Discussion Questions pp.3-46

Discussion Questions

Pp.3-46

 

1. Analyze Melinda’s reaction to the first day of high school and why her fears seem more intense than that of others. Analyze why she says, “I am Outcast.”

 

• Melinda’s fear to the first day of high school is she doesn’t have any friends and not in a clan or a clique. She doesn’t know how people will react to her.

 

 

2. Examine the meanings of the “clans” and the prevalence of high school cliques. Why do we sometimes not like people who are really good at things, like sports, music, art, or school? Are adults like this?

 

• The reason we don’t like people who are good at such as: sports or music because we are jealous. Yes, I do think some adults are like that because they want what other adults have.

 

 

3. Discuss the “first ten lies they tell you in high school.” Compare with your first day. So you think Melinda’s assumption that they are “lies” is valid?

 

• Comparing to my first day of school the teachers and everybody is always helpful. For her I would say that they are valid because of what happened to her but for me no.

 

 

4. Examine Melinda’s characterization of the teachers. What do these descriptions reflect?

 

• Her language arts teacher is weird and has long hair but you never see her face. Mr. Nick is her social studies teacher and he is mean to her and does not like her. Her art teacher Mr. Freeman is a strange guy and takes art really seriously.

 

 

5. Discuss Mr. Freeman’s approach to teaching art. Have you had similar experiences in classes with this type of teaching style?

 

• Mr. Freemen’s style of teaching is weird. He has you pick out of a globe that has different objects and whatever object you choice from the globe, which is the one you have to research and draw all year.

 

 

6. Discuss Melinda’s home life. How does communication break down in Melinda’s family? What could each person do to improve it? If you were a parent, how would communication be in your family?

 

• Communication breaks down in her house because when she gets home her mom has little notes saying, “Pizza and the number to call pizza. If I were a parent I would want to be there for my child so they would not have to do that all by themselves.

 

 

7. Discuss the interaction between Melinda and Heather. Are they friends? What brings them together?

 

• Melinda and heather are friends but the only reason they are is because they don’t have anybody else to talk to and are not in a clan.

 

 

8. Are we sometimes different people on the outside than we are in the inside? How? Why is this true, do you think?

 

• I do believe people are different on the outside then the inside. We act differently whenever we are around friends or family and say different things who ever we are around.