Ok, I wasn't expecting the story to turn this way... Sure, Sharice's home life is rough. I expected she would experience additional turmoil and challenges here, but not like this: sleeping on buses?!?! how selfish can foster non-parents be!? and Markese? why does James's math project elicit such a response? It does speak volumes as to why James behaves as he does: guarded, not willing to appear too much a student.
I was really happy (maybe even more shocked) to see Rhondell reach out to Aunt Asia in search of advice for what to do about Sharice. Rhondell has been so quiet to this point in the story, generally just talking in her mind about her thoughts, never really acting on them, let alone share them. For her to take that step demonstrated how worried she was for Sharice. Hard to see a positive outcome for Sharice if Rhondell and Aunt Asia hadn't showed up that evening... I imagine the school made the requisite call home to foster non-parent #5, who probably didn't even answer the phone. What do you think happened to Mr. Collins, though? Should he have reached out to make sure she was ok? I mean Sharice opened up to him after the Christmas party, so he should have been aware that she didn't have a very supportive home life. I am disappointed that he wasn't more active in making sure that she was ok...
I agree!! I almost wanted to cry when Sharice had to wait outside in the cold and refused to do nothing other than that. I was afraid that she might be staying overnight at the school but to my dismay it was a harsher realization when Sharice was sitting outside in the snow. I'm so glad that Rhondell finally said something about Sharice and her Aunt stepped in to take things further and go to the girl's house. As far as Markese is concerned, he seemed to be the most trouble out of James's brother's friends and this proved to be true when the tetrahedron was destroyed. We don't know for sure, but the fingers seem to point to Markese. I think James's math project really reveals some reality in his life as far as the influences he has at home and how that is effecting him. The project is pushing him in the right direction and he is even trying to push Mr. Collins to continue the tetrahedron even though the teacher is doubtful. James is now using math in a way that he has never before and for a good purpose. It makes me happy to see his growth as a character to be so great.
I hear what you are saying about James. Initially he was torn between participating in the math club and being home to hang with his bro. But the more time he spends with the tetrahedron project, the more he becomes aware that there are other people in the world and different ways to be treated; AND he glimpses that there may be something better in life, yet I feel like he doesn't totally buy into it yet. I was completely blown away when he figured out the number of days required rebuild the tetrahedron (and he had no idea that Willy Q would be helping too). Nice to see Willy come around... although he never stops being a hard-ass, Marcel gets to see where his father's heart truly is.
That's so true. James was torn at first but the project is definitely shaping him into a better person. The fact that he figured out a schedule for the amount of pieces they should build each day going forward was pretty cool. I also agree that Willy Q is still a hard ass and always will be a little rough around the edges. But at least we as readers can see why and more importantly so can Marcel.
Another important character growth that I saw was with Willy Q. A good passage I found was on page 158 into 159. This is when Willy Q tells Marcel a list of all the times that he could have given up in his lifetime and we learn about all of the terrible circumstances that Willy Q had to deal with. I sympathize with Willy Q a little bit more now with everything that he has gone through. He still has managed to get through the hard times and be there for his son and keep the roof over their heads. I see him in a little different light now. He tells Marcel to not let the enemy win and that the Williams family do not let the bad guy win. I enjoyed this part because I felt as though it was a good stepping stone for the relationship between Marcel and his father and that perhaps Marcel might look at Willy Q as more of a role model in the future and not harbor so much hate towards him.
Also to answer your question about Mr. Collins, I agree in the fact that maybe it would have been nice for him to step in and help Sharice a bit more. It might have been nice for him to be her guide and role model outside of the math project because she did already open up to him like you said. I was also disappointed that Mr. Collins wanted to give up and didn't see that the tetrahedron was able to be built again even when James approached him about it. I wish I saw a little bit more support on Mr. Collins part and encouraging James to pursue this goal as much as he could. Perhaps this is an opportunity for the peers in the math project to support one another instead of an adult. We will see as the book goes on.
It's an interesting perspective, really. I am so used to seeing adults as positive role models, heavily vested in the youth around them... but Mr. Collins sheds light on why this might be with his post-Christmas party revelation. Vietnam impacted so many lives, both directly and indirectly. For Mr. Collins, it provided a focus at a difficult time, as well as a direction in life. Unfortunately, it seems he was never able to lift the shadow left behind when his brother was lost in Vietnam. The tetrahedron project originated from frustration and futility, as an escape for Mr. Collins. I think he would have been more encouraging and resolute in completing the project had the idea originated for the children in the first place.
I like the point you bring up about Mr. Collins motivation for the project. He really was this angry and frustrated math teacher at his wits end with his students. As we learned earlier, he lists his reasons for doing the project and then ends it by saying that they were all of the above. So in a way as time went on the project developed in a way in which he could appreciate his students more and see their strengths through the project. I guess it shouldn't have surprised me when Mr. Collins didn't step up in certain situations but as readers,like you said, we have that expectation of the adults always being the role models.
Ok, I wasn't expecting the story to turn this way...
ReplyDeleteSure, Sharice's home life is rough. I expected she would experience additional turmoil and challenges here, but not like this: sleeping on buses?!?! how selfish can foster non-parents be!?
and Markese? why does James's math project elicit such a response? It does speak volumes as to why James behaves as he does: guarded, not willing to appear too much a student.
I was really happy (maybe even more shocked) to see Rhondell reach out to Aunt Asia in search of advice for what to do about Sharice. Rhondell has been so quiet to this point in the story, generally just talking in her mind about her thoughts, never really acting on them, let alone share them. For her to take that step demonstrated how worried she was for Sharice. Hard to see a positive outcome for Sharice if Rhondell and Aunt Asia hadn't showed up that evening...
ReplyDeleteI imagine the school made the requisite call home to foster non-parent #5, who probably didn't even answer the phone. What do you think happened to Mr. Collins, though? Should he have reached out to make sure she was ok? I mean Sharice opened up to him after the Christmas party, so he should have been aware that she didn't have a very supportive home life. I am disappointed that he wasn't more active in making sure that she was ok...
I agree!! I almost wanted to cry when Sharice had to wait outside in the cold and refused to do nothing other than that. I was afraid that she might be staying overnight at the school but to my dismay it was a harsher realization when Sharice was sitting outside in the snow. I'm so glad that Rhondell finally said something about Sharice and her Aunt stepped in to take things further and go to the girl's house. As far as Markese is concerned, he seemed to be the most trouble out of James's brother's friends and this proved to be true when the tetrahedron was destroyed. We don't know for sure, but the fingers seem to point to Markese. I think James's math project really reveals some reality in his life as far as the influences he has at home and how that is effecting him. The project is pushing him in the right direction and he is even trying to push Mr. Collins to continue the tetrahedron even though the teacher is doubtful. James is now using math in a way that he has never before and for a good purpose. It makes me happy to see his growth as a character to be so great.
ReplyDeleteI hear what you are saying about James. Initially he was torn between participating in the math club and being home to hang with his bro. But the more time he spends with the tetrahedron project, the more he becomes aware that there are other people in the world and different ways to be treated; AND he glimpses that there may be something better in life, yet I feel like he doesn't totally buy into it yet. I was completely blown away when he figured out the number of days required rebuild the tetrahedron (and he had no idea that Willy Q would be helping too).
DeleteNice to see Willy come around... although he never stops being a hard-ass, Marcel gets to see where his father's heart truly is.
That's so true. James was torn at first but the project is definitely shaping him into a better person. The fact that he figured out a schedule for the amount of pieces they should build each day going forward was pretty cool. I also agree that Willy Q is still a hard ass and always will be a little rough around the edges. But at least we as readers can see why and more importantly so can Marcel.
DeleteAnother important character growth that I saw was with Willy Q. A good passage I found was on page 158 into 159. This is when Willy Q tells Marcel a list of all the times that he could have given up in his lifetime and we learn about all of the terrible circumstances that Willy Q had to deal with. I sympathize with Willy Q a little bit more now with everything that he has gone through. He still has managed to get through the hard times and be there for his son and keep the roof over their heads. I see him in a little different light now. He tells Marcel to not let the enemy win and that the Williams family do not let the bad guy win. I enjoyed this part because I felt as though it was a good stepping stone for the relationship between Marcel and his father and that perhaps Marcel might look at Willy Q as more of a role model in the future and not harbor so much hate towards him.
ReplyDeleteAlso to answer your question about Mr. Collins, I agree in the fact that maybe it would have been nice for him to step in and help Sharice a bit more. It might have been nice for him to be her guide and role model outside of the math project because she did already open up to him like you said. I was also disappointed that Mr. Collins wanted to give up and didn't see that the tetrahedron was able to be built again even when James approached him about it. I wish I saw a little bit more support on Mr. Collins part and encouraging James to pursue this goal as much as he could. Perhaps this is an opportunity for the peers in the math project to support one another instead of an adult. We will see as the book goes on.
ReplyDeleteIt's an interesting perspective, really. I am so used to seeing adults as positive role models, heavily vested in the youth around them... but Mr. Collins sheds light on why this might be with his post-Christmas party revelation. Vietnam impacted so many lives, both directly and indirectly. For Mr. Collins, it provided a focus at a difficult time, as well as a direction in life. Unfortunately, it seems he was never able to lift the shadow left behind when his brother was lost in Vietnam.
DeleteThe tetrahedron project originated from frustration and futility, as an escape for Mr. Collins. I think he would have been more encouraging and resolute in completing the project had the idea originated for the children in the first place.
I like the point you bring up about Mr. Collins motivation for the project. He really was this angry and frustrated math teacher at his wits end with his students. As we learned earlier, he lists his reasons for doing the project and then ends it by saying that they were all of the above. So in a way as time went on the project developed in a way in which he could appreciate his students more and see their strengths through the project. I guess it shouldn't have surprised me when Mr. Collins didn't step up in certain situations but as readers,like you said, we have that expectation of the adults always being the role models.
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