is getting over him.
She decided to change her life which makes her feel proud of herself.
AJ 217-221:
AJ says goodbye to his mum, his dad and to Anthony which makes his little brother crie. He seems to love his whole family.
He spends his last night together with Ruthie. He thinks about marrying her after the college.
Ruthie 222-225:
AJ leaves and Ruthie has to cry all the weekend. She feels somehow empty without him. But they will try to stay together because they love each other.
She met Erika again and they had a really understanding conversation.
Like AJ she feels ready and prepared for the future.
Part IV
Erika 149-153:
She thinks Ruthie is sth worse than her because she is black.
All she is thinking about is taking revenge and to "smash her up". She wears rings to make it harder.
Erika and her friend find Ruthie and Erika hits her a little when suddenly AJ takes her away to protect Ruthie and en he brakes up with Erika who bursts into tears.
Ruthie 154-156:
AJ and Ruthie are worried about what Erika is going to do, but he says that his and her friends will keep Erika away from Ruthie.
Erika 157-161:
She is despaired and depressed and her mum tries to help her. With a blade she damages Ruthies car as a warning sign leaving her a message that she will do that with her face too.
She gets more and more aggressive like she would be out of control.
Monika 162-165:
At prom AJ's friends are tired off the aggressive and angry girls (Erika's friends) and they protect Ruthie from another ataque. Kevin likes Ruthie.
Erika 166-167:
She admits that she is acting when she said all the bad things about other-coloured guys she wouldn't mean it.
Erika hasn't got a real family. Her mother is white and her dad black and she feels like an outsider in front of them. She has to fight with prejudices in front of her own skin colour.
AJ is the only good thing in her life, Ruthie has everything she wanted so why does she have to take her boyfriend too?
She still thinks AJ and she will be together again. I don't think so.
AJ 172-176:
He is sad seing Anthony happy with his new family even if he wants him to be happy.
A normal reaction...He thinks he is losing his brother.
Ruthie 177-184:
Ruthie and Erika has a one to one confrontation outside where everybody are watching them.
Erika will hit her but first Ruthie doesn't want to fight. Then Ruthie feels more strength and she tries to open Erika's eyes that fighting is the inly thing Erika knows. Ruthie provokes her and she fights with her words telling the truth to Erika even if there are some bad things to say.
Erika feels hurt inside she's feeling like a nobody as Ruthie said she would be. She feels helpless and so she runs away.
Erika 185:
She knows Ruthie was right she behaved wrong all the time.
I feel sry for her.
Shanice 186:
She is saying bad things about Erika.
Imani 182-184:
She and her friends will kill Ruthie if Erika doesn't. But Erika's resistence vanished in the "fight"
Erika 190-195:
She is down. She spends a lot of time with Franco who takes care of her. She is smoking a lot of weed with him.
Because she can't stand that pain inside her seing and thinking about AJ so she tries to satisfy her loneliness with Franco's kisses. She is crying while they are making love.
She thinks Ruthie is sth worse than her because she is black.
All she is thinking about is taking revenge and to "smash her up". She wears rings to make it harder.
Erika and her friend find Ruthie and Erika hits her a little when suddenly AJ takes her away to protect Ruthie and en he brakes up with Erika who bursts into tears.
Ruthie 154-156:
AJ and Ruthie are worried about what Erika is going to do, but he says that his and her friends will keep Erika away from Ruthie.
Erika 157-161:
She is despaired and depressed and her mum tries to help her. With a blade she damages Ruthies car as a warning sign leaving her a message that she will do that with her face too.
She gets more and more aggressive like she would be out of control.
Monika 162-165:
At prom AJ's friends are tired off the aggressive and angry girls (Erika's friends) and they protect Ruthie from another ataque. Kevin likes Ruthie.
Erika 166-167:
She admits that she is acting when she said all the bad things about other-coloured guys she wouldn't mean it.
Erika hasn't got a real family. Her mother is white and her dad black and she feels like an outsider in front of them. She has to fight with prejudices in front of her own skin colour.
AJ is the only good thing in her life, Ruthie has everything she wanted so why does she have to take her boyfriend too?
She still thinks AJ and she will be together again. I don't think so.
AJ 172-176:
He is sad seing Anthony happy with his new family even if he wants him to be happy.
A normal reaction...He thinks he is losing his brother.
Ruthie 177-184:
Ruthie and Erika has a one to one confrontation outside where everybody are watching them.
Erika will hit her but first Ruthie doesn't want to fight. Then Ruthie feels more strength and she tries to open Erika's eyes that fighting is the inly thing Erika knows. Ruthie provokes her and she fights with her words telling the truth to Erika even if there are some bad things to say.
Erika feels hurt inside she's feeling like a nobody as Ruthie said she would be. She feels helpless and so she runs away.
Erika 185:
She knows Ruthie was right she behaved wrong all the time.
I feel sry for her.
Shanice 186:
She is saying bad things about Erika.
Imani 182-184:
She and her friends will kill Ruthie if Erika doesn't. But Erika's resistence vanished in the "fight"
Erika 190-195:
She is down. She spends a lot of time with Franco who takes care of her. She is smoking a lot of weed with him.
Because she can't stand that pain inside her seing and thinking about AJ so she tries to satisfy her loneliness with Franco's kisses. She is crying while they are making love.
Part III
Ruthie 93-95:
March
-In April they will get college acceptance and rejection letters
-Ruthie has to prepare a speech for Graduation
-May 5 will be prom
Ruthie has to think about AJ because he hasn't come home all week.
AJ 96-107:
He talked with his mum all week at cemetery where Ruthie find and talks with him about his mum.
AJ thinks he is in love for the moment he saw her smile but he couldn't believe that she would like a boy like him.
Later after the dinner with Anthony and Ruthie's parents AJ tells her about hbis worries to leave Anthony alone with Franco when he has to go to Florida for a week.
AJ likes to spend time with Ruthie more than with Erika.
Ruthie 108-112:
Ruthies's parents offered Anthony to stay in their house while AJ is in Florida, but they are afraid it would hurt Anthony when he has to leave again.
Ruthie asked if he couldn't stay longer...
Erika 113-114:
She feels like losing AJ because is cold and different since he is with that girl Ruthie. She doesn't want to lose him to a dark-skinned girl.
Ruthie 115-12:
Erika wants her to stay away from AJ but Ruthie said she just are friends.
AJ acts different around Ruthie and Kevin also knows about that. But he is really nice to Ruthie.
Ruthie begins to have feelings in front of AJ even if she doesn't want to show it.
AJ 122-130
After the week in Florida AJ couldn't let his little brother pass up the chance to stay with Ruthie's family which they offered him and even if he is thanksful he couldn't feel happy about that.
He will miss him because he is the only person he got, he is his family and now Anthony should join a new, better family. That makes him sad.
He can talk with Ruthie about that but not with his girlfriend Erika.
Erika 131-134:
She will sing Bess but Shanice is the first choice.
She really loves AJ. After singing AJ and Ruthie went in to gratulate her but Erika isn't glad to see Ruthie with his boy.
I think she will loose AJ staying as jealous and aggressive as she is.
Ruthie 135-141:
AJ enteres Ruthie's room through her window. He really has changed better to say he is comig of age ( titel!!! ).
Ruthie always understands him which he likes a lot.
He says
-she is life smart which scared him a little
-she make a guy feel not good enough
-she has her head on straight that's why they respect her
-he doesn't know if he still likes Erika
-that he thinks he couldn't be good enough for her
But then there are kissing and touching and it seems like AJ does it mean really serious.
Andrea 142-144:
AJ admits in front of Ruthie that he likes her and that the last night wasn't a mistake for him.
One problem left: Erika
Ruthie 145-146:
AJ and Ruthie talk and Ruthie like to get things clear.
AJ will break up with Erika because he loves Ruthie.
Erika 147-148:
Kevin tells her about Ruthie and AJ. She is going made and says she will kill her.
March
-In April they will get college acceptance and rejection letters
-Ruthie has to prepare a speech for Graduation
-May 5 will be prom
Ruthie has to think about AJ because he hasn't come home all week.
AJ 96-107:
He talked with his mum all week at cemetery where Ruthie find and talks with him about his mum.
AJ thinks he is in love for the moment he saw her smile but he couldn't believe that she would like a boy like him.
Later after the dinner with Anthony and Ruthie's parents AJ tells her about hbis worries to leave Anthony alone with Franco when he has to go to Florida for a week.
AJ likes to spend time with Ruthie more than with Erika.
Ruthie 108-112:
Ruthies's parents offered Anthony to stay in their house while AJ is in Florida, but they are afraid it would hurt Anthony when he has to leave again.
Ruthie asked if he couldn't stay longer...
Erika 113-114:
She feels like losing AJ because is cold and different since he is with that girl Ruthie. She doesn't want to lose him to a dark-skinned girl.
Ruthie 115-12:
Erika wants her to stay away from AJ but Ruthie said she just are friends.
AJ acts different around Ruthie and Kevin also knows about that. But he is really nice to Ruthie.
Ruthie begins to have feelings in front of AJ even if she doesn't want to show it.
AJ 122-130
After the week in Florida AJ couldn't let his little brother pass up the chance to stay with Ruthie's family which they offered him and even if he is thanksful he couldn't feel happy about that.
He will miss him because he is the only person he got, he is his family and now Anthony should join a new, better family. That makes him sad.
He can talk with Ruthie about that but not with his girlfriend Erika.
Erika 131-134:
She will sing Bess but Shanice is the first choice.
She really loves AJ. After singing AJ and Ruthie went in to gratulate her but Erika isn't glad to see Ruthie with his boy.
I think she will loose AJ staying as jealous and aggressive as she is.
Ruthie 135-141:
AJ enteres Ruthie's room through her window. He really has changed better to say he is comig of age ( titel!!! ).
Ruthie always understands him which he likes a lot.
He says
-she is life smart which scared him a little
-she make a guy feel not good enough
-she has her head on straight that's why they respect her
-he doesn't know if he still likes Erika
-that he thinks he couldn't be good enough for her
But then there are kissing and touching and it seems like AJ does it mean really serious.
Andrea 142-144:
AJ admits in front of Ruthie that he likes her and that the last night wasn't a mistake for him.
One problem left: Erika
Ruthie 145-146:
AJ and Ruthie talk and Ruthie like to get things clear.
AJ will break up with Erika because he loves Ruthie.
Erika 147-148:
Kevin tells her about Ruthie and AJ. She is going made and says she will kill her.
Sonntag, 19. August 2007
Part II
AJ 53-56:
2 days before signing day and AJ still doesn't know which college he shoul choose. Everyody makes a big deal about his decision (newspaper, TV, college recruiters).
AJ want to know Ruthies opinion. I think he asks her because she is the only person who can be honest to him even if it would be hard. She doesn't treat him like a king like everybody else. He hasn't to work hard to be accepted in a college just because he is a football "star".
Ruthie will tutor elementary kids and she tells him that she picked Anthony. He is angry about that because she always thinks she knows everything better. She is smart in everything and behaves like he is just a stupid football player. I think both are arrogant and both do think that they are sth better than the other one. She tells him that he should choose a college not because of the football and that he should be more interested in school because it's very possible that he wouldn't be a pro in football.
I think he is angry because he knows that she's right but he won't believe it.
Ronell 57:
He is a dopeman and a friend of France, a dopeman too.
Is Franco AJ's brother????
AJ 58-62:
AJ and his friends celebrate in his house because they have chosen a college.
Ruthie 63-67:
Ruthie is happy about being a finalist which means she has a good chance for a college scholarship.
AJ is cold in front of Ruthie because she refused to admires him like everyone else.
Ruthie meets Anthony because she will tutor him.
Erika 68-70:
Erika is happy because she got to lead the school musical Porgy and Bess. But she is angry that she have share this with Shanice, a black and her enemy. She thinks Shanice has a better chance because she is black and her chor teacher too.
I think Shanice is better but Erika is too egoistic to recognize it.
AJ 71-74:
Ruthie and Anthony are reading a book in his house when he came in; he must remember his mum.
AJ becomes angry because he thinks Ruthie will try to give him charity with buying him books and ice cream. He feels like she is threatening him.
He treats her very ugly.
She tries to explain him that she just wanted to help his brother in reading and things like books he is interested in and ice cream would motivate him.
I don't know why AJ behaves like a stupid.... maybe he can't accept help from other persons. He always has helped his brother and now Ruthie and her organization think that he hasn't done his job well. He feels insulted.
But later on he understands and feels stupid.
So Ruthie and Anthony went for an ice cream.
Ruthie 75-82:
She doens't like that AJ critizies her the whole time but she likes to spend time with Anthony and Anthony doas she like her too. He tells Ruthie that his mother killed herself. Ruthie has to think about AJ like his mother's death would explain his behaviour.
AJ and Ruthie have a big fight. They can't stand each other anymore. AJ tries to hurt her and wants her to become mad. After having told him that Anthony has told Ruthie that she knows about his mother's suicide, AJ's behaviour gets worse. Now Ruthie is afraid that he will hurt Anthony.
(look at the text text passage I've posted; under the headline)
I think this textpassage is a very important part of the book. Ruthies and AJs conversation shows us their character!
AJ still hasn't overcome the pain of his mothers death, so he reacts very aggressive when Ruthie talks with him about his mum. He doesn't want anybody to get too close to him. Ruthie isn't shy, she knows how to handle the situation and she thinks she is superior. She is understanding and not resentful as he tries to hits her in front of the teacher. She protects him and would like to help him with his depression by showing him not to keep everything inside.
AJ 83-92:
He won't talk about his mother because he doesn't want Ruthie to know everything about him even if she already knows a lot.
- AJ fills a roll as a parent to Anthony
- He behaves like a yerk when he gets attention for football
- He tries to hide sth.
- He and his brother don't look like they get along
AJ tries to piss her off like she pisses him off with her know-it-all. He tries to hurt her. He talks about Christian and about being black and her identity problems which is really a problem of her.
She handles the situation much cooler than AJ because she can talk about her feelings... not like AJ.
Then they have a deep conversation. Ruthie recognized the loving and caring person in AJ when she saw him with Anthony. AJ has to tell Ruthie about his mum, he couldn't stop it. It is the first time he told about that.I think he had a big stone to carry...
Ruthie takes his hand in hers while he is telling his story. Sweet :-)
AJ begins to trust her and I think he already likes her...
At home he hears from Anthony that Franco involves his little brother in his dope-business.
AJ decides to wait for Franco and to force him to stay away from Anthony which ends in a fight. Franco tries to choke his brother but when Anthony cries about his mum he let go. He also has to wear the pain of their mothers death...
Both are hurt, they hate each other, AJ runs away.
Coming of age Part I
AJ 5-13:
AJ and Ruthie get to know each other. He hurts Ruthie in chemistry class and then he has to take her home.
AJ is a very lazy person. He is a football star so he will be graduating without doing sth. for his grades.
Ruthie is a very smart girl. And thats why Aj feels uncomfortable and stupid in front of her.
Erika 14-16:
Erika is hysteric, vainly and jealous. She doesn't like white or black people.
I think she is a superficial stupid girl. She meets her friends an AJ. She wants to know more about Ruthie because she thinks her boyfriend AJ gets to close to her.
Ruthie 17-23:
Ruthie is very ambicious (not like AJ). She changed school because she didn't feel good in a school where she was one of 6 black kids. Now at Centennial High School she is more isolated than before. Her friends are still white. She worries about her black identity. She speaks very smart not like other black people. She is black but doesn't behaves like one. Blacks don't like her(they think she is a snob). She has white friends but she isn't a white girl.
Erika and her friends are well-known: light skinned black girls who think they are sth. better. They often are involved in fights.
Ruthie doesn't care about Erike (but Erika cares about Ruthie).
Every student at her High School knows about the accident and that Erika is very jealous. Ruthie seems to be cool and doesn't worry about Erika. Erika just behaves ridiculous like a little girl.
Erika 24-28:
Erika thinks to be black is a crime. She often is involved in fights with black girls and thinks that's cool. I think she is silly.
The only topic of her friends is Ruthie and AJ. Erika can't stand hearing about that so she goes home thinking about AJ. I don't know if she really lovbes him or just because he is cool and good-looking.
Erika doesn't get along with her parents but she is living with her mum who seems to be racial. She doesn't like black men because of Erika's dad and she is shamed about having a half breed as a daughter (Erika). Erika hates white people because of her mother.
Now I feel sry for Erika because of her mum. I can understand why she is racial too. (Isn't AJ black????)
Everything in the book is about the colour of the skin. AJ and Erika try to excuse having black or white friends like it would be a crime staying together with people who has another colour of the skin.
AJ 29-37:
Erika gets on his nerves with her jeaolous behaviour. Ruthie seems to be a big problem in their relationship.
AJ lives in a bad neighbourhood but in fact he is a really nice guy. He loves his little brother and tries to protect him of the bad influence in his sorrounding field.His mother died and his dad doesn't care that much about them.
At night he and his friends are at a party. Erika flirts with a guy they hate and kisses him. That's why AJ is pissed off and so he chooses a white girl for kissing.
Ruthie 38-41:
3 weeks since her accident
Ruthie thinks a lot. She thinks she is different than the pupils at High School. She is black but she doesn't want to associate with black people. She thinks that's wrong. I think she is confused and thinks that's wrong because the others think it's wrong.
I think she is "real" and everyone else tries to be a person the others expected.
The others see she is black and they think she is a part of the black community (problems with drugs gangs and in family), the prejudices are like a stigma she wears. She can't be at first a human being because the fact that she is black value first (for the others; she is confused about her identity, is her identity being black or just a human being?)
Ruthie doesn't like going to church anymore because she and her parents don't fit into one clique there, her parents doesn't care about this.
Erika 42-44:
Erika likes going to church because god don't care that she is a half-breed.(she is the student director of the church Youth Chor). Today she will sing solo and AJ will be there.
(Erika and AJ were involved in different fights a night before.
Why do they have to fight so often? Do they really like it? Do you have to do it to become respect??)
When Erika sees Ruthie in church she thinks about "kicking her ass".She is mad because AJ hasn't come to see her.
AJ 45-48:
Erika asks AJ if he loves her and she says she loves him. AJ just doesn't know and doesn't answer. Then he goes in chemistry after having missed the last weeks so that he couldn't answer the question on the worksheet he had to do. Ruthie offers to help him with the worksheet. AJ accepted and so they will meet. AJ and Ruthie talk about love and about the question Erika has asked AJ. AJ wants to know what Ruthie thinks about love and how do you know if you love somebody.
Ruthie 49-52:
Ruthie entered AJ's room where AJ is with his friends Wakeen, Jamil and Ray because he forgot that she will come. Ruthie is angry that he doesn't show any willing to learn sth. and that she missed her aerobics for nothing. But then Anthony makes them laughing again. AJ walks her out to her car.
I think they would make a interesting couple.
AJ and Ruthie get to know each other. He hurts Ruthie in chemistry class and then he has to take her home.
AJ is a very lazy person. He is a football star so he will be graduating without doing sth. for his grades.
Ruthie is a very smart girl. And thats why Aj feels uncomfortable and stupid in front of her.
Erika 14-16:
Erika is hysteric, vainly and jealous. She doesn't like white or black people.
I think she is a superficial stupid girl. She meets her friends an AJ. She wants to know more about Ruthie because she thinks her boyfriend AJ gets to close to her.
Ruthie 17-23:
Ruthie is very ambicious (not like AJ). She changed school because she didn't feel good in a school where she was one of 6 black kids. Now at Centennial High School she is more isolated than before. Her friends are still white. She worries about her black identity. She speaks very smart not like other black people. She is black but doesn't behaves like one. Blacks don't like her(they think she is a snob). She has white friends but she isn't a white girl.
Erika and her friends are well-known: light skinned black girls who think they are sth. better. They often are involved in fights.
Ruthie doesn't care about Erike (but Erika cares about Ruthie).
Every student at her High School knows about the accident and that Erika is very jealous. Ruthie seems to be cool and doesn't worry about Erika. Erika just behaves ridiculous like a little girl.
Erika 24-28:
Erika thinks to be black is a crime. She often is involved in fights with black girls and thinks that's cool. I think she is silly.
The only topic of her friends is Ruthie and AJ. Erika can't stand hearing about that so she goes home thinking about AJ. I don't know if she really lovbes him or just because he is cool and good-looking.
Erika doesn't get along with her parents but she is living with her mum who seems to be racial. She doesn't like black men because of Erika's dad and she is shamed about having a half breed as a daughter (Erika). Erika hates white people because of her mother.
Now I feel sry for Erika because of her mum. I can understand why she is racial too. (Isn't AJ black????)
Everything in the book is about the colour of the skin. AJ and Erika try to excuse having black or white friends like it would be a crime staying together with people who has another colour of the skin.
AJ 29-37:
Erika gets on his nerves with her jeaolous behaviour. Ruthie seems to be a big problem in their relationship.
AJ lives in a bad neighbourhood but in fact he is a really nice guy. He loves his little brother and tries to protect him of the bad influence in his sorrounding field.His mother died and his dad doesn't care that much about them.
At night he and his friends are at a party. Erika flirts with a guy they hate and kisses him. That's why AJ is pissed off and so he chooses a white girl for kissing.
Ruthie 38-41:
3 weeks since her accident
Ruthie thinks a lot. She thinks she is different than the pupils at High School. She is black but she doesn't want to associate with black people. She thinks that's wrong. I think she is confused and thinks that's wrong because the others think it's wrong.
I think she is "real" and everyone else tries to be a person the others expected.
The others see she is black and they think she is a part of the black community (problems with drugs gangs and in family), the prejudices are like a stigma she wears. She can't be at first a human being because the fact that she is black value first (for the others; she is confused about her identity, is her identity being black or just a human being?)
Ruthie doesn't like going to church anymore because she and her parents don't fit into one clique there, her parents doesn't care about this.
Erika 42-44:
Erika likes going to church because god don't care that she is a half-breed.(she is the student director of the church Youth Chor). Today she will sing solo and AJ will be there.
(Erika and AJ were involved in different fights a night before.
Why do they have to fight so often? Do they really like it? Do you have to do it to become respect??)
When Erika sees Ruthie in church she thinks about "kicking her ass".She is mad because AJ hasn't come to see her.
AJ 45-48:
Erika asks AJ if he loves her and she says she loves him. AJ just doesn't know and doesn't answer. Then he goes in chemistry after having missed the last weeks so that he couldn't answer the question on the worksheet he had to do. Ruthie offers to help him with the worksheet. AJ accepted and so they will meet. AJ and Ruthie talk about love and about the question Erika has asked AJ. AJ wants to know what Ruthie thinks about love and how do you know if you love somebody.
Ruthie 49-52:
Ruthie entered AJ's room where AJ is with his friends Wakeen, Jamil and Ray because he forgot that she will come. Ruthie is angry that he doesn't show any willing to learn sth. and that she missed her aerobics for nothing. But then Anthony makes them laughing again. AJ walks her out to her car.
I think they would make a interesting couple.
Abonnieren
Posts (Atom)