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DISCUSSION AND ESSAY QUESTIONS

1. What is a catalyst? 2. Who are the catalysts in this book? Why? 3. What is Kate running from? How did she get lost (literally and figuratively)? 4. Why does Kate hate English class? What are some of the myths surrounding the college application process? About high school? About kids like Kate? Kids like Teri? 5. Find the list of vocabulary words given out for homework in Kates English class. The author deliberately chose them. What is their significance? Why do authors do things like that? Does this make you hate authors? (joke just wanted to see if youre paying attention) 6. Discuss these image systems (symbols) found in the book:

a) b) c) d)

Chemistry and the periodic table vision/sight movement vs. being stuck electricity

7. What examples of safety awareness and danger can you find? How are they connected to each other? 8. Make a list of all the elements and chemical terms used as chapter headings in the book. Explain how the chapters headings refer to the action with each chapter. 9. Find the hints of Alice in Wonderland in the book. How does the story of Alices journey reflect Kates? 10. Catalyst takes place in Merryweather High School, also the setting for Speak. What connections link the two books? 11. How is food used in this book? 12. Why dont we learn more about the life of Teri Litch (hint: examine the books POV) 13. How is Kates relationship with her father? Why is it that way? Does it change over the course of the book. (Give examples for each answer.) 14. Discuss the role of religion in this book. What does Kate believe in? Teri? Mitchell? Can you say anything about the power of mythology within religious belief systems? 15. Are myths just stories from the past? What else can be read into them? 16. How and why does Kates relationship with Teri change after Mikeys d eath? 17. Why are the three sections of the book labeled Solid, Liquid and Gas? 18. Who is the most important character in this book? Why? 19. How do the characters in Catalyst deal with defeat?

DISCUSSION AND ESSAY QUESTIONS


http://teachers.madwomanintheforest.com/youngadult-wintergirls/

Choose 18 questions to answer.


1. Read the two epigraphs printed at the front of the book. How do you think each relates to Lia and her situation? 2. What do the crossed-out words and phrases reveal about Lia? Why cant she allow herself to say or think some things? What is she afraid will happen if she does? 3. Define wintergirl. In what ways are Lia and Cassie frozen? Discuss the symbolism of winter and cold found throughout the story and the role it plays in building the main themes of the novel. 4. Does Lia want to lose weight so she will look thin and pretty? What does her thinness mean to her? How does she think it gives her power? 5. Does Cassies death trigger Lias restrictive eating patterns to reemerge? Why or why not? 6. Empty becomes synonymous with strong for Lia throughout most of the story. How does Lia justify this comparison? Do her feelings ever change? 7. Lia repeats the phrase When I was a real girl . . . If shes not real now, what is she? When did she stop being real? Will she ever be real again? 8. The night Cassie dies, whey does she call Lia? Would it have made a difference if Lia had answered? Why or why not? Could anything have saved Cassie? 9. In the newspaper article about Cassies death, the superintendent of schools says, Most teens today struggle with something. Do you agree? Explain your opinion. 10. What is friendship? Describe the important elements of Lia and Cassies relationship. Are they really friends? 11. Describe Lias relationships with her mother, father, Jennifer, and Emma. How is Lia different with each of them? What do they each contribute to her situation? How do they each influence her? 12. Lia is particular about the names she calls her family members (i.e. Jennifer instead of Stepmother, Dr. Marrigan instead of Mom, Professor Overbrook instead of Dad). What does this reveal about what Lia thinks of her family members? 13. Discuss they line: I pretend to be a fat, healthy teenager. They pretend to be my parents. What does this line expose about Lias feelings for her parents? What does Lias frequent use of the word pretend throughout the book tell you about the way she views others? Why does Lia feel she and others must pretend? 14. What does Lia think makes her strong? What do you think of as Lias strengths? Would Lia agree with you? How does Lias perception of strength change toward the end of the story? 15. What do we learn from Cassies ghost? Does her presence help or hinder Lia on her path to recovery? What does Cassies ghost come to symbolize by the end of the novel? 16. Discuss Lias relationship with Elijah. When she first meets him and lies about her identity, why do you think she chooses to give her stepsisters name as her own? What is Elijah able to give Lia that the other people in her life cannot? What do you think about the way their relationship ends? 17. What role does Lias knitting play in the novel? What does it come to symbolize?

18. Elijah calls himself a wanderer in search of truth. Does he find truth by the end of the story? Does Lia? Are any of the other characters able to do so? Explain. 19. Lias mother tells her: Cassie had everything: a family who loved her, friends, activities. Her mother wants to know why she threw it all away. According to Lia, asking why Cassie died is the wrong question. She says to ask why not. What do you think she means by this? Which do you think is the right question to ask? Is there an answer to either? 20. Why do you think Lia and Cassie took their eighth grade New Years resolutions so seriously? How do these promises play into the rest of the story? 21. Lias dad says to her: I wish I understood what goes on inside you . . . why youre so afraid. Is fear part of Lias problem? What is she afraid of? 22. What is Lia using her thinness to communicate to her parents? What is her body saying that her voice cannot? 23. Why do you think Lia finally opens up to Dr. Parker? What do you think of what she chooses to tell her? How does the conversation change Lias situation? 24. Dr. Parker tells Lia: In one aspect, yes, I believe in ghosts, but we create them. Do you agree with her? How much of what happens to Lia is a result of her own doing? How much of it is caused by others? 25. What does the see-glass mean to Lia? What does she think she needs it for? Does this end up being true? 26. What ultimately changes for Lia by the end of the story? Why does she survive when Cassis didnt?

DISCUSSION AND ESSAY QUESTIONS


http://teachers.madwomanintheforest.com/youngadult-twisted/ 1. Tylers landscaping job develops his muscles, but also allows

him to use his skills at digging holes: "I was good at digging holes. It was the rest of life I sucked at" (p. 39). What figurative holes has Tyler dug for himself in his life? Is it really true that he isnt good at anything else? 2. Although he doesnt seem like a depressed person, Tyler admits to being preoccupied with death. "Thinking about death relaxed me" (p. 44). Why? In what ways has he died and been reborn again throughout the story? 3. At Tylers high school there is a clear distinction between the popular crowd and everyone else. Where do you fit in the social scale at your school? In what ways has the status you hold in your social sphere defined you? In what ways is this role true to who you are? In what ways is it not? 4. Why does Tyler like Bethany? Were there any signs early on that she might not really like him the same way he liked her? What do you think is her real attraction to him? Is it true when his sister Hannah says that it could never have worked out? In your own life, are there any examples of two very different people who manage to be together despite their apparent differences? 5. What do you think of Tylers reaction to Bethanys behavior at the party? How would you react? Would you be sad? Angry? 6. Why do you think Laurie Halse Anderson chose "Twisted" as the title of this novel? What does it mean in relation to the story? 7. On the surface Tyler seems to disrespect the janitors that he is made to work with as part of his probation. Yet they act as a sort of conscience and offer support later in the story. Have you ever gotten help from an unexpected source? 8. Who has Tyler been trying to be? His father? A loser? A cool guy? Which of these identities is closest to his true self? 9. Laurie Halse Anderson views Tyler Miller as the literary grandson of Willy Loman, the main character in Arthur Millers play, Death of a Salesmen. What parallels are there between the two stories? 10. What do you think will happen to the characters in this story in the next year?

DISCUSSION AND ESSAY QUESTIONS


1. What are your first impressions of Hayley (Rose)? How is she in school? What are her attitudes about faculty or students? What was she doing before her senior year (educationally)? What subject does she thrive and sink? 2. Who are the zombies and who are the freaks? Annotate different references throughout the novel. 3. What does LH Anderson do to change characters on the reader? Is it effective? Why? 4. How does Hayley say are the steps to surviving an interrogation? (21) 5. On page 32 we get our first glimpse into the impossible knife rip. What are your inferences as to how this will play out throughout the novel? What does Hayley say are Dads tricks page 35 for when the gray closes in on a person? 6. Describe the roles that Hayley and her father play in each others lives. 7. Roy, Ms. Benedetti, Trish, Gracie, and Finn all attempt to reach out to Hayley at various moments and in various ways. Who do you believe is the most effective and least effective? Why? 8. Gracie and Finn are also dealing with difficult family issues. What are they and do you think that having friends with less than perfect lives is positive or negative for Hayley as she deals with her fathers PTSD issues? Do you agree or disagree with how they (Gracie and Finn) deal with their problems? 9. Chapter 37 deals with Hayleys visit to the nursing home. Why do you think the author put this chapter in? What does Hayley gain from this event? 10. What happened to Hayleys biological mother (Rebecca)? Is Trish a step mother? 11. How does the snowstorm parallel what is happening to Hayley and Andy? Explain. 12. After reading the novel, break down the 5 parts of the plot. 13. How did you experience the book? Were you engaged immediately, or did it take you a while to "get into it"? How did you feel reading itamused, sad, disturbed, confused, bored...? 14. Has this novel changed youbroadened your perspective on what other students may be dealing with? Have you learned something new or been exposed to different ideas? 15. Was the ending satisfying? If so, why? If not, why not...and how would you change it?

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