Discussion Questions
How do you think your life would change as a teenager if you suddenly had the responsibility of an infant? Make a schedule of your life as it is now (look at your day planner) and then make a new one based on a life with baby.
Post reading:
1. Describe how Bobby and Nia’s parents react to the news of her pregnancy. How would yours?
2. Find a quote that most reveals who Bobby is as a person. Explain why you picked it.
3. What kind of father Bobby is to Feather? 4. What do you think is the most difficult thing for Bobby? Why? 5. Predict what happens to this family ten years into the future. Explain why. 6. Write ten questions you would ask Bobby, Mary, and Nia if you could. 7. On page 35 Bobby says, “ ... which pisses her off and makes her scream, and
then I look around my room and miss me.” Explain what he means. 8. Angela Johnson tells the story in a non-linear fashion. Why, do you think,
she chose this literary device to reveal the story? 9. How would you cope under the extraordinary circumstances that Bobby finds
himself? 10. Would you make the same choices? 11. If Bobby had Nia’s help raising Feather would he be a different
father? What makes you think so? 12. Do you agree with Mary and Fred’s approach to grandparenthood? Why or why not?
7
Author Interview
Kaavonia M. Hinton-Johnson with Angela Johnson interview
KH: The search for self seems to be a recurring theme in your young adult novels. What’s the message you hope to leave with young readers? AJ: I never consciously believe when I am writing that I am imparting any messages to my readers. The characters are so personal to me it seems I
imbibe them with all that I remember about my feelings at that age. And truly, understanding self and standing alone when I had to was very important to me as a teen KH: What kinds of responses do you receive from readers of your young adult books? AJ: I had never really thought about reader response to my books that much until The First Part Last was released. Kids tend to be very polite about what they think about a book. But I know if it doesn’t hit them the first three pages, they don’t want to read it—unless forced. But they don’t tend to tell me that. Heaven is a quiet book that has a few diehard fans, but I know that a lot of kids find it too introspective for them. KH: The First Part Last is a prequel to Heaven. Why did you feel the need to tell Bobby’s story? Will you add to this series? AJ: I was asked to write a prequel to Heaven. My editor thought the response to Bobby was amazing as a care taking African American teen father he thought everyone wanted to know more about him. At first—I didn’t think so. But with a bit of inspiration, I agreed. The First Part Last is unique in that it’s the first of my books with an extremely positive young male reader response. That got my attention as we all worry about our young men reading. Interestingly enough, there were a large amount of young women who were upset that the grandmother in the book was not raising her son’s child. I found that fascinating. It made for some very good discussions. There may be a third companion to Heaven and The First Part Last. KH: Will any new novels, short stories, or picture books be released soon? AJ: I believe I have a picture book—Wind Flyers— coming out in the winter illustrated by Loren Long. It’s beautiful . . . . And if I work hard and concentrate, maybe I can get my focus back on novels.
8
THE ALAN REVIEW Fall 2006
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Montana 1948 Readings/Natalie Goldberg Test 1 "I remember"
Montana 1948 Readings/Natalie Goldberg Test 1 "I remember" Marcy Gamzon • Sep 21 (Edited Sep 21) 100 points Due Tomorrow AGENDA:...
-
AGENDA 1, For classwork credit: Read the following two stories by Sandra Cisneros. Then discuss the questions for Barbie-Q with a p...
-
In James Longenbach’s “The Art of the Poetic Line,” he mentions three kinds of line endings: End stopped lines end with punctuation, as ...
-
Choose ONE of the following topics and discuss it in a well-developed essay. You may use your book to provide text-based details. Post yo...
Tess Austin and Darren Tibbils
ReplyDelete1. Describe how Bobby and Nia’s parents react to the news of her pregnancy. How would yours?-Bobby's parents sat there silently and his father cried. Nia's parents smiled like their faces hurt. My parents would give me lecture after lecture about it. Darren's parents would explode in his face.
2. Find a quote that most reveals who Bobby is as a person. Explain why you picked it.-"she only wants daddy. That scares the shit out of me." I chose this quote because it shows that he's not such a macho man that he can't admit that he's scared.
3. What kind of father Bobby is to Feather?-He's pretty good for a kid. He stays up all night if need be for her.
4. What do you think is the most difficult thing for Bobby? Why?- staying sane. staying awake. Keeping his innocence.
5. Predict what happens to this family ten years into the future. Explain why.-I think feather will be in school and Bobby will have a minimum wage job to support her. Probably still at his father's house.
Tess Austin and Darren Tibbils
ReplyDelete6. Write ten questions you would ask Bobby, Mary, and Nia if you could.-one, I would ask bobby if he would have tracked feather down later in life if he dd give her away, two, I would ask him how Nia died (that confused me), three, I would ask Nia what her plans for the future where before all this happened, four, I would ask bobby what he missed the most about childhood, five, I would ask bobby's mother about the game boy and why she did that, six, I would ask boby why he doesn't tell the truth about Nia when people ask, seven, I would ask bobby if they planned to have sex or if it just kind of happened, eight,I would ask them both what was running through their minds when they found out, nine, I would ask Nia if she was satisfied with bobby as a father, ten, I would ask bobby why he called her feather.
7. On page 35 Bobby says, “ ... which pisses her off and makes her scream, and
then I look around my room and miss me.” Explain what he means.-He misses who he used to be, the little things that now seem so trivial.
8. Angela Johnson tells the story in a non-linear fashion. Why, do you think,
she chose this literary device to reveal the story?-it's more powerful and leaves you in suspense of what happened to Nia.
9. How would you cope under the extraordinary circumstances that Bobby finds
himself?-I would fall apart. I would cry and run and scream like crazy.
10. Would you make the same choices?-no, I would take the easy way out like the coward I am.
11. If Bobby had Nia’s help raising Feather would he be a different father? What makes you think so? -He would be nicer, probably, less clingy. Less mature, since he could hang out with his friends more when Nia was looking after her.
12. Do you agree with Mary and Fred’s approach to grand parenthood? Why or why not?-NO, I think it's really mean to throw him to the sharks like that. I would help him out more, though I do understand her thought proses.
Caleb Whittier/Jack Symes
ReplyDelete1.Bobby’s parents got really emotional over it and Nia’s parents acted really calm and artificial. Our parents would probably freak out.
2. “What do you mean am I going to keep her? No doubt in my mind that I’m keeping her.” We picked this quote because it shows that he is determined to take responsibility for his child.
3. Bobby is a very overprotective father to Feather.
4.The most difficult thing for Bobby is taking care of Feather because he has to take care of her all by himself and his parents won’t help him out.
5. Ten years in the future it will be hard for Feather because she won’t have a mother to take care of her and she will only have a father.
6. To Mary: Did you think this would happen to your son? What was your reaction to this? Why did you decide not to help Bobby?
To Nia: What was your reaction to this? How did you manage to cope with it? Did the child change your relationship with Bobby automatically?
To Bobby: Did you wish you didn’t have to take care of the child? Did you wish that you had more help? Were you terrified when you first found out Nia was pregnant? How do you like your new house?
7. By this he means that he misses his old self that didn’t have to deal with this sort of stuff.
8. She chose this literary device to tell the story so that the reader got the entire story, which was composed of the past and present so that we could comprehend the present more.
9. I would not be able to cope as well as Bobby did. I wouldn’t actually take this as calmly as he did, either. I would more of freak out.
10. I would have taken care of the child and would have been as overprotective as he was.
11. He would be a different father if he had Nia’s help because if Nia helped him then he wouldn’t have to take care of the kid all by himself, thus making him less overprotective.
12. I agree with their reaction because Mary was sort of tough on Bobby and pretty much said that he needed to take care of the child himself so that when he got older he would be more responsible and he would know that he couldn’t shirk responsibility so easily. But as a sort of contrast Fred was much nicer and helped Bobby out more, which made it as a pretty good combination.
Lizbeth Gonzalez
ReplyDelete1-Bobby’s parents started to cry. Nia’s parents were very angry but didn’t want to show their anger towards Bobby. I would have been extremely shocked if my child were to be pregnant but what is done is done and I would have no intention of making my child feel bad for their pregnancy when there is nothing that can be done but own up to their actions.
2-
3-In my perspective, Bobby seems to be a very protective father. He’s very caring and loving towards Feather and although he knows very little about being a father, he seems to be holding himself up for his daughter.
4-I think that the most difficult thing for Bobby is that he feels like her is taking care of a child all by himself and this is his first child. I feel this way because in the novel, every once in a while, he makes statements about how he is taking care of the child alone and something hits him where he finally realizes that he is a father and there is no turning back.
5-I think that Bobby will still have Feather in ten years. He will be extremely close to his daughter, and by then, I think that he will have a grip on the father figure.
6-
7-Bobby means that with Feather around his life has changed, and when Feather starts to cry, he finally realizes that his life has changed and there is no turning back.
8-I think that she writes the story in a non-linear fashion to put an emphasis on the changes that Bobby makes throughout the novel.
9-Personally, I think that under all the circumstances that Bobby is coping with, I would be extremely frustrated and angry with myself because I know that I would not be able to grasp the concept of being a parent as fast as I would have wanted.
10-I would have made the same choice as Nia (keeping the baby), and I would have made the same choice as Bobby for raising the baby.
11-I think that if Bobby had Nia’s help with raising Feather, he probably would have been a different father because I think that he would have relied on Nia more than anything to raise Feather. I also don’t think that Bobby would have changed or realized that he was a father.
12-
Yulyia Otchych
ReplyDelete1. Neither set of parents really knew what to say. Bobby’s parent dad cried. The mother was sort of calm. So were Nia’s mother and father. They did not know how to react. My parents would kill me. Or rather, I’d run away. They’d be angry that I left and that I had a baby. They’d be even angrier because I would get rid of it.
2.
3. Bobby is a kind father. He really cares about Feather and is still a bit surprised that he has her.
4. Bobby forgets that he is a father and leaves Feather alone. He has to remember that he is not the only person he has to take care of.
5. I think Bobby would have a great life with Feather. He would raise her well and make sure she knew everything she needed to for the world.
6. How did you feel when you first took Feather home? Was Feather a blessing or not? Did you think Nia would be a good mother? What was going through your mind when you left Feather to play with your friends? Would you want to go back and make sure Nia didn’t get pregnant? Do you have any regrets about being Feather’s father? Do you think that your friends were supportive? Were you shocked at your parent’s reactions? Did you think they’d be more emotional? How do you think Nia feels? Do you think you are a good father?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHannah MacLagger and Adriana Perhamus
ReplyDelete1. Bobby's parents are shocked and emotional when they find out when Nia is pregnant. However, Nia's parents show less emotion, mimicking the mood set by the decor in their house. Both of our mothers would express their extreme disappointment and help us take the necessary precautions that would be the best for our spawn to be.
2.
3. Bobby is a very naïve father to Feather, however he cares about her deeply and tries to be the best parent he can possibly be despite her circumstances.
4. I think that the most difficult thing for Bobby is balancing his responsibilities as a father, a student, and a child.
5. In ten years Bobby and Feather will be in Heaven, Ohio living happily, but not without struggle, with occasional visit to Nia, who is still in a vegetative state.
6. Why did you name your child Feather?
Why did you choose to keep Feather instead of giving her away like Nia wanted you to?
How do plan to inform Feather about her mother’s condition?
What does it feel like to be brain dead?
If you enjoyed your childhood in the city so much, why did you decide to raise Feather in Heaven?
Has being a teenaged parent changed the way others perceive you?
How does the way you were raised affect the way you plan to raise Feather?
If Nia had survived the pregnancy, how would your life and Feather’s life be different today?
Why did you take such a distant approach at grandparenting?
Who will Feather use as a female role model as she grows up?
7. He misses who he was before he had the responsibility of being a parent.
8. It represents the change that Bobby experienced between the two different time periods in his life.
9. I would never be in the situation that Bobby was in because I would have given up the baby because it would be the better situation for her, even if it might have been painful for me.
10. I would not make the same choices as Bobby.
11. I feel that if Bobby had Nia’s help he wouldn’t be as responsible of a parent.
12. I agree to Fred and Mary’s approach to grandparenthood. I feel that their two personalities and views of what is right and what is wrong balances the two different aspects of being a grandparent.
Evan Bartter 11/1/10
ReplyDeleteFirst part last Creative writing
Discussion questions
1. Bobby and Nia’s parents reacted with anger and sadness mainly at how they could do that. My parents would make me get a job and take care of the baby without their help on how my girlfriend’s parents would react. I’d probably be dead by the end of the sentence.
2. Page 11 “No doubt in my mind that I’m keeping her.” It shows he is a good person and a good father.
3. He is a protective father and he looks after her all the time. He always has her in his arms.
4. The most difficult thing for bobby I see is letting anyone else hold feather it makes him feel like he’s giving up on her.
5. I could see that 10 years from now it’s a family not struggling like some but not well off like others.
6. 1. Bobby how does this feel being a father?
2. Nia how hard was it to tell your parents?
3. Mary how does it feel to see your son as a father?
4. Bobby could you answer any of the questions your parents asked about why?
5. Bobby why did you let this happen so quickly?
6. Bobby How hard is it taking care of an infant at such a young age?
7. Nia why did you not want an abortion?
8. How does it feel to be a mother Nia?
9. Why did you name the baby feather Bobby and Nia?
10. Bobby why do you think your father was crying?
7. I think he misses who he was. Before he was a father I think he wants to go back and not go through with what he did and what he has.
8. I think she uses this so that we see the difference between of teen pregnancy of having a baby and not. To show exactly what everyone’s talking about.
9. I am not sure. Can anyone be sure of exactly how anyone would cope under these circumstances until they deal with it themselves?
10. I would not have done it in the first place. But if I did end up in his shoes I think yes, he’s taking care of feather like a good parent.
11. I don’t think anything could make him a different father. He is being a good father and taking reasonability for his actions like all fathers should.
12. I don’t agree with how they are. They seem to still be in shock mostly not able to realize what is truly going on. And when they seem like they are there trying to tell him how to raise the kid which yes all parents do but some parents shouldn’t
1. Bobby and Nia's parents were trying to hide their anger but they were very disappointed. I think Nia's parents were more upset than Bobby's, his parents cried. My parents would be disappointed and would probably beat the hell out of me.
ReplyDelete2. "I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection." ~ Sigmund Freud. I think this quote represents Bobby because Feather is his little prized possession and he does everything he can to protect her and whenever she’s upset she only wants Bobby and no one else.
3. Bobby is a very good father. He does everything he can to keep Feather happy. He wants to be a good example to her and he wants to protect her.
4. I think that Bobby’s fear is that he’s alone. There’s only him and Feather and it scares him that his daughter finds him so important. When something’s wrong with her she only wants Bobby and it scares him that he has this little person looking up at every move he makes.
5. I think he family is going to be perfectly fine. Bobby is a good father and he has support.
6. Bobby: 1. Would you have looked for Feather eventually, if you would’ve given her away? 2.Would you change anything I your life? 3.What do you miss about your childhood? 4.Why did you call the baby Feather? 5.What advice would you give to sexually active teenagers? 6.What is the best fatherhood advice you would give anyone? 7.Do you regret even thinking about giving Feather away? 8.How did Nia die?
Nia: 1.How did you feel when you found out you were with child? 2. When you found out you were both going to be parents did it change the relationship between you and Bobby?
7. I think he means that he misses the way he used to be, just a regular teen, but now he’s a father.
8.
9. I would probably freak out at first but its not something you can just erase. I would face the fact that this is my problem and I need to step up and I would do exactly that.
10. Yes because I would keep the baby, and do my best to raise it just as Bobby did.
11. Bobby is a good father all around but I think if Nia was in the picture he wouldn’t have had such a tight and close bond/relationship with Feather.
12. I agree because Mary was a little bit tough on Bobby and Fred helped him out a little bit more which created the perfect balance and Bobby ended up becoming more responsible. Their approach to grandparenthood helped Bobby in the end.
Syasia Smith, Vanessa Torrance
ReplyDelete1) Bobby’s parents were somewhat frightened and Nia’s parents were speechless to the news.
2)“ If she holler’s, she is mine,
If she needs to be changed she is always mine.
In the dictionary next to “sitter,” there is not a picture of grandma.
Too late, you’re out of time.
Be a grown up.”
This quote reveals who Bobby is as a person because it reveals how mature he is. He knows he has a responsibility, and he’s willing to own up to the situation like a young adult rather than a boy.
3) Bobby is a sincere father to Feather; he is wiling to sacrifice his teenage years to raise his daughter Feather. He understands she needs him and doesn’t mind spending time with her.
4) Being an independent father. He can’t really enjoy the same things most boys his age are doing because he has a bigger responsibility now. He takes care of feather 24/7 so he never has energy to do anything else.
5) Ten years into the future Feathers previous birth will have reunite the family. Especially Bobby’s Parents. Bobby says that his exposure to Nia’s pregnancy was the first time his parents came to agreement. Because they’re around each other all the time, they can possibly fall back in love.
6) TO NIA: How did you feel when your mother told you she was planning on moving you to Georgia?
TO MARY: What were your thoughts when you found out Bobby would be a father?
TO NIA: What were you thinking when you found out you were pregnant?
TO NIA: Did you ever consider abortion or adoption?
TO BOBBY: What are some of the struggles you faced raising Feather?
TO BOBBY & NIA: What message can you give teenagers about teenage pregnancy or unprotected sex?
TO MARY: How do you feel now that Feather is born?
TO MARY: How do you think Bobby has changed since Feathers birth?
TO BOBBY: Do you regret raising Feather as an independent parent?
TO NIA & BOBBY: If there were anything you both could change, what would they be?
Clara and I did the questions together.
ReplyDeleteAmelia Carter
ReplyDeleteClara O’Connor
1. Bobby’s parents “sat as still as stone” when the he told hem about Nia being pregnant. But the later it says that his father cried and his mom had wanted to him so badly that she had bitten her lip till it bled. His parents had been giving him info about STD’s and teen pregnancy, and had given him condoms, but he still disappointed them. Over the next few years their marriage (that wasn’t so strong to begin with) fell apart. Nia’s parents are tense and disconnected when they tell them, they seem very disappointed in them. I think my parents would be mad and disappointed in my boyfriend, and me but they would act the same as Bobby’s and Nia’s parents did.
2.“I haven’t been able to put her own bed at night…since she came home from the hospital.” This shows that he is very protective, and really loves feather.
3. He is a very protective father, and he will do anything for her. He loved her more than himself, and tries to put her before himself at all times. He has to be because she has no one else.
4. I think dealing with raising feather, basically by himself, and felling like he can’t ask anyone in his family for help. If I were in his place I would need help from my family, and either get it from them or go to a place where they help teen parents.
5. In 10 years I think this family the parents will be dead, feather will have gotten used to the whole idea of only having a father and he will maybe have gotten a wife or a girlfriend, so they can both raise feather.
6.
1) To Mary: How hard was it to leave raising Feather all to Bobby? 2) To Nia: How did you get brain damage? 3) To Nia and Bobby: What were you thinking? 4) To Mary: What were you thinking when you heard that you were going to be a grandparent? 5) To Nia: How would you have felt if you got an abortion? 6) To Bobby: Were you ever ashamed of getting Nia pregnant?
Clara O'Connor
ReplyDeleteAmelia Carter
7. When Bobby says, “…which pisses her off and makes her scream, and then I look around my room and miss me.” he means that his life is now so tuned into Feather’s life that he doesn’t have a life of his own, and he hardly knows who he is now, being responsible and fatherly.
8. I think Angela Johnson tells the story in a non-linear fashion so that the reader gets the story a little at a time, so that you get to know the characters in depth before you know the whole story of Nia being in a comatose state. Also because the story is relatively short, so the way she revealed the story drew out the plot.
9. I would be crying a lot more, and I would be a lot more stressed. I don’t even know how I would handle school and the rest of life. And I would most definitely not forget about the baby or leave him/her at my neighbor’s house for the whole day. Also, I would be the one giving birth to the baby, so there is a whole part of the baby experience that Bobby didn’t have.
10. I think that a lot of Bobby’s choices were responsible and I would have made them, too. Even his stupid mistakes, like spray-painting that wall, I probably would have made. I would have wanted a break, and dove into what made me forget (my art).
11. I think he would have been more relaxed, maybe less understanding about fatherhood, and about taking care of Feather. I don’t think he would have learned as much from having a kid, if didn’t take care of the baby as much. But also, I am pretty sure that the baby would have been put up for adoption if Nia had been a part of the baby’s life.
12. I think that Mary’s approach is a bit harsh, but I also think that it is good for Bobby to have to learn how to take care of Feather by himself.
Yulyia Otchych
ReplyDelete7. On page 35 Bobby says, “ ... which pisses her off and makes her scream, and
then I look around my room and miss me.” Explain what he means.
He is thinking back to the time he was just a normal teenager. Now that he has Feather, he has changed.
8. Angela Johnson tells the story in a non-linear fashion. Why, do you think,
she chose this literary device to reveal the story?
She chose this to show how different Bobby becomes. He starts out as carefree and ends up with a responsibility.
9. How would you cope under the extraordinary circumstances that Bobby finds
himself?
I would look for comfort from others. Even if it was my baby, id ask others to help me.
10. Would you make the same choices?
I would not. I would not have kept the baby, but if I did, I would do what Bobby did.
11. If Bobby had Nia’s help raising Feather would he be a different
father? What makes you think so?
It might have been different. Bobby would have had more help, but he’d still be the same caring parent h was without Nia.
12. Do you agree with Mary and Fred’s approach to grandparenthood? Why or why not?
I don’t agree with Mary. She should help Bobby out like Fred was instead of forcing him to do it all on his own. I agree with Fred because he was more caring and willing to help.
2-The quote that I chose was: "she only wants daddy. That scares the shit out of me." I chose this quote because it shows that he doesn’t have experience and he is scared to finally be a father.
ReplyDelete6- Did Nia die?
-How did Nia die? (Is she did)
-Why was the baby named Feather?
-Did Nia believe that Bobby was going to be a good father to Feather?
-What was running through Mary’s mind when she found out that her son was going to be a father?
-If Bobby could go back in time, would he change anything? (Give the baby up for adoption, not have sex, etc.)
-Was the relationship between Bobby and Nia change after they discovered that they would be becoming parents?
-Does Nia believe that Bobby has changed through his fatherhood?
-Is Mary still angry at Bobby for becoming a father now that Feather is born?
-If Nia were to still be with Bobby to help raise Feather, would Bobby lean on her for more support?
12-I do not agree with Mary’s approach toward them becoming grandparents because for my taste, Mary was a little too harsh on Bobby. However, Fred babied Bobby and Feather a little too much.
Maia Simon
ReplyDelete1. Bobby’s parents were very vocal about it; they started crying and voiced how they felt about the whole thing. But Nia’s parents were silent and just stared, very cold. My parents would probably start crying very quickly once they found out. It wouldn’t be a pretty sight.
2. I picked the quote “I haven’t been able to put her in her own bed at night, which used to be mine, since she came home from the hospital.”, because I feel it shows how much he cares for Feather, and how protective he is.
3. Bobby is a very protective father to Feather. He never leaves her alone (except that one time he forgot her) and always watches over her.
4. I think the most difficult thing for Bobby is not being able to go out and just play basketball and stuff with his friends. That’s what he used to do, and that change with the huge responsibility of a child completely changes that.
5. I predict Bobby will have Feather and his parents will still be there for him. Feather will definitely be attached to her father, in a good way, and hopefully is inspired by him.
6. What were other names you were going to name Feather?, How did Nia’s friends react to her pregnancy?, Why did you name Feather, Feather?, If you could re-do something in your life, what would it be?, Did either of you consider abortion?, How did Nia get into that vegetative state?, Do Nia’s parents stay with her at the nursing home?, If you didn’t get pregnant, where do you think you would be right now?, Has Bobby ever considered therapy to help him get through?, How did the teachers react to the pregnancy?
PART ONE
Maia Simon
ReplyDelete7. He means that he misses the times when he was himself, not a tired new father, when he could go outside and hang out in his room without worrying about a baby.
8. It makes you pay attention, and shows you how his life has changed through the new baby. I think it’s much more powerful this way.
9. I would freak out. My anxiety would go crazy, and I would probably feel like I couldn’t get help since it was my baby. But I would nap when the baby napped, and just get over it, because it would be my fault, no one else’s.
10. I might make some of the same choices, like keeping the baby close to me, but I would probably go to school online instead of actually going anywhere, and I wouldn’t leave the baby with a babysitter, because I would get too worried.
11. If Nia was able to help Bobby, I think he would have been more distant from Feather, because he would feel that it wasn’t all his responsibility
12. I agree with their way of grandparenthood because I feel they’re doing the right thing giving Bobby space and making him handle the problem. If they didn’t do that, then Bobby might get used to not having the whole responsibility on him, and would become dependant on his parents and other people to take care of Feather.
PART TWO
Djana Sefo
ReplyDelete1. Describe how Bobby and Nia’s parents react to the news of her pregnancy. How would yours?
-Bobby and Nia’s parents were trying to hide their anger, but they were very disappointed. Bobby’s parents even cried. If my parents ever found out I was pregnant, their immediate reaction would be anger and disappointment. And they would probably beat the hell out of me and the boy who got me pregnant.
2. Find a quote that most reveals who Bobby is as a person. Explain why you picked it.
3. What kind of father Bobby is to Feather?
-Bobby wants the best for his daughter, Feather. He stays up all the night and does his best to provide and take care of her.
4. What do you think is the most difficult thing for Bobby? Why?
-I think the most difficult thing for Bobby is taking care of Feather. He has no help from his parents leaving him all alone.
4. What do you think is the most difficult thing for Bobby? Why?
-I think the most difficult thing for Bobby is taking care of Feather. He has no help from his parents leaving him all alone.
5. Predict what happens to this family ten years into the future. Explain why.
-In ten years, Feather will be alone with her father. She doesn’t have her mother to help her through most things that girls use their moms to help them through. I predict this will be hard for Feather.
6. Write ten questions you would ask Bobby, Mary, and Nia if you could.
-What inspired you to name the baby Feather at first?
-How did Nia die?
-What were Nia’s future plans before the baby came?
-What were Bobby’s plans before the baby came?
-If Feather would’ve been put up for adoption, would Bobby look for her in the future?
7. On page 35 Bobby says, “ ... which pisses her off and makes her scream, and
then I look around my room and miss me.” Explain what he means.
-I think it means that he misses who he used to be, how he used to have fun, how life was easier.
8. Angela Johnson tells the story in a non-linear fashion. Why, do you think,
she chose this literary device to reveal the story?
-Because it created suspense and it made people want to keep reading to see what would happen next.
9. How would you cope under the extraordinary circumstances that Bobby finds
himself?
-I would fall apart completely. I would cry almost every day until I got used to it.
10. Would you make the same choices?
-No and yes. I wouldn’t have chose to get pregnant at such a young age, but if I did, I would do my best to provide and take care of my new kid.
11. If Bobby had Nia’s help raising Feather would he be a different If Bobby had Nia’s help raising Feather would he be a different father? What makes you think so?
-I think that Bobby wouldn’t be as mature as he is now. If he had help from Nia, it would be different because Bobby would have a little more time to himself, but he would still be helping out Nia. I think that the struggle of being a single teenage father has made him who he is today.
12. Do you agree with Mary and Fred’s approach to grandparenthood? Why or why not?
-I agree because the two attitudes and aspects from both grandparents help Bobby in the long run to provide a better life for Feather.
1. The Parents reacted with anger, dissapointment, and sadness. Mine would react with screaming, dissapointment, and probably a death or two.
ReplyDelete2. “I walked to my room, put Feather in her crib, which pisses her off and makes her scream, and then I look around my room and missed me.” Bobby wants to be a kid again. While he hates the responcibility he has, he loves his daughter and takes care of her by himself regardless, which shows his strength as a person.
3. He is a caring, nuturing Father who plays the role of the overseer and of the “Mother”.
4. I think the most difficult thing for Bobby is managing to take care of his kid while dealing with School and getting a job.
5. I think Bobby will be living in Heaven, Ohio with Feather. Bobby loves the area and once Feather starts to get older she will be easier to take care of and Bobby can support her without much trouble.
6. How is it like being a parent, Bobby? What does dieng feel like, Nia? What do you plan on doing as a career, Bobby? What do you miss most about being without a kid, Bobby? Bobby, how do you deal with staying awake for three straight days? What did you worry about when you got arrested? What exactly happened to Nia, and when was the last time you saw her awake? Where do you plan to raise Feather? How did you feel when you found out Nia was pregnant? Nia, did you get to see the baby?
7. He means that he misses his young, free adulthood, along with his childhood as well. Having a child really reminds you of this.
ReplyDelete8. She wrote it in this way for plot build-up, for if you knew Nia died in the beginning the story progression wouldn’t have been as interesting in my opinion.
9. I would probably put my kid up for adoption as not to negatively affect my future.
10. If I did choose to keep my kid, I would make similar choices that Bobby did. Willing himself through all of his challenges, and have a little fun on the side.
11. He would still love Feather, but perhaps not appreciate her presence as much, so he might be a little looser and less attached to her.
12. I do agree. For Bobby to be a good parent first hand experience would help him a lot. He wouldn’t learn as much about parenting and responcibility if his parents took up half of the work in raising Feather.
Djana Sefo
ReplyDelete1. Describe how Bobby and Nia’s parents react to the news of her pregnancy. How would yours?
-Bobby and Nia’s parents were trying to hide their anger, but they were very disappointed. Bobby’s parents even cried. If my parents ever found out I was pregnant, their immediate reaction would be anger and disappointment. And they would probably beat the hell out of me and the boy who got me pregnant.
2. Find a quote that most reveals who Bobby is as a person. Explain why you picked it.
3. What kind of father Bobby is to Feather?
-Bobby wants the best for his daughter, Feather. He stays up all the night and does his best to provide and take care of her.
4. What do you think is the most difficult thing for Bobby? Why?
-I think the most difficult thing for Bobby is taking care of Feather. He has no help from his parents leaving him all alone.
5. Predict what happens to this family ten years into the future. Explain why.
-In ten years, Feather will be alone with her father. She doesn’t have her mother to help her through most things that girls use their moms to help them through. I predict this will be hard for Feather.
6. Write ten questions you would ask Bobby, Mary, and Nia if you could.
-What inspired you to name the baby Feather at first?
-How did Nia die?
-What were Nia’s future plans before the baby came?
-What were Bobby’s plans before the baby came?
-If Feather would’ve been put up for adoption, would Bobby look for her in the future?
Djana Sefo
ReplyDelete7. On page 35 Bobby says, “ ... which pisses her off and makes her scream, and
then I look around my room and miss me.” Explain what he means.
-I think it means that he misses who he used to be, how he used to have fun, how life was easier.
8. Angela Johnson tells the story in a non-linear fashion. Why, do you think,
she chose this literary device to reveal the story?
-Because it created suspense and it made people want to keep reading to see what would happen next.
9. How would you cope under the extraordinary circumstances that Bobby finds
himself?
-I would fall apart completely. I would cry almost every day until I got used to it.
10. Would you make the same choices?
-No and yes. I wouldn’t have chose to get pregnant at such a young age, but if I did, I would do my best to provide and take care of my new kid.
11. If Bobby had Nia’s help raising Feather would he be a different If Bobby had Nia’s help raising Feather would he be a different father? What makes you think so?
-I think that Bobby wouldn’t be as mature as he is now. If he had help from Nia, it would be different because Bobby would have a little more time to himself, but he would still be helping out Nia. I think that the struggle of being a single teenage father has made him who he is today.
12. Do you agree with Mary and Fred’s approach to grandparenthood? Why or why not?
-I agree because the two attitudes and aspects from both grandparents help Bobby in the long run to provide a better life for Feather.