In these two chapters Matt hikes up a mountain in the Rocky River Creek Park. He doesn’t take his dog “Pumpkin” with him because he feels sad and he has to be alone.
Matt is extremely desperate, because he’s got nothing to live for. He thinks that all people who are nice to him only take pity on him. No one can behave like before. “Matt Donaghy doesn’t want our charity (p. 145, ll. 14-15).”
He feels like never before, since he was beaten up by the seniors. “No one had ever hit Matt like that. So deliberately, purposefully. Wanting to hurt him. Really wanting to hurt him. (p. 145, ll. 19-20)”
It’s clear that Matt wants to commit suicide. “I love it here. I could die here … and be happy. (p. 146, l. 10)” He considers to jump in one of the ravines, so it couldn’t be proved that it was suicide, maybe he only fell down or he might get lost in a snowstorm.
Matt’s thoughts about his beloved dog also confirm my opinion of his suicide. “Pumpkin would miss Matt. If he failed to return. Matt felt a stab of guilt. (p. 147, ll. 18-19)”
But finally, fortunately, Matt decides not to jump down that gap to end his life. “Still, he determined. He wasn’t going to give up. (p. 148, l. 12)” And then also Ursula Riggs appeared. Now he couldn’t kill himself without having a witness. He would always be the guy who committed suicide, forever!
Donnerstag, 23. April 2009
Chapter Twenty-one & Twenty-two
The twenty-first chapter is about Matt Donaghy. He is running errands for his mother. There he is attacked by about six senior students, who are also in the football team.
In a parking lot, Matt hears the guys calling him. They shout: “Hey, fag! (p. 137, l. 16)” and then also “Sue us? Fag, gonna sue us?”
They are extremely insulting Matt, because his family didn’t want to live like castaways. Almost the whole citizenry evaded the Donaghys. First, I wondered why no one can understand what the Donaghys did. Their whole life was destroyed. They won’t be able to live in Rocky River again like a normal family. They will always be the family with the “amok son”.
The people have to understand that, but unfortunately they are of the opinion like the gossiping girls of chapter 19. “It’s over now – the Donaghys should put it behind them. Forget and forgive. (p. 132, ll. 15-17)” But in real, they didn’t forget and forgive. They were afraid of Matt and the possibility that he could have planned an amok.
Of course I can also understand that they’re angry because of suing the school and its district, because I don’t thing that it’s their fault. If Mr. Parrish didn’t do anything and there would have been an amok, he had lost his job and his whole life, because he ignored the threat. On the contrary to the Brewers I think they deserve to be sued. They wanted Matt to have immense problems and now they must be in trouble.
As I see it, the citizenry should forgive Matt and his family, because they were driven into that situation. All this horrible stuff could have been avoided.
In a parking lot, Matt hears the guys calling him. They shout: “Hey, fag! (p. 137, l. 16)” and then also “Sue us? Fag, gonna sue us?”
They are extremely insulting Matt, because his family didn’t want to live like castaways. Almost the whole citizenry evaded the Donaghys. First, I wondered why no one can understand what the Donaghys did. Their whole life was destroyed. They won’t be able to live in Rocky River again like a normal family. They will always be the family with the “amok son”.
The people have to understand that, but unfortunately they are of the opinion like the gossiping girls of chapter 19. “It’s over now – the Donaghys should put it behind them. Forget and forgive. (p. 132, ll. 15-17)” But in real, they didn’t forget and forgive. They were afraid of Matt and the possibility that he could have planned an amok.
Of course I can also understand that they’re angry because of suing the school and its district, because I don’t thing that it’s their fault. If Mr. Parrish didn’t do anything and there would have been an amok, he had lost his job and his whole life, because he ignored the threat. On the contrary to the Brewers I think they deserve to be sued. They wanted Matt to have immense problems and now they must be in trouble.
As I see it, the citizenry should forgive Matt and his family, because they were driven into that situation. All this horrible stuff could have been avoided.
Chapter Nineteen & Twenty
In these two chapters, we read something about two new developments in the case of Matt.
The first big development is that now almost the whole school knows that the Brewer twins had pressed charges against Matt. They are the ones who have destroyed Matt’s life and the lives of his family.
The author writes about this development by using a kind of stream-of-consciousness-technique. It’s also a kind of dialogue. There are many statements, one after another. They aren’t all referenced to the previous one. It’s a conversation between some students. They are all very excited. This is why it looks like a stream of consciousness. They are all advancing their opinion, so it’s very confused.
The second development is that the family Donaghy sues the school, its district and its principal and also the Brewers. They want to get millions of dollars, something from twenty to hundred million dollars. They demand that high prize because of “’defamation of character’, ‘mental cruelty’ and ‘mental distress’ (p. 132, ll. 2-4)”.
While reading the part of the text about the second development (p. 131-132, ll. 26-17), we can clearly detect the opinion of the author Joyce Carol Oates. She accuses the behavior of many people to gossip with someone about a critical topic like the case of Matt, without knowing any facts. They only tell something so it causes many false rumors.
She shows that at an extreme example. First they talk about twenty million then about hundred million dollars. So no one knows the truth and that’s the only important thing.
The first big development is that now almost the whole school knows that the Brewer twins had pressed charges against Matt. They are the ones who have destroyed Matt’s life and the lives of his family.
The author writes about this development by using a kind of stream-of-consciousness-technique. It’s also a kind of dialogue. There are many statements, one after another. They aren’t all referenced to the previous one. It’s a conversation between some students. They are all very excited. This is why it looks like a stream of consciousness. They are all advancing their opinion, so it’s very confused.
The second development is that the family Donaghy sues the school, its district and its principal and also the Brewers. They want to get millions of dollars, something from twenty to hundred million dollars. They demand that high prize because of “’defamation of character’, ‘mental cruelty’ and ‘mental distress’ (p. 132, ll. 2-4)”.
While reading the part of the text about the second development (p. 131-132, ll. 26-17), we can clearly detect the opinion of the author Joyce Carol Oates. She accuses the behavior of many people to gossip with someone about a critical topic like the case of Matt, without knowing any facts. They only tell something so it causes many false rumors.
She shows that at an extreme example. First they talk about twenty million then about hundred million dollars. So no one knows the truth and that’s the only important thing.
Chapter Seventeen & Eighteen
In these two chapters (seventeen and eighteen) we learn much about the consequences and the reasons of the horrible incident in Rocky River High School.
In chapter seventeen Matt Donaghy notices his mother crying in the bathroom. She received a white envelope. In that envelope there’s an old article from the newspaper about “area teen questioned in bomb scare (p. 124, ll. 12-13)”. But on that article there’s a message: “Your neighbors are not safe we are not going to forget”. Though Matt was released by the police, the neighborhood thinks that he’s guilty.
Matt is totally innocent. He didn’t plan an amok or anything else like that. He’s a peaceful person, but unfortunately not everyone believes him. They’ll continue to evade him or they might terrorize him more and more with such letters or there will be worse things.
Mrs. Donaghy also knows that and she’s extremely desperate. Before she liked this area in Rocky River, but now she only sees the bad things, everything is ugly (p. 125, l. 1). She doesn’t have any hope that something is going to change.
The witnesses, their identities we also find out, have destructed the life of the family Donaghy. There won’t be a good future for them in Rocky River. Probably they must move to another city.
The most important information we get in these chapters is that the Brewer twins are the witnesses who said that Matt wants to kill as many people as possible (p. 129, ll. 12-15).
Ursula Riggs accuses the twins of having blamed Matt though they knew it’s been a joke. Then they say that she doesn’t have any evidences and this is true, but they really act as if they really did that (p.129, ll. 124-125).
The Brewer twins are two, by their father’s ideologies swayed, girls. They don’t know which horrible consequences their action can have. They try to do everything possible against people with other attitudes or ideologies.
They are a kind of psycho terrorists with no conscience. As I see it this kind of person is one of the most horrible ones. They can destroy so many lives, only because they’re thinking different.
In chapter seventeen Matt Donaghy notices his mother crying in the bathroom. She received a white envelope. In that envelope there’s an old article from the newspaper about “area teen questioned in bomb scare (p. 124, ll. 12-13)”. But on that article there’s a message: “Your neighbors are not safe we are not going to forget”. Though Matt was released by the police, the neighborhood thinks that he’s guilty.
Matt is totally innocent. He didn’t plan an amok or anything else like that. He’s a peaceful person, but unfortunately not everyone believes him. They’ll continue to evade him or they might terrorize him more and more with such letters or there will be worse things.
Mrs. Donaghy also knows that and she’s extremely desperate. Before she liked this area in Rocky River, but now she only sees the bad things, everything is ugly (p. 125, l. 1). She doesn’t have any hope that something is going to change.
The witnesses, their identities we also find out, have destructed the life of the family Donaghy. There won’t be a good future for them in Rocky River. Probably they must move to another city.
The most important information we get in these chapters is that the Brewer twins are the witnesses who said that Matt wants to kill as many people as possible (p. 129, ll. 12-15).
Ursula Riggs accuses the twins of having blamed Matt though they knew it’s been a joke. Then they say that she doesn’t have any evidences and this is true, but they really act as if they really did that (p.129, ll. 124-125).
The Brewer twins are two, by their father’s ideologies swayed, girls. They don’t know which horrible consequences their action can have. They try to do everything possible against people with other attitudes or ideologies.
They are a kind of psycho terrorists with no conscience. As I see it this kind of person is one of the most horrible ones. They can destroy so many lives, only because they’re thinking different.
Chapter Sixteen
In this chapter, the nineteenth, Ursula Riggs drives to Manhattan to see a modern dance with her mum and her little sister Lisa. In the past she never wanted to come with them, but since she’s changed her mind, she’s nice and comes with them to please her sister.
At the beginning of the story line, Ursula Riggs, especially Ugly Girl wasn’t a pleasant person. She’s been very unpleasant. She was egoistic and didn’t like to do something with other people. She was a loner and liked that. She knew that she’s stronger than all the girls and also than most of the boys. She really was nice never.
But now everything is different. Ursula Riggs and also Ugly Girl are/is very nice. Now I think that I could like her because she’s still self-confident, intelligent, but not this kind of arrogant anymore. From my point of view she also has a really good sense of rightness and morality.
She is against that kind of attitude the Brewer twins have. She doesn’t like that the family and the church of the reverend is so extremely backward. She’s not against abortion, ethnic minorities, blacks and sex education in schools.
I like her because I share her position to modernity and ethics. She’s a real individual and not such a fellow-traveler or opportunist. In our modern society many students can only exist in a group, they are too dependent.
At the beginning of the story line, Ursula Riggs, especially Ugly Girl wasn’t a pleasant person. She’s been very unpleasant. She was egoistic and didn’t like to do something with other people. She was a loner and liked that. She knew that she’s stronger than all the girls and also than most of the boys. She really was nice never.
But now everything is different. Ursula Riggs and also Ugly Girl are/is very nice. Now I think that I could like her because she’s still self-confident, intelligent, but not this kind of arrogant anymore. From my point of view she also has a really good sense of rightness and morality.
She is against that kind of attitude the Brewer twins have. She doesn’t like that the family and the church of the reverend is so extremely backward. She’s not against abortion, ethnic minorities, blacks and sex education in schools.
I like her because I share her position to modernity and ethics. She’s a real individual and not such a fellow-traveler or opportunist. In our modern society many students can only exist in a group, they are too dependent.
Chapter Fifteen
Matt Donaghy writes a letter for Ursula Riggs again and again he doesn’t send it but he deletes it.
He isn’t the self-confident boy as before with many friends and who’s absolutely happy. His whole life has changed in the last three weeks. Now he is a shy little boy with serious emotional problems. His emotions overwhelm him. He is a broken human being. The witnesses of his joke in the cafeteria have destroyed him: “My heart is a stone – it won’t be broken again. (p. 105, l. 10)”, “I’m so lonely. (p. 107, l. 25)”
Before these incidents he wouldn’t be frightened of sending a letter to someone. He had problems with talking about his feelings, but now he’s also afraid because he’s only a poor boy without friends or any perspective.
I think he’s lost his personality. In the past the most important things for his personality were his comic character, his popularity and his talent for writing. Now he has lost everything. He also knows that: “Maybe I’m a ghost? (p. 107, l. 18)”
If I should describe his new personality, I could only say that he doesn’t have a real one. He only regrets his old life. Before the school also was very important for him, but now everything is of no importance: “His grades had plummeted to C/C- in recent weeks.”
He isn’t the self-confident boy as before with many friends and who’s absolutely happy. His whole life has changed in the last three weeks. Now he is a shy little boy with serious emotional problems. His emotions overwhelm him. He is a broken human being. The witnesses of his joke in the cafeteria have destroyed him: “My heart is a stone – it won’t be broken again. (p. 105, l. 10)”, “I’m so lonely. (p. 107, l. 25)”
Before these incidents he wouldn’t be frightened of sending a letter to someone. He had problems with talking about his feelings, but now he’s also afraid because he’s only a poor boy without friends or any perspective.
I think he’s lost his personality. In the past the most important things for his personality were his comic character, his popularity and his talent for writing. Now he has lost everything. He also knows that: “Maybe I’m a ghost? (p. 107, l. 18)”
If I should describe his new personality, I could only say that he doesn’t have a real one. He only regrets his old life. Before the school also was very important for him, but now everything is of no importance: “His grades had plummeted to C/C- in recent weeks.”
Chapter Fourteen
The fourteenth chapter is about Matt Donaghy. Matt wants to publish a text about the day, when he was arrested and which effects that day had. But the paper staff prohibited that so he’s really angry for being censored.
When I started reading the fourteenth chapter, something instantly caught my eye. The beginning of this chapter is the same as the beginning of the previous chapter. The atmosphere of these described days is very depressing: “Another Nothing-Day. Smelling of dirty socks, and worse. (p. 97, ll. 18, 19)”
In my opinion, the repetition shall express the monotony of this time for Matt. He was accustomed to be a popular student, but now he doesn’t have ‘real’ friends. This is a total ‘Nothing-Time’, he is bored and his heart has been broken.
For Matt the only way out of that is writing. When he writes a text for the school paper, he is free and independent. By writing, he can express his enormous feelings and this is a kind of therapy. But now the school paper staff has forbidden Matt to publish his article. I think this is going to lure Matt on to destruction. He must keep his feelings for himself and isn’t able to get that off his chest.
We can already notice that. After hearing the message of Mr. Steiner, he got really angry. He couldn’t believe what he’s heard. His passion has been forbidden for him and like I expected, he didn’t want to accept that.
When I started reading the fourteenth chapter, something instantly caught my eye. The beginning of this chapter is the same as the beginning of the previous chapter. The atmosphere of these described days is very depressing: “Another Nothing-Day. Smelling of dirty socks, and worse. (p. 97, ll. 18, 19)”
In my opinion, the repetition shall express the monotony of this time for Matt. He was accustomed to be a popular student, but now he doesn’t have ‘real’ friends. This is a total ‘Nothing-Time’, he is bored and his heart has been broken.
For Matt the only way out of that is writing. When he writes a text for the school paper, he is free and independent. By writing, he can express his enormous feelings and this is a kind of therapy. But now the school paper staff has forbidden Matt to publish his article. I think this is going to lure Matt on to destruction. He must keep his feelings for himself and isn’t able to get that off his chest.
We can already notice that. After hearing the message of Mr. Steiner, he got really angry. He couldn’t believe what he’s heard. His passion has been forbidden for him and like I expected, he didn’t want to accept that.
Chapter Twelve & Thirteen
Ursula Riggs has to talk to the principal of her High School in the twelfth chapter. Her homeroom teacher had told it to her, but Ursula doesn’t understand why.
Firstly, she thinks that the principal wants to scold her because of something. In the past, she only had to go there because of her rude behavior or because she said something too sarcastic. But at this day a new era starts, the principal praises her “very maturely” and “responsibly” behavior in recent weeks (p. 91, l. 5). Now she’s got the chance to get away from that prejudice of an unfriendly warrior-woman.
Ursula really uses that chance. She answers while the talk very friendly and absolutely changes her attitude towards adults. Even when the principal asks of her opinion of the crisis and if it’s over now, she doesn’t advance her own opinion. After only confirming the principal’s opinion, she is a bit puzzled, because she wonders. In former times she never said something wrong only to be polite. That was the most important character trait of Ugly Girl and now she’s a totally different person.
The in chapter 10 mentioned change of Ursula’s character traits progresses. Now she even stops advancing her own opinion. I’m very interested if this progresses in the next chapters too.
Firstly, she thinks that the principal wants to scold her because of something. In the past, she only had to go there because of her rude behavior or because she said something too sarcastic. But at this day a new era starts, the principal praises her “very maturely” and “responsibly” behavior in recent weeks (p. 91, l. 5). Now she’s got the chance to get away from that prejudice of an unfriendly warrior-woman.
Ursula really uses that chance. She answers while the talk very friendly and absolutely changes her attitude towards adults. Even when the principal asks of her opinion of the crisis and if it’s over now, she doesn’t advance her own opinion. After only confirming the principal’s opinion, she is a bit puzzled, because she wonders. In former times she never said something wrong only to be polite. That was the most important character trait of Ugly Girl and now she’s a totally different person.
The in chapter 10 mentioned change of Ursula’s character traits progresses. Now she even stops advancing her own opinion. I’m very interested if this progresses in the next chapters too.
Chapter Eleven
In this chapter Matt Donaghy writes an e-mail for Ursula Riggs. He wants to ask her why she doesn’t answer his three old e-mails. He also writes a lot about his current situation and asks her many questions.
Before the horrible incident in school Matt was a very popular student with many friends, like Russ, Skeet and Stacey. Nearly everyone liked him, because he was a very funny person, but he never made bad jokes of anyone. He laughed a lot and was absolutely friendly teenager.
But since that day, no one will ever forget that Matt has allegedly planned an amok. The people and also his old friends evade him, but unsure why. Probably they are afraid of him, they think the police only couldn’t prove that, but in real he really tried to kill as many people as possible. Now his whole life is destroyed, no one wants to meet him, so he gets very lonely. He can only hope that Ursula wants to be his friend.
When Ursula didn’t answer his e-mails he had to fear the loss of his last friend, too. Of course, he doesn’t want to be alone in his little world. He couldn’t live without his friends.
From my point of view, he could become introverted and shy and even suicidal. He is unaccustomed to be a loner, so it’s too much for him. He’ll yearn for his old life with friends and fun. I’m going to observe Matt to check my speculation.
Before the horrible incident in school Matt was a very popular student with many friends, like Russ, Skeet and Stacey. Nearly everyone liked him, because he was a very funny person, but he never made bad jokes of anyone. He laughed a lot and was absolutely friendly teenager.
But since that day, no one will ever forget that Matt has allegedly planned an amok. The people and also his old friends evade him, but unsure why. Probably they are afraid of him, they think the police only couldn’t prove that, but in real he really tried to kill as many people as possible. Now his whole life is destroyed, no one wants to meet him, so he gets very lonely. He can only hope that Ursula wants to be his friend.
When Ursula didn’t answer his e-mails he had to fear the loss of his last friend, too. Of course, he doesn’t want to be alone in his little world. He couldn’t live without his friends.
From my point of view, he could become introverted and shy and even suicidal. He is unaccustomed to be a loner, so it’s too much for him. He’ll yearn for his old life with friends and fun. I’m going to observe Matt to check my speculation.
Chapter Ten
The tenth chapter is about Ursula Riggs. Since the beginning of the story her attitude towards people has changed a lot. Now there are other differences between Ursula and Ugly Girl, because they have developed. Their character traits have suddenly changed.
At the beginning of the story, Ursula Riggs was a shy and frightened girl. She was afraid of other people and didn’t trust herself to stand up against anyone.
Ugly Girl was the brave and strong warrior-woman. She was absolutely independent and didn’t need anybody. Many other people were afraid of her and evaded her. She was the excellent basketball player without any equal opponent.
Since that day Ugly Girl has rescued Matt Donaghy from severe punishment, he likes Ursula Riggs, the tough and courageous girl. Every time he notices her in school, he smiles at her. This is the only thing that makes Ugly Girl shrink away in shyness. Then she doesn’t know what to do. She cannot react to this with strength and violence (p. 84, ll. 23, 24).
To have the boy’s affections, is a totally new feeling for Ugly Girl. “A weird hot flash came over me; my face burned. (p 85, l. 7)” Now she also seems to be a normal girl, who has the same feelings as any other girl. “I’m going to trip on the stairs. … It was because Matt Donaghy was there, watching me … smiling at me … who signed his e-mail Your friend Matt” Ugly Girl is overstrained with such a situation.
Now Ugly Girl is also polite. She’s never been a kind of polite, only respectful. Now she smiles at her teachers, just to be polite (p. 85, ll. 15, 16).
At the beginning of the story, Ursula Riggs was a shy and frightened girl. She was afraid of other people and didn’t trust herself to stand up against anyone.
Ugly Girl was the brave and strong warrior-woman. She was absolutely independent and didn’t need anybody. Many other people were afraid of her and evaded her. She was the excellent basketball player without any equal opponent.
Since that day Ugly Girl has rescued Matt Donaghy from severe punishment, he likes Ursula Riggs, the tough and courageous girl. Every time he notices her in school, he smiles at her. This is the only thing that makes Ugly Girl shrink away in shyness. Then she doesn’t know what to do. She cannot react to this with strength and violence (p. 84, ll. 23, 24).
To have the boy’s affections, is a totally new feeling for Ugly Girl. “A weird hot flash came over me; my face burned. (p 85, l. 7)” Now she also seems to be a normal girl, who has the same feelings as any other girl. “I’m going to trip on the stairs. … It was because Matt Donaghy was there, watching me … smiling at me … who signed his e-mail Your friend Matt” Ugly Girl is overstrained with such a situation.
Now Ugly Girl is also polite. She’s never been a kind of polite, only respectful. Now she smiles at her teachers, just to be polite (p. 85, ll. 15, 16).
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