Thursday, February 17, 2011
Literature Circle Response #3
Hello bloggers and a special hello to my Literature Circle group mates, Andrianna, Melissa, Haneen, Hannah and Sara. Our discussions and Literature Circles are super and I can't wait to get into another one. In this section of our reading(Chapters 7-10 of Sketches by Eric Walters) Dana has encountered one of the many scary things on the streets. When Dana, Ashley, and Brent were squeegeeing, they met some unpleasant kids. After the incident, Dana was offered a knife for protection. She didn't take the knife happily, because she didn't think that she could do anything to anybody with it. So my question for you this week is; What do you think would be the breaking point for Dana to actually use the knife? If you were in the same situation, what would it take for you to use the knife? Let's keep up the good work up guys! I forgot to mention Arianna!
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Marvelous question Karran. :)
ReplyDeleteI think Dana's breaking point would be if she was abused by someone older because it might remind her of her step dad. Or,maybe nothing will happen to her, and someone harm's Brent, or Ashley, so she might get protective and use it. But if she were to use the knife, I doubt she would even think about it, she would probably just do it, and then take a step back, and realize what shes done.
I don't really think I would have a breaking point. I would be to scared to even hold a knife.(You know just in case I fall, and accidentally stab someone in the face.) But if I were to have one I guess it would be if someone was threatening me or someone I cared about.But, most likely I would use it in a act of self defense.
I'm looking forward to hearing everyone's responses.
Great question, Karran. I'm really looking forward to seeing how your group members respond.
ReplyDeleteAgree with Arianna that it would be a pretty scary thing to be in a situation where a person had to use a weapon like a knife for protection. I think most people would probably avoid having to use that kind of weapon at any cost. The risks are so great that I think it would take a really serious provocation to push a person that far.
Once again Eric Walters surprises us! Who would have known that people would be able to get past Brent and take all their money? This really is a great question Karran! Dana is a really nice and caring person. It’s impossible for me to imagine her stabbing someone, but when it comes to self defence, people do a lot of shocking things. I agree with Arianna, Dana would most likely use the knife while she’s trying to defend herself, or someone she cares about. I think that later on in the book she will decide to go home and try to meet her sister and see how she’s doing. While she does that maybe her stepfather catches her and he tries to do something. Since she has a knife she would probably take it out of her pocket and threaten to kill him. I also have another prediction, maybe they would get ambushed by that guy who punched Brent and kicked Ashley, again. Since that guy likes Dana so much, and doesn’t really think that she’s a threat (remember when she started crying and he told her to shut up), maybe he would just leave her off to the side and then she would come charging with the knife and stab him because him and his gang were hurting Ashley and Brent. I’m probably like Dana and would be too scared to use a knife; I mean I can’t even kill a mosquito so I can’t really picture myself stabbing anyone. I would punch or kick, but me using a knife is too hard to imagine. I would threaten the person with it, but I doubt I would use it. Then again, you never know what would happen until you’re actually in that situation. The only time I would use a knife is if I’m getting attacked, or if someone I care about is getting attacked. It’s kind of like what Arianna said, I would do it as a reflex, but then after I did it I would feel guilty and realize how I reacted. Like Ms.Crosbie said, it would take a really serious provocation to make someone stab another person. I would try punching, kicking, yelling for help or anything else before taking out a knife.
ReplyDeleteHi Karran,
ReplyDeleteExcellent question Karran, and great answers Arianna, Mrs. Crosbie and Sara! I just want to say that you forgot to welcome Hannah in the discussion! I will respond to this question as soon as I possibly can!
Hi, Everyone!
ReplyDeleteGreat question Karran!
I agree with everyone here. And good predictions Sara!
For me, it's hard to imagine Dana stabbing someone like Sara said. I think she's a person that fears a lot of things. If you noticed guys, she's always wondering if they would get caught sleeping in a certain place. So for me, it’s not a surprise that she refused to carry a knife! Her breaking point maybe would be if she was hurt badly like Brent and Ashley were. It's true that terrified her a lot but I still don't understand why she refused to carry the knife. Perhaps, she's scared if would be used to against her? Because most of the situations with knife and weapons that there's a possibility that your own weapon can be used against you if you don't have a tight grip on it, or you don't have experience using it. This is the streets. Dana should expect any type of violence or surprises. (Bad and good)
If I were in her situation I would definitely carry a knife. I could relate this book to a book we read in our class last year called "The Hunger Games." By Suzanne Collins. It's a really good book. I can relate to it, because you have to fight till survivor and this is the same thing with the streets. You can't trust anyone but yourself. And it's also cool because the protagonist is a female too and she's also around the same age as Dana. She also has a younger sister that she left behind when she went to the games. Just like Dana again!
So, if I were in the same situation I wouldn't hesitate one second to carry a knife. I wouldn't use it to kill someone. However, I would use it as a threat if I was threatened as well like all of you guys said! The streets are like The Hunger Games; you have to fight to survive.
Excellent comparison, Haneen!
ReplyDeleteLike I said before, excellent question Karran! I agree with Arianna's response to Karran's question. I think if Dana was harmed or abused, that's one reason she would use a knife, because then she would think about her stepfather and all the horrible things he did to her (even though we still don't know exactly what he did). She would always heat up and get angry every time she would even think about him. Remember page 32, last paragraph? Dana took a shower in the motel where she, Brent and Ashley were staying for the night, and she broke down. It says, "Tears came. The water flowed down my cheeks and got lost in the water flowing out of the shower head. I started to sob. My whole body got shaky and my legs felt all rubbery and weak. I slumped down to the tiled floor of the shower. I thought about my sister, and my mother, and my friends, and my school, and my room, and about how I missed every one of them-how I missed them all so much. And then I thought about my stepfather, and the sobbing subsided and the sadness was replaced. Replaced by anger. And the searing heat of that anger dried up the tears." I have a question though. It also says this on page 32; "The suds cascaded down my neck and back and front and along my arms. I watched as the water and suds formed ripples as they passed over the little scars that covered my arms. I touched them with my fingers, tracing the lines. They were fading but they were still visible. Some of the marks, the deeper ones would never fade away." So it's revealed that Dana used to cut herself. Do you think she would use the knife to cut herself like she used to? I'm not sure, we don't even know how she cut herself in the first place. Was it because of her stepfather or something else? I also feel like if people she really cared about were hurt, like Brent and Ashley, she would use the knife, because Brent and Ashley were there when she needed them. If it weren't for Brent and Ashley helping her cope and survive on the streets, she would've been in trouble, hurt or maybe even dead. If I were in the same situation, I would use the knife if I or people I really cared about were harmed. It may be best to avoid a weapon such as a knife at all times, however I'm not very physical. So if I hit or kick the bad person, I don't think it would change anything. A weapon would be a better choice for me, like a knife, a gun or even a phone to call 911. In conclusion to this response, if Dana or people she really cared about were harmed, Dana would use a knife and I would too if I were in the same situation.
ReplyDeleteHaneen, I loved that you compared the streets to Hunger Games which is a book series that I truly recommend you read if you haven't read it yet! I totally agree with you, you gotta fight to survive on the streets as well as in Hunger Games You made a connection, that's awesome!
ReplyDeleteOops sorry Hannah! I agree with all of you in that Dana's too nice to use it unless it was a life or death situation. I'm with Haneen on this one though, Dana was stupid to refuse the knife. If she was feeling unsafe for whatever reason, a weapon is a great reassurance and comfort to have. I think Dana’s breaking point would be, like everybody else said, if it was life and death for her or someone she cared about. She would still be hesitant to use it though, which I find pretty weird because it’s either you save yourself, or let the other person live, and if you don’t know anything about them, chances are you’re going to want to be the one who lives. My breaking point would have to be not life and death, but maybe if the person threatens me or someone I care about, like Dana. I wouldn’t be that hesitant to use it though, I wouldn’t stab them in the chest or the head though, more like the stomach, so they’ll stop, but they won’t die. I guess it’s easier said than done though isn’t it. Melissa, if you were in a fight with soemone, do you think 911 would come in time? Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteGood point Karran! If you were in a fight and call 911, the police or ambulance would come to your destination really fast, if they're not fast enough, you should still call them, because they can help you. They'll get you to the hospital if you're badly injured and they'll arrest the guy who's harming you, and if the guy who harms you escapes, the police will find that guy. If you don't have a phone with you, scream at the top of your lungs for help, so then someone else will call 911. You'll regret it for the rest of your life if you don't call 911 if you're in trouble. It's a chance definitely worth taking.
ReplyDeleteI agree! hopefully I'll never be in that situation though!
ReplyDeleteGood points Karran and Melissa. However, I kind of disagree with you guys. Because if you were to live on the streets, you're not going to call the cops to come and arrest you right? You're calling the police for an attack; it's a good action and a wise desicion to do though. If you had a knife or any kind off weapon, cops are going to arrest both side immediately! Even if you were attacked, you're just calling the cops to arrest both sides. This also can lead them to search your name and info and call your parents. This is unfortunately neither of Dana, Ashley or Brent wants. So, it's a wise decision if you didn't live on the streets, but if you do so, it's not a smart decision at all.
ReplyDeleteKarran can you please get rid of the word verification for comments? Please and Thank you!
Hello everyone, sorry for taking so long to post! Karran, don't worry about leaving my name out at first, we all make mistakes. To answer the question I don't think Dana would use the knife unless completely necessary for her protection. I do not think that this is because she is too nice to use for other reasons, any sensible person wouldn't willfully harm someone without a good reason to. Perhaps if there was someone who did something similar to what her step-father had done (whatever that is) then she would use the knife. Like many of you have said, I think she would use the knife for her protection or that of Brent or Ashley. I have to admit, if I were in Dana's position I would definitely take the knife. Even though I wouldn't want to harm someone with the knife it's a necessity for survival when you're on the streets. Melissa, I love what you brought up about Dana describing cuts and scars while she was in the shower. It is quite possible that she does or in the past had cut herself but it may not be the case. Perhaps her step-father physically abused her in some way or maybe she got into some other sort of fight. However, I think you prediction about the cuts it's probably right as it seems the most realistic. I don't think Dana would use the knife to cut herself. If she were still cutting there are many things besides a knife that she could use and she wouldn't posses a knife solely for that purpose. I don't think she would enjoy cutting herself (I know you weren't implying that but I'm just using it to reinforce my opinion) it would be more of an addiction like Brent's (previous?) drug problem. Another thing you mentioned Melissa that I completely agree with is that a phone call to 911 would be just like a weapon. It's always good to have a harmful weapon as a back up if you're not near a phone but a phone could be just a useful and powerful. Haneen, I never realized before how similar Sketches really is to the Hunger Games. Brent and Ashley are sort of like Dana's allies the way Rue was Katniss' ally. The streets are very much like the bloody arena of the Hunger Games.
ReplyDeleteHaneen I think it's awesome how you realted to Hunger Games. I read that series and it reminds me of Sketches too. Hannah, I think you're kind of right, any sensible person would not stab someone for no good reason, it's not only Dana who wouldn't. Yelling for help could work, but it could be too late when someone that can help comes to the rescue. She does say stuff about cuts and scars when she's in the shower Melissa, and I love how you brought that up. I think Eric Walters is giving us clues about what Dana's stepfather did to her and maybe Eric Walters will not tell us what Dana's stepfather did to her at all.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Melissa's question, I don’t think Dana would use a knife to cut herself again. Since she isn't around hr stepfather anymore, which seems to be the reason she did cut herself. She might cut her self as the book continues because of all the bad situations she finds her self getting into, but I think she might be worried Brent, and Ashley will find out.
ReplyDeleteHaneen I agree with that it might not be the best idea to call the police. Being an underage child on the streets may not look so good to the police. The police could possibly bring Dana home.
Wonderful conversation you guys. Hopefully Andrianna will comment soon.
Great question Karran!!
ReplyDeleteAlso an amazing discussion, as usual going on here.
I think Dana’s breaking point would be, what basically everyone else said, if she had a gun to her head or a knife to her throat. The part however that I do not agree on is if it were Brent and Ashley’s lives at risk. Maybe as time goes on and she lives as a street kid she would be more comfortable with committing crimes such as; aggravated assault, to save her friends but in her current position I don’t think Dana would be able to use the knife to save anyone other than herself, and maybe her sister. I think Dana would be too petrified to use the knife on her opponents no matter how much danger her companions were in. The reason I think this is because Dana is a scaredy cat, is always afraid to do things. For example: when the three of them got jumped in the alley, Dana did not want to travel back down the alley because she though they would encounter them again, even though Brent insisted that they were long gone.
My breaking point would be if my family was at risk of death, I would then use the knife to protect them, because I value their lives more than my own, and would do anything to save them. but I'd do anything to save Karran.
I didn't think about that before but Andrianna, I think you are right. Dana might be too scared to step up and protect Brent or Ashley. Good point Arianna about Dana being worried that Ashley or Brent might find out about her cutting herself. What do you guys think Brent and Ashley would do or say to Dana? Andrianna, I almost forgot about Dana's sister! Thanks for bringing her up. I wonder if Dana will miss her sister and maybe her mother so much that she will return home despite her father being there. I doubt it judging from how bad she describes him but Dana's mother and sister and maybe even her step-father probably miss her deeply.
ReplyDeleteLike Andrianna, my breaking point would also be if my family was getting attacked. You bring up a very good point Andrianna! If anything happened to Brent and Ashley at the part that we're on, Dana would be too scared. Maybe when she gets used to the streets and gets older as well as tougher, she would not be as scared as she is now. I don't think Dana is ever going to want to go back home, but Eric Walters has put a lot of surprises for us in Sketches.
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ReplyDeleteIn response to Hannah's question I think Ashley would ask a lot of questions. Like why Dana did it, when she did it, and try to give her some advice. And for Brent I think he wouldn't know what to do in a situation like that. Im guessing he would just sit there and watch it all happen.
ReplyDeleteSara, I think Dana will one day. As the book goes on I think she will start to miss them a lot and go back home, and tell her mom the bad experiences she has had with her step dad. But I could be wrong. Do any of you think Dana will go home?
In response to your question Arianna I think Dana will never go back home. Maybe she would go back home to talk to her little sister, or maybe she would go back home to say something to her parents. Those are just predictions, who knows what would happen. I don't think Dana used to cut herself, she would have said something about it by now, but she did say something about scars and scratches, maybe that was something her dad did to her, like beat her. Remember the part where she thinks about the really deep scars that will never go away? Well, maybe she means it mentally not physically, like the things her stepfather used to say, or the things her other father used to say when she heard him and her mother fighting. This book is getting really interesting!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Sara when she said that Dana's scars will never go away mentally and not physically. That is why I was shocked with Melissa's prediction about Dana cutting herself even though she turned out to be right! I have to say I completely disagree with what Arianna said. I agree with your prediction about Ashley's reaction to Dana's cutting and you were right! She did ask lots of question! However, I don't think Brent will not know what to do and sit by watching it happen. Cutting, like drugs, is an addiction and a bad way of dealing with negative emotions which Brent know about first hand. Even though Brent has had his "vain" moments with Dana he's been on the streets for a while and know the sacrifices, hardships and problems people deal with. I know he is just looking out for Dana and like Ashley, treats her like a little sister. That is why I disagree and think Brent would be helpful and supportive and if he isn't he could be shocked or angry but I don't think he would sit by and watch it happen.
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