Monster: Connector 1 (AB)

Monster relates to the theme of being an outsider because, we treat criminals as outsiders. In the book, the main character, Steve, is treated differently and is viewed as an outsider and that he can't change to become a regular member of society. One example in the book is when Steve is in trial, and there is a middle school that is there on a field trip. He looks at them, and the children look away, as if he is not a human being, but a monster. Monster has many relations to our society and how we view our people in it. (Ashley)

Among the Hidden: Connector 1

I used to live in a fairly large house with an amazingly big back yard that we shared with the next door neighbors. The yard was old and was covered in weeds. My family, friends and I would go back there and play all kinds of games such as, kick ball, baseball and frisbee. Unfortunately the neighbors moved and another couple moved in next to us. They tore down the house and built a mansion. Sadly, the house and the fancy, new pool took up all of the backyard.
Luke's family and I have shared something in commmon. Luke enjoyed having the woods to explore and I enjoyed having a big backyard. The woods got torn down and my backyard was replaced by a house. We were both sad and missed our space to play and hang out. (Claire)

Connector paragraph 1: Monster

Monster
Walter Dean Myers
(Maria G.)

Text to text: I noticed a connection between Monster and The Outsiders by S.E Hinton. In both stories the main charcters, teenage boys, don't feel that they fit in. People see the boys as tough hoodlems who are up to no good, but inside they are innocent and good. Both boys have to go to court following the incident that they are framed for. In Monster, Steve is seen as tough 16 year old who helped in a drugstore holdup, but really he is a young boy who is scared to spend his whole life in jail. Ponyboy decieves everyone by hanging around with his older brothers and their freinds that form a gang, but later in the story Cherry Vance uncovers the soft side of Ponyboy.

The Lottery Rose

A connection between me and Georgie is that we both have something that makes us feel good. Georgie has his rosebush and I have my golf ball collection. Whenever Georgie sees his rosebush, it makes him feel good. When I look at my golf ball collection, it makes me feel proud that I collected all of those golf balls. Georgie won his rose bush in a lottery at a grocery store while I got my golf balls at the award ceremony on the course. I guess winning something or getting it as a prize would make you feel a sense of satisfaction.

Among the Hidden

In Among the Hidden, when Luke is young he is always asking how old he has to be for people to be able to see him. There is a connection between Luke and my sister, Lydia. Lydia is always asking how old she has to be to be able to do the things that my brother and I do, like being able to have a cell phone. I think that many of the youngest kids are always trying to be able to do what their brother and sisters are doing, because they look up to their brothers and sisters. This is very common everywhere around the globe. (Grace)

Connector paragraph for Journey of the Sparrows

The theme of "outsiders" or "stranger in a strange land" is easily seen in Fran Leeper Buss' novel, Journey of the Sparrows. The main characters all become outsiders when they leave their small village. Maria, Julia and Oscar, all children, escape horrible conditions in their homeland of El Salvador. They see members of their family and community killed by rebel soldiers. As a result, they flee home in search of refuge. Once they leave their village, they are outsiders. Living in fear and constantly looking over their shoulders for "guardias" they make their way to Mexico. In Mexico, they are considered outsiders. The threat of deportation looms over their impoverished lives. Scapping a living for several months, Maria's mother desires more for her four children. She hopes that somehow the U.S. will accept her children, that they will be able to make a living, even illegally, and eventually send money for the rest of the family to follow. She hires coyotes to sneak her children from Mexico into the U.S. Once across the border, the children continue to live in fear. They are surrounded by a strange language, strange customs, strange people and strange circumstances. They feel lonely and alienated. Truly they are outsiders.

Discussion Director Questions for Journey of the Sparrows

1. Why are Maria and her siblings escaping?
2. How realistic is this scenerio of three young people leaving their country without their parents to an unknown future?
3. What kind of conditions would it take for (you) as a parent to let your children leave without you?
4. What's the significance of the title?
5. How does Maria's skill as an artist give her an edge over other illegal immigrants?