First Marking Period

Literary Terms:

• Plot: All events in a story particularly rendered toward the achievement of some particular artistic or emotional effect or general theme.

Ex.) an example of plot is when Melinda explains that she is an outcast and starts explaining that theres no point looking for her ex-friends and that she is dying to tell her ex-best friend but Rachel mouths the words I hate you.(P. 4-5)

• Character: A person who is responsible for the thoughts and actions within a story, poem, or other literature.

Ex.) An example of character is when Melinda starts her first high school mornign with seven new notebooks, a skirt she hates and a stomachache.(P.3)

• Setting: The time, place, physical details, and circumstances in which a situation occurs.

Ex.) An example of setting is when they throw a lump of potatoes and gravy at her and all conversation at the lunch area stops and everyone starts looking at her and laugh then she leaves.(P.8)

• Irony: A literary term referring to how a person, situation, statement, or circumstance is not as it would actually seem.

Ex.) An example of irony is when Melinda starts thinking in her mind that no janitor has chilled in that closet for a very long time and all girls avoid it and the closet is abandoned and it has no purpose no name And that it's a perfect place for her.(P.26)

• Motif: a recurring object, concept or structure in work of literature.

Ex.) An example of it motif is when Melinda when she sees IT she repeats it over with an act of fear in her and she repeats when she sees IT throughout the book..(P.45-46)

Vocabulary Terms:

• Inconspicuous: not conspicuous, noticeable, or prominent. The stain on the shirt was inconspicuous.

" And it gives me time to scan the cafateria for a friendly face or an inconspicuous corner."(P.7)

• Pseudo: not actually but having the appearance of; pretended; false or spurious. She has a pseudo smile.

"Just a pseudo-friend, disposable freind. Firend as accesory. Just so I don't feel and look stupid."(P.22)

• Mayhem: random or deliberate violence or damage. Superheros in movies usually protect the city from the acts of mayhem.

" We will wander underneath them and commit mild acts of mayhem."(P.30)

• Degrading: that degrades, currupting. The company is degrading.

" The Ecology Club is planning a rally to protest the 'degrading of an endangered species.'"(P.41)

• Voila: used to call attention, to express satisfaction or approval, or to suggest an appearance as if by magic. The judges voila the food.

"And voila-an idea!"(P.11)

• Vaguely: slightly, rather, sort of. Her lips are vaguely scabbed.

" I vaguely recognize a couple; the rest must have gone to the other middle school."(p.27)

• Blathers: to talk nonsensically. The teacher blathers on and on about why math is needed.

" Heather paints her nails on her desk blotter and blathers."(P.33)

• Irony: the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning. Irony is a literary term.

" She doesn't think the Clan Leaders, Meg 'n' Emily 'n' Siobhan, understand irony."(p.43)

• Simultaneously: at the same time. They simultaneously talk nonstop.

" It is as if they operate in two realities simultaneously."(P.30)

• Interim: a temporary pause in a line of succession or event. My interim report card came last week.

"The interim reports came today."(P.35)

• Battered: to hit heavily and repeatedly with violent blows. The battered chairs fell to the floor.

"Metal folding chairs surround a battered table."(P.43)

• Wan: of an unnatural or sickly pallor. The hospital patient appeared very wan.

" She's smudging mascara under her eyes to look exhausted and wan."(P.20)

Discussion Questions:

• Family communication: How does communication breakdown in Melinda's family? Her parents argue a lot and don't ask her if she has any problems. They don't really pay attention to Melinda and ask her if she wants to talk about something. They merely don't know whats happening to her and she really needs someone to talk to. Her family also communicates with notes on the kitchen counter.

"Deprived of the victim, Mom and Dad holler at each other. I turn up my music to drown out the noise." (P.36) This quote supports my answer because when parents fight a lot they don't pay much attention to there child, and if there child has problems and wants to talk to there parents they can't because of there constant fighting and decided to rely on someone else or if they don't have someone they keep it to themselves and suffer alot when keeping there mouth shut about it.

• How does a room express who you are? A room really expresses a lot especially the color of the walls and how everything in the room is stored by messy to neat and clean. If someone is neat you can really tell that they are very organized.

" All her clothes wait patiently on hangers, organized by type-skirts together, pants hanging by their cuffs, her sweaters stacked in plastic bags on shelves. The room screams 'Heather!'-that would be too creepy. But a little whisper of 'Melinda' would be nice."(P.33) This quote supports my answer because Heathers room is very neat and clean you can tell just by looking at her room that she is very organized.

• Are we sometimes different people on the outside than on the inside? Yes we are sometimes very different on the inside than we are on the outside. There may be people that in the outside they are very happy looking but in the inside they are really hiding things from there past that they want to forget but they just can't so they suffer in the inside. There are people who are not usually happy but serious and sad in the oustside and and that they want to protect themselves from there suffering and there fear that they have in the inside.

" It is easier not to say anything. Shut your trap, button your lip, can it. All that crap you hear on TV about communication and expressing feelings is a lie. Nobody really wants to hear what you have to say."(P.9) This quote supports my answer because Melinda has learned that in reality people don't want to know whats wrong and that it is just better to keep everything hidden inside and locked away from other people not to know.

Journal Topics:

• First day of school

Ex.) An example of the topic first day of school from the book is when Melinda starts out her first day of high school with seven new notebooks, a skirts she hates, and a stomachache(P.3)

My personal experience of my first day of high school was not knowing anyone and not liking the school my parents decided to send me to. I decided that my first few days of school would be me alone but in the first day I met someone I knew from my elementary school so in the first day I wasn't that much of a loner.

• High school "clans"

Ex.) An example of the topic High school "Clans" is when Melinda starts explaining that everyone in school has fallen into clans except her who is clanless."(P.4)

There really are many clans that exist in highschool. In New tech there really weren't any clans I think. I am not in any clan. I just hang out with my my friends.

• Lies they tell you

Ex.) An example of the topic the lies they tell you is when she makes a list of the lies they tell you in igh school like we are here to help you and etc.(P.5-6)

My personal experience in the lies they tell in Highschool are a little bit similar to Melinda's.

1. that hs years will be the years to look back on fondly.
2. the counselors are always available to listen.
3. You will feel like at home.
4. Schoolwork is easy.
5. Your complaints are taken seriously.
6. There is no bullying.
7. Education is fun.
8. School food is good and nutricious.
9. And etc.(Can't remember others)