Here is an excellent article both about the author and IKOM: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/12/books/review/laurie-halse-andersons-impossible-knife-of-memory.html?_r=0
I think chapter 5 is relating to Haley's dad. It could possibly be a letter he wrote or him just thinking in his head. I also believe that this is a flashback to when he was in the war because it talks about several squad member in the army. This chapter could be foreshadowing what really happened to Haley's dad which we might find out about later in the book.
I agree with Luke, every few chapters a flashback of Hayley's dad's war days is given. I think this is to slowly introduce us to the entirety of his experiences. The further into the book you get, the more experiences these flashbacks recall and the more you can understand where he is coming from and the amount of horrible things he has seen.
Lucy, My thinking with this chapter is that it is one of Hayley's father's flashbacks. It is italicized and I'm thinking that all of the italicized parts are flashback's of some character's in the book. Also, it talks about not remembering what his wife looked like but remembering what his daughter looks like, " I don't remember what my wife looks like, but I recognize death... I remember what my little girl looks like" (Anderson 12). Hayley's mother (which would be her father's wife) is dead, and he does have a little girl who is Hayley. This is why I think it's one of Hayley's dad's flashbacks. - Abbey Skaggs
I have a question, I was wondering if you consider Hayley a freak or a zombie? My assumption is that she considers herself a freak because she addresses a group of girls as fellow freaks, "Gracie dragged me to the corner where some fellow freaks were trying to copy poses from a yoga app on a girl's phone" (Halse Anderson 57). -Abbey Skaggs
I agree with you, Abbey. I think Hayley considers herself a freak because she portrays the zombies as not particularly descent people, and the freaks as normal/good people. This is why she distances herself from school activities and friendships.
Luke, I believe that Hayley's dad did not tell her that he quit his job because he doesn't want her to be disappointed in him. Hayley has to push her father just to do everyday things. Hayley wants her dad to succeed and he knows this. By telling Hayley that he quit his job he knows that it would hurt Hayley.
I agree with Kendra, but also, I think that If Hayley was told her father lost his job, it would but more stress on Haley and it would keep her worrying. When her father doesnt have a job, Michael is often over and they do bad things. Hayley already has to take care of her father,and her father probably didnt want her to worry about her too.
In several chapters we start to see the beginning of Hayley and Finn's friendship. Based on this foreshadowing, what do you predict will happen with their relationship in future chapters? -Grace Luther
My prediction? Well I predict that they will become something more than friends (*insert kissy heart face emoji here*). This is mostly because of the comments she sometimes make after or while she is talk to him that kinda relates to how I would react and then probably end up liking the person later. That's just me though.
I predict that Finn will break through to Hayley. Although Hayley finds him annoying at times, she craves the sight of Finn next to her. It's inevitable that they will end up as a couple.
I'm curious to see how everyone is reacting to the characters I'm the book, who is everyone's favorite character? However, i guess nobody reads at the exact same pace and opinions change- at YOUR current part of the book who is your favorite character? Mine's Finn (pg 70)
I like Finn too! He seems like the only character who doesn't dull the mood. Hayley rarely seems happy, likewise with her father. Gracie and Topher argue a lot, and according to Hayley everyone else in her school are mindless zombies. Finn always has something witty to say which really lightens the mood.
My favorite character is Finn as well. I think he brings out the best in Hayley. Though he might have been considered a "zombie" in the beginning, it appears that Hayley has maybe warmed up to him and possibly started liking him (after getting to know him). It seems that Hayley might be a little reluctant to think that someone might actually like and pay her some attention, but Finn has altered that mind set completely. (Chapter 35)
My favorite character is Finnegan. He seems to be the jokester of the group and likes to tell jokes. He also is a somewhat nerd, tells cheesy pick-up lines, and loves chocolate milk. Finn is like the boy version of me. Overall, he just seems to be a happy person unlike the other main characters who constantly have drama
Hey, on page 184-185 I'm really confused about what Hayley is doing. (spoiler alert) "Her face in the mirror melted, morphed one centimeter at a time the way pictures in a flip book do when you slide your thumb down the edge of the pages" (Anderson 184). "The eyes smudged like they were being wiped off with a fat pink eraser, and then they were gone, too. The mirror was empty. I blinked" (Anderson 185). What do you think Anderson means by this? I think it's trying to show us that Hayley is confident in herself in knowing that she has to be strong to get through the situation that she's in, rather than giving up like the girl she sees in the mirror. Immediately afterwards, she notes to herself that she should probably leave Gracie's house before she turns into the girl she saw; could this symbolize the fact that she should stop trying to recall her childhood? I wonder what else she'll discover as she continues digging deeper?
When I read these pages it sounded to me that she was starting to see the "zombie" she was turning into. She started to try to surpresses her pain with drugs, which is what the zombies do. But looking at it in a sense of her childhood is interesting. But in that case, I don't think she'll stop looking into her past.
I'm on chapter 44- Why do you think Hayley took a pill from Gracie's stash? I think Hayley might be conforming and turning "zombi-ish", otherwise she never would have popped a pill. I suspect she will steal weed from her dad later in the book as well.
Carley, I don't think that Hayley took the pill realizing it. Gracie was taking the pills and peer pressure is strong everywhere, not to mention Hayley was really stressed about her dad getting worse and almost hacking her and Finn into tiny freak-pieces. You're right that she absolutely could have smoked some weed from her dad, but she knew that she had to stay away from that to take care of her dad. I also agree with you that Haley was turning zombie-ish at this part because of her relationship with Finn, but this is where she realizes it and changes.
I think Hayley took a pill from Gracie's stash because she was under a lot of peer pressure brought on by Gracie and Gracie really made it feel like it would make Hayley's struggles go away if she were to take the pills and Hayley would have done just about anything to relieve some of her stress and relax for a while. Here is a link to show just how influencing peer pressure is, what it can lead people to do and how common it is. https://www.aacap.org/aacap/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/Facts_for_Families_Pages/Peer_Pressure_104.aspx
I believe that Haley took a pill because she was under pressure and stress. With her dad seemingly to get worse I feel as if she thought that by taking the pill her problems would almost slip away. Also her friend Grace was pressuring her to take the pill and the world in general pressures you to do things such as this. In one of our group talks we discussed what year we thought this book was written in and we came up with the answer 2011 or 2012 so if you think about she's facing some of the same pressures we are today.
After the great night Hayley saw her dad having with the army guys, how surprised do you think she was to see him acting the way he did when he wasn't drunk or stoned? I was sad and honestly a little disappointed that he couldn't remain "normal" for more than 12 hours.
I just read the first part of chapter 59- Do you think there is any symbolism in mirrors? It seems that her childhood memories come up when she looks in a mirror, and sees the reflection of a younger version of herself. It could also have something to do with other people's houses: Gracie's and Finn's seem to bring back memories.
Blake my prediction for the ending of this book has been the same since I started reading it, that Hayley's father would end up killing himself, attempt to commit suicide, hurt himself or even hurt/kill someone else. I have been looking at articles and websites about PTSD and have found the following one very helpful to my understanding of PTSD: http://www.metanoia.org/suicide/ptsd.htm This website talks about how sucicdal people often meet the formal criteria for PTSD because of all of the symptoms such as flashbacks and nightmares which Hayley's father has. -Abbey Skaggs
Hey everyone, this interview between the author and Entertainment Weekly gives a great insight as to how Anderson's childhood translated to the novel. She talks about her similarities with Hayley, how the book connects with her personally, etc.
Just finished chapter 62 and had a question. Do you guys think it's possible for Andy and Trish to get back together? If they do, how will this affect Hayley? When she visited the college campus with Finn, she mentioned taking online courses because she "had" to stay with her Dad; yet if her hatred for Trish is so real, and they got back together, do you think she would still stay to help her Dad? What kind of short term and long term effects would this have on her? It seems like a very real possibility because Hayley walked in on the two having a dinner date (so it seemed) Halloween night. Initially, I think Hayley would be furious; though I can see that Trish is trying and that she has possibly changed for the better, so maybe long term the three will get along. What are your thoughts?
Hello fellow classmates, I am a little confused when Hayley burns the letter Trish sent to her. It is quite obvious that Hayley has a burning hatred for Trish, but what could she have done so wrong to get Hayley to despise her to this point? It can be imagined that out of curiosity Hayley would open the letter just to read and and see what it was about, however she does not do so. What are your thoughts on what Trish could have done ?
When the school counselor mentioned Trish as Hayley's stepmom, Hayley denied having one. It took her a minute to reply because she felt a lot of anger, hearing Trish's name. I assume that Trish is the only motherly figure Hayley has had in her life since her biological mom died, and that she left when Hayleys father's PTSD episodes became too hard to live with. It's hard enough for Hayley to let people in and so when Trish left, Hayley must have felt immense pain, feeling betrayed.
Why do you think that Haley (Rose) never went to anyone for help? For example when her dad got drunk and almost hit her she could have called Finn and asked him to come get her but I think that it's that she's scared that when someone finds out how bad her situation is she'll be abandoned.
Mack, I believe that Hayley never went to anyone for help because the last person who helped them was Trish and Trish broke her heart. Trish was like a mom to her and took care of her and then she just left them when her dads issues were getting worse. After she left them it was just Hayley and her dad. So, it is possible she did not really know how to ask someone for help for her situation because she had to take care of herself and her father so she was used to doing things on her own without peoples assistance. Another possibility was that she did not want to ask anyone else for help because she was afraid how they would react to her situation. She was possibly afraid that they would not understand and judge her negatively instead of helping. With Finn I don't think that she wanted his help because she did not want him to see her dad like that .
I think that either, like you said, she's afraid of the outcome if someone comes to help her, and I also think that it could be that she doesn't want people to think she needs help. She wants to appear strong and independent on the outside, even though on the inside sometimes, she's terrified.
On page 2, Hayley says, "I did not give a crap about the Stalinist rules of underpaid orcs." How do the Stalinist rules she is talking about in detention relate to Stalin's rules that we talked about in World Studies?
Hailey, My thinking with this line in the book was automatically that this is an allusion to Joseph Stalin and his period of rule over Russia which at the time was the Soviet Union. During Stalin's rule the people were very concerned over their freedom; the people of Russia had to follow what the state allowed. This connects to what Hayley is saying because she is in school, in detention and obviously got the detention for not following the schools rules, which in the allusion would be Stalin's rules. Hailey is basically saying that herself being a student feels as if at school she has no freedom because she is supposed to follow the rules of the "underpaid orcs" which are really the teachers. The following link tells about Joseph Stalin's rule over the Soviet Union (Russia): http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/Stalins%20Russia.htm
Hailey, I believe that in certain attributes this can be related to Joseph Stalin. In Russia Stalin ruled in a communist government that basically becomes a dictatorship. Freedom and rights are taken away from the people. In school detention in a way is almost the same. They put people on lock down and take away the rights that they might of had during a regular, but there's also the point that the kids did something to deserve the detention which gives the leaders (teachers) a right to punish them in a way they see valid. Also Haley believe she didn't deserve this detention so it also goes along with the people in Russia didn't believe their rights should be taken away. So really it depends on how the person might depict the message
In response to Kendra's comment, I think Hayley may be ashamed at something she did to Trish, that's why when people try to talk to her about it she shuts the conversation down. On the other hand, maybe Trish did something to Hayley and/or her Dad that she does not like to talk about. It is hard to say what she did since I don't know much about her, but I was thinking that maybe she did something to worsen her Dad's PTSD in some way. Or, Trish tried to act too much as a mother figure to Hayley. Since Hayley's mom died, I can't imagine her liking that.
I have a question for ya'llll, What do you think happened to Hayley's mom, and could that have any effect on the state Hayley's dad is in? Every time Hayley's mom is brought up, her dad plays it off like he does not want to talk about it. I know that most of Mr. Kincain's condition is related to PTSD from the war, but could there also be part of his past or childhood that makes him so guarded and reluctant to help himself?
In my opinion, I think that both Rebecca's death and Andy's experiences in the war cause his PSD. This is supported by the fact that Andy feels better when his army friends come to visit, because they knew his wife and went through what he went through.
Oh my gosh, I've thought about this before! I'm actually kinda scared to think about it, you wouldn't exactly want to be a zombie but I feel like that's what I would be. To be honest, it isn't really our choice or our view, it's how OTHERS view us.
I feel that I would be both depending on the situation. If the situation is something that mattered to me I think I would be a freak while if something didn't really matter to me I feel I'd be a zombie.
Do you think Hayley's truly hates Trish because she has offended her by leaving her, or do you think that Hayley truly loves Trish because she took care of her and loved her and that shes just upset that Trish left because she didn't want her to go? Do you think Hayley is actually relieved that Trish is back because she missed her and the attention she got from her that she doesn't recieve from her father?
I have a question as well. :) We learn about Hayley's past because of the ripping of the knife throughout the story. It seems like her memories trigger at random times. What do you think the purpose of the memories are and is there a reason why they happen when they do?
I think that the memories are used as both flashbacks and foreshadowing. On page 161 there is a "ripping" text in which Hayley remembers herself drowning. This is obviously a flashback, but I took it as foreshadowing to Trish coming back and reminding Hayley of her past. Not just of her and Trish being friends, but of Andy being a "normal" father. But trying to understand where and how they're placed, I'm just not getting it.
This is an informational page on PTSD and explains more about it and how you can identify it and diagnose the disease. The cite also has actual veterans' experiences. If you're looking for a way to help, it has that as well!
What do you think is causing Hayley to not try in school and get bad grades? I think Hayley is too distracted with her Dad's struggles and also because she is not really pushed to try hard in schools by her parents.
I believe that Hayley is doing so poorly in school due to her new distraction, Finn. With Finn around Hayley is less worried about school work and is more worried about her relationship. I agree that Hayley is doing poorly in school because of her dad's situation, but I think that Hayley isn't focused on school because she just isn't determined. Hayley needs more of a push to do better in school.
In my opinion I feel that Haley doesn't try in school because she feels that it can take her no where in life. Since she has to deal with her dad's problem so much she doesn't feel that she will need college in the future because she's thinks that for the rest of her life she will be stuck with her dad. It's more in the mind thinking of "what's the point of trying to do it when it's boring and isn't going to be beneficial in the future".
Why do you think Hayley's Dad tends to usually take his anger out on Hayley? I think Hayley's Dad takes his anger out on Hayley because Hayley is the only one he is always around and she sometimes aggravates him, setting him off.
I think that Hayley's Dad gets angry when he's around Hayley because she's a reminder of the reality he's trying so hard to forget. When she's not around it's easy for him to do drugs with Michael or drink all day. However, when he sees Hayley it reminds him of his failures as a parent.
Why do you think Hayley's Dad had his ex-girlfriend come over without informing Hayley first? I think Hayley's Dad knew that Hayley would be upset about it and he did not want to upset her anymore and wanted Hayley to go and enjoy a night with her friends.
What do you think caused Haley's dad to finally try to commit suicide? - In my opinion I think that he realized how bad his flashbacks to the war were getting and that he was starting to hurt Haley. Also I think Trish plays into this as well because in his letter to Trish he tells her to take care of Haley and to love her. I think he saw that since Trish was there someone would be there for Haley so he didn't have to be there anymore.
Mack, I think that what finally pushed Hayley's dad to attempt suicide was his realization that he wasn't actually helping Hayley, but that he was somewhat a burden to her. When Hayley asks him why he never showed her the pictures of her mother, he replies, "Thought I'd screwed you up enough already" (Anderson 380). This shows that Andy feels guilty of being a job for Hayley with his condition and his bad temper. Also, it is obvious that the effects of having PTSD has something to do with his attempt as well. I think that this is what caused him to finally try to commit suicide. This article gives information about the relationship between PTSD and suicide. I see a lot of the factors that contribute to suicide in this article that are shown in Andy: https://d3gqux9sl0z33u.cloudfront.net/AA/AT/gambillingonjustice-com/downloads/220343/The_Relationship_Between_PTSD_and_Suicide.pdf
Do you think that Hayley has the flashbacks like her dad because her dad having PTSD gives her some symptoms of PTSD because he was the only person she has besides Finn?
It shows in her flashbacks that she has had at least some form of trauma. In an article from Helpguide.org, it is stated "that Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop following a traumatic event that threatens your safety or makes you feel helpless". It is easy to say that there is situations where she felt endangered and/or helpless. I believe she herself may have minor PTSD.
Hello.I'm in chapter 42 and am curious about how Hayley's mother, Rebecca died. I don't know if i just missed it or hasn't been talked about yet. The information would better help me relate to the content and emotions. Thanks.
Hey Jasmine. In the book, the death of Hayley's mother was not clear. However, the author implied that Rebecca was in a car crash when Hayley was very little. She was said to be "T-Boned".
Something I don't understand is why Hayley is so rude to Trish. I know that Trish took care of her when she was little and then she left. I just don't think Hayley needs to act like this toward Trish. Other thoughts?
Hayley is so rude to Trish because she was always drunk and cheating on her dad while Hayley was already dealing with her dad being away and Trish was the one parent-like figure that she grew up with and to have that person totally ditch you in the most impressionable years of your life, it hurts, and odds are no matter what kind if person you are, that person is not going to be your favorite... even if they try to win you back.
I feel like it goes both ways. Gracie is really Hayleys only friend that is a girl. She trusts her and supports her. Gracie also gives her good advice. On the other hand, Gracie does give Hayley pills to make her feel "better". Hayley is also depressed and Gracie is giving her idea to worsen the problem.
I feel that Gracie is a bad influence on Hayley because she gets Hayley to do things that she normally wouldn't do such as when she kept encouraging Hayley to take some pills "to help her through her problems".
Gracie does try to help out Hayley, but Gracie is not a positive influence on her. Gracie has tried to get Hayley to take pills and fell under the peer pressure to drink alcohol at a party and get drunk. She also went behind her mother's back and told Hayley it was okay to come over when it wasn't, then lied about it. Given Hayley's situations at home, these definitely are not positive influences.
I think that Gracie is bad influence on Hayley. She does not do much to help Hayley with her dad and in school and she gets Hayley to do things that are not necessarily the best, but she is someone for Hayley to talk to.
Finn and Hayley like each other because they both have their own problems and need someone outside their own family to talk to and voice their thoughts too. Also Hayley isn't gross sounding, although I do think she is annoying, Finn is also annoying to. But how she sounds ugly and gross to you, I don't know. The author tries to make her sound realistic and relatable.
I believe that the author was trying exaggerate that relationships aren't just about looks and reputations. Finn and Hayley are both "freaks", they are both weird, and that makes them compatible.
I believe that Finn likes Hayley even though the author makes her sound ugly because Finn realizes that Hayley is going through tough times and she also needs help and he enjoys helping Hayley and witnessing her reactions to what he does for her, creating a bond between the two, becoming almost unbreakable, no matter what they go through.
Hey, I was just curious if anyone found any relevance to the italicized, page long chapter that tell of Hayley's dad's army days. I honestly didn't really think about it, but I wondered if there was something I missed. For example, chapter 45 when in 44, Hayley and Gracie were popping pills.
Chapter 44: gracie is explaining to Hayley how Topher's ex is asking him for help on an English assignment.. Gracie thinks it's more than just some English assignment and she talks about how it's like how Romeo and Juliet are teens who meet, instantl marry and well.. you know where this is going...
Did you guys find the ending satisfying? If not, how would you change it? I thought it was good and I liked that it was a happy ending for Hayley and Andy, but Gracie's parents were still divorced and Trish was still secluded from the family. If I were to change anything for better some of these things would have been resolved as well.
I feel that the ending of the book was mostly satisfying. I like the fact that it ends on a cheerful note and that it somewhat resolves Hayley's problems. However I feel that the author could have done a little bit more with the book. For example, I feel that she could have talked more about Hayley and her dad. Instead of saying her dad was getting better have him get better and talk about what their family situation was with Trish. Also I feel that the author could have talked more about how Gracie and Topher. For example, have a happy ending for them in the end of the book as well. Like a paragraph that explained what happened to them at the end of the book. For example, their college plans or what they were going to do after the summer. Overall I somewhat liked the ending but I feel that it was somewhat abrupt and that more could have been done to it.
I feel as if the end was not as satisfying as I would like. It could have involved more action at the end, and had a stronger climax. Also, it doesnt tell you what happens to Gracies parents, so overall, the book gives you a feeling of dissapointment because the story builds up well, but it falls flat at the end.
In the book, it is obvious that Andy suffers from PTSD. In reality many veterans suffer from the same thing as well, plus many other brain disorders/disabilities. Is it true that the United States should be doing more to help the veterans that so bravely fight for our country? In the article I am attaching, it describes a veteran who was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan who suffers from PTSD and another brain disorder that is really struggling.
file:///C:/Users/slmcswor/Documents/pstdcartoon.jpg as we see in Hayley's dad, PTSD can be sort of a grenade, and you don't want to do anything to set it off. Sometimes though, the bomb can be disguised so that it doesn't seem like a deadly explosive. Iinstead, everyone else just sees the mirage, and not the reality that is a life or death situation. It takes someone really close to the person with PTSD to know the truth.
I don't know for sure if it says in the book but this review say he was in the Army fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-impossible-knife-of-memory-laurie-halse-anderson/1115700021?ean=9780670012091
Do you think that having Finn as a boyfriend is improving Hayley's family relationship, or breaking them apart even more? Do you think Hayleys Dad's outbreak was an overreaction or an action caused by intoxication?
Is Hayley just mad at Trish over the fact she left her or some other factor like abuse? In the book Hayley has a flashback to remembering Trish holding her and comforting her from her dad. Did Trish really ever do anything wrong? Or has Hayley been scarred some other way?
In chapter 86(if your not there, don't read this yet; spoilers!) Trish tells Hayley about the day she and her Dad had almost drowned in a pool. Andy had a seizure in the water; Hayley tried to save him, but she could not swim yet, and she almost drowned. From this comes her fear of water. And also from this, she may see herself as the one who need to keep him safe. This is what scared her. The thing that Trish did wrong in Hayley's eyes is that she drank a lot and then Trish just left Hayley and Andy. Hayley thought that Trish(when she came back), she would make Andy's PTSD come back, worse then before.
I found this article, that explains how PTSD can effect relationships. This may help you understand Hayley and Andy's relationship. http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/family/ptsd-and-relationships.asp
I feel like someone probably already posted about this but there is more than 80 comments and notes on this blog so I'm not going through it. Anyways, Hayley at one point towards the end, and probably other times throughout her life, wants to run away, get away from all the chaos that is her life. Has anyone else just been so fed up with parents or siblings that you just want to pack up your stuff and leave? It cant possibly be just me.
I think we've all been there, I remember once when I was five I even packed a bag and made it down the drive way! But sadly, that's not how life works,you must return to reality, and battle through your problems, not turn away and pretend they don't exist. For the majority of her life Hayley has witnessed her dad running away from his problems, but despite the bad influece he's been on her, she doesn't run away, she goes back and stares Life in face, not backing down. "Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced".
In the book there are several chapters that are Hayley's father's episodes of PTSD. What do you think caused his PTSD? I believe what caused Hayley's father's PTSD were the many tramatic experiences he had to endure during the war. All of those experiences put together would really take a toll on someone emotionally and mentally and some of the flashbacks in the book were very brutal. I have attached a link in this blog that explains PTSD and its causes. http://my.clevelandclinic.org/neurological_institute/center-for-behavorial-health/disease-conditions/hic-post-traumatic-stress-disorder.aspx
Also another cause of his PTSD may have caused by him having a seizure in a pool and almost drowning. Although most of it was most likely caused by his time in the war.
Why do you think Hayley never takes her dad to get professional help? She has to know that he needs treatment and that living in that house, constantly loosing jobs isn't helping him get any better. I think it's because she doesn't want him to feel like she's abadoning him and she doesn't want to lose him.There are plenty of places to receive help http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-treatment/2011/03/08/id/370857/ These are just a few of many places out there to help people like Hayley's dad.
Hayley says in the book that she wants her dad to get help and even asks him to go to the VA hospital, but she cant force him to go. She says that her dad had gotten a prescription from a doctor but he never used it. He knows she wants him to go, but he chooses not to go.
Here's a link http://samafoundation.org/youth-substance-addiction/effects-of-drugs-on-adolescent-brain/ . It talks about the effects of alcohol and drugs in the teenage brain. In the book there is a lot of usage of drugs and alcohol, so here's an explanation of what this do to the teenage brain. Give me your thoughts.
When Hayley's dad leaves the house to the quarry, how did she figure out where he was going? Was it the memory rip about when she drowned, because from that it seemed like he was going to drown, not jump off a cliff.
I was reading about what PTSD really is and this will answer any questions. http://m.helpguide.org/articles/ptsd-trauma/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd.php
There are a lot of veterans who come back from the war with PTSD, after reading the link http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/family/helping-family-member.asp what are some ways you can reach out to those with PTSD?
Do you think that Hayley's dad's actions have a big influence on the way Hayley acts? I was wondering because when she went to Finn's house she was about to drink alcohol just like she has seen her father drink after he dropped out of the military.
I most definitely believe that Hayley is influenced by the way her father acts. Everyone is influenced by their parents, for example if it weren't for my mom I probably would not be doing music, I may be more into sports. Seeing her dad drink after all these years, it is almost surprising to see that she has restrained from alcohol. In some cases, alcoholism may be hereditary.
I also believe that Hayley's dad definitely influenced her in the way he acts. I mean in the relationship between Hayley and her father she acts more like the parent. Also in the book her dad's illness really takes a toll on her too. For example on page 192 in the book Hayley makes the statement "the crazy inside Dad had infected me, weakened me so that when Finn smiled, I'd been vulnerable." (Anderson). Throughout the book Hayley is constantly worrying about her dad's illness and it effects her majorly. This effects her on her schoolwork and just in her ability to live without worry and constant feeling like something bad is going to happen. I feel that if her dad would not have PTSD he would not drink or have any of those problems which effect Hayley. Also Hayley then would not constantly have to worry about her dad. This would allow her to focus more on school and on just being a teenager.
By the point where we're SUPPOSED TO BE in the book (no spoiling), what do you believe to be the most important theme, if any? Do you think any different themes will show up by the end of the book? Why do you think so?
I feel that Hayley is influenced by her fathers ptsd in the way that she asses people as threats or non-threats. But the drinking and drugs is something everybody faces and that we make a conscious decision on what we put in our bodies it doesn't just happen.
I found some great facts about PTSD that added to my knowledge of this topic: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/basics/symptoms/con-20022540 It explains about the symptoms of the disorder, and causes of it as well. Post Dramatic Stress Disorder is a very serious condition and the more you know about it, the more aware you are!
In the book Hayley struggles with school especially in the subject of Pre-calc. Can you relate to her struggle in school or just in one subject? I can relate with the struggle in on subject. That subject is geometry. I have a really hard time understanding the topics especially when it comes to proofs. Even though I can relate to the topics I can not however relate to the extent of struggle that Hayley had in school. My struggle was nearly not as bad as hers.
I think that everyone goes through the struggle of having that one subject that doesn't come as easily as the rest do. Like you, I struggle in geometry. However, keep in mind that there are a lot of variables that can bring someone's grade down. Some people don't test well, some people don't commit to studying, and some people don't pay in class (cough, cough, Hayley). I think Hayley does so bad in calc because her teacher is kind of a jerk and failing in his class gives her a certain satisfaction.
Madi, I found a great video on Laurie Halse Anderson's views on school and the pressures associated with it. This could be related to the reason why Hayley also hates school. Youtube Video
If you have read all the way through this book, do you think that Laurie Halse Anderson ended the book how it was supposed to be ended? Authors have complete control over what they write, but sometimes conclusions can be hard to get right. A good guide for ending a book can be found on http://businessbuildingbooks.com/how-to-end-your-book-4-ways-to-leave-readers-with-a-smile/. This should be able to give you enough information to know if Laurie ended the book in the correct way for The Impossible Knife of Memory.
Finn has many family problems, so I am wondering why he never does anything about them. I think it might be because of how he handles everything else; by not confronting his problems and taking the easier way out instead (quitting swim team, never fixing his car, etc.). Any other ideas?
In reply to Ean's comment, I think Finn is partly embarassed by his problems. Considering his sister does drugs and his family has no money. Those kind of problems are hard to talk to people about, and I feel like Finn thinks that if he does people will think he is weird.
I agree with Hunter. I think that Finn is embarrassed and shy about his family life. He does not want to be judged because he might think that will make all of his other problems a lot worse. I think he does not want people to look at him differently based on his family issues.
So, a question has come up in my group as to what year this book has taken place. We know that Hayley's mom died in 1998, when Hayley was a little baby. Since she is seventeen, does that mean that the book is set in 2015 into 2016? That is the conclusion that my group has come to, I just would like to know what everyone else thinks.
Wow, i never really thought about it. That would make sense though, Hayley is a senior which would make her around 17 or 18. Therefore, assuming Hayley was 1 or less, the book would indeed be around this time-frame. Also, considering that this book was published not to long ago (2014 or 2013), Laurie HAlse Anderson could have purposefully made this book so that it would take place in 2014-2016.
I agree with Shelby. I think Laurie Halse Anderson made the setting around current times so the reader has a better connection with the story. The plot would have changed greatly if the story occurred in the 1900's.
I think that the reason for Hayley becoming a "zombie" and breaking up with Finn is all because she keeps holding in her feelings which are getting worse as her dad gets worse, so these isolated feelings are just building up and kind of just exploding inside of her. What do you think?
In the book Hayley puts people in the category of zombies and freaks. I think that I am honestly a combination of zombies and freaks. I am a zombie in the sense of I follow the rules of teachers and I am a goodie-goodie. I am a freak in the sense that I do not conform to society. I do not do things I feel are wrong or go through life doing whatever other people do. I have a mind of my own. So, which category are you?
Honestly, I would categorize myself as a zombie because just like you, I will conform to the ways of my teachers, and I most of the time will do whatever they ask and believe what they teach. I also am concerned with the way I come across to other people, and I find myself doing things sometimes to not seem weird, I guess. I can be a combo of both sometimes but for the most part, I would classify myself as a zombie.
So, I found myself asking what the answer to this question would be as I filled out my discussion questions. How does the storm around Andy as he is trying to attempt suicide relate to the way he gets along with his daughter? Personally, I thought that both the storm and the relationship were killing the two of them. The storm was going to freeze them to death, and the relationship was just physically taxing for the both of them. Hayley had to grow up really quickly and that was sometimes hard for her. Does this seem like a reasonable answer? Do you guys have anything else to add?
I agree with you Hailey. I believe that their lives were so chaotic during that time of the snow storm. Hayley didn't know what to make of the situations that she was dealing with, with her father, and they both felt a little lost. And, much like how the storm calmed, Hailey and her father finally "found" each other again and everything turned out to be okay.
I do agree with you Hailey. Although i did add something else into the question. Like you said Hayley had to grow up very quickly due to the fact that no one was there to parent her and that she had to be the responsible one. I believe that just as a snowstorm is, it is unpredictable when Andy will be in a good or bad mood. Same goes for Andy and Hayley's relationship. Sometimes it's not that bad at home and others Hayley just feels like running away. They have to fight through the storm just to make it through the day.
Page 127 made me wonder, what drives people into temptation? Not just teenagers and kids, everybody. Even if someone knows the consequence of an action, why do they fall under that spell of temptation?
Madison, I believe that when someone falls into temptation the problem is that they arn't thinking about the consequences. When somone is desperate, feeling happiness or having a good time can wash away any thought or feeling of what might happen next, whether it is bad or not. People in distress will jump right on a good oppertunity to feel "good".
when you read this book do you feel that the situations are too clear cut? there's a right and a wrong choice, there's no grey area where a choice could be good or bad. what are your opinions?
Every decision that goes on in the book definetly has a huge impact in the book. It seems that every choice leads to a bad situation and i think that the author does this on purpose to make the book more dramatic and suspensful, not that it really works...
I agree thta the situations are too clear cut. If there was more of a grey area, the book could have ben more exciting because you wouldnt know what the character would do, but the book was a little too predictable at times.
I have a question for this quote in chapter 86,Must have had a tiny stroke or a seizure in the deep end,"(Anderson 357). This moment was when Trish was explain to Hayley how her dad fell in the pool when she was little. My question is if you think it was an accident, brain injury, or purposeful? The reason I am asking is because Hayley was the only one outside so no one really knows how it happened. Thanks.
I think that Andy fell in the pool on accident because he had an injury, but not necessarily a brain injury. A couple sentences before said, "the docs had discharged Andy too early,but we didn't know it then." (Anderson 357). This leads me to conclude that Andy fell on accident because of previous problems that weren't fully solved.
Going along with Gr ace, I think he fell in on accident as a result of having an injury. If you think about it, since Andy does have war experiences, he probably had to make sure he had experience with water before going into war. (just incase something would happen). Also, since the doctors released him early, they did not think a near death experience would happen or else they would have kept him in longer.
I have a question about the end of the book. What led Hayley to realize where her dad would be was it something he said in the past or was it something about one of the present he left.
Read page 376 and the top of 377. It starts with Hayley having a knife rip of the swimming pool incident after that she realizes what he was doing. All along.
In response to Luke: I think I would try to help him as much as possible. I would probably try doing what they did at the end of the book (HUGE BIG HUMUNGOUS MONSTROUS SPOILER ALERT) after he wanted to commit suicide and send him to VA because apparently he got really well after that and even "remembered how to smile" (Anderson 387). It seemed like the right thing to do and it could've been done all along.
Personally, I felt like the book was just one huge rising action. I feel like the whole book was leading to the climax which didn't last very long and then the book basically ended right after the climax and I didn't really like that. So I would like to know peoples' opinions on the way the book ended. Thanks!
I think the book had 2 climaxes and two falling actions. The first climax was when Hayley comes home after Andy found out about Roy I then feel like it was a falling action until the snowstorm when Hayley and Finn find the presents under te tree
I think that what caused Hayley's realization was her last knife rip. She says, "I could see everything...the memory of Daddy under the water. 'I know where he is'" (Anderson 377). This memory was recurring throughout the story and it shows the connection between her father and water. In a way, it foreshadowed that he was going to the quarry. Also, on Halloween, Andy advised Hayley to stay away from the quarry, which hinted that the quarry would have something to do with his suicide attempt. After the previous knife ripping, I think Hayley had the epiphany that her father went to the quarry.
Why is it not a thing to be able to like someone's post? I'd be liking a whole bunch. Like can i just comment *Thumbs up* or *likes* because i just want you all to know that I enjoy reading this group's posts. Just a thought that occurred to me while counting how many blog posts I have.
http://danachawngthu.blogspot.com/2013/09/causes-and-consequences-of-broken-family.html?m=1 after reading this what do you think is the cause or causes of Hayley's broken family?
I have a question about Hayley. When she identifies the situations that she is in (her thinking threat, assess, and action), is that from growing up with her father in the military, always being on guard and defending himself, the things that she went through with his PTSD, or just that its part of her personality?
I think a big part of this is her dad being in the military. After his accident on Iraq more than likely he was always on guard, and Hayley probably took this up while growing up with him. For example in the book she talks about being on the road with him and for a time he wouldn't go under overpasses in fear of snipers. Being like this around Hayley would have helped her start to act like this, a lot of kids tend to do certain things like their parents would have.
(Spoiler alert) Now that Hayley is going off to college do you believe that Andy will get better or worse? I think that now that he is getting therapy and is really trying and now that he will have Trish around the house that he really will get better. I think it will take him some time and he will have to try really hard, but I think he will quit this time for Hayley. In addition, now that Hayley is going off to college do you think that she and Finn will last or break up soon after? I think they would try their best to stay together but would breakup one way or another, what do you believe ?
For most of the book, Hayley despises Trish. It says that she cheated on Hayley's father, and left. Do you think there is more to it than that? Since Hayley was young, and her father's condition, she could have missed big parts of it, more detailed reason's why she did what she did. Because Trish was so nice and caring to Hayley in the book, it could have been more complicated. What do you think?
In my opinion Trish did leave them when she became intoxicated which would make anyone hold a grudge. I also believe Hayley is being highly infuenced by her father's PTSD. She shows many of the same signs in this article. http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treatment/children/pro_child_parent_ptsd.asp
This is kind of a two-part question... If anyone (besides Hayley), who do you think was most effected by Andy's PTSD? I am also wondering why Roy or any of the other soldiers who were in the war with Andy weren't impacted as much as him/did not have PTSD when they had the same experiences as Andy.
I think Trish was also affected by Andy's PTSD because she was the closest woman to him after his wife died. That person's mental illness affects everyone around them, especially those the closest to them. For the second part of your question, everyone is different and they process memories and tragedies differently. They could have been in the same squad side by side, but everyone's brain reacts differently.
I believe that Trish was most effected. She was with him for a lot of the time while he had his condition, and since she kind of made it worse for him, he acted worse around her, which could have scared her at times. Also, I think that since Andy was a captain, he had one of the most important jobs, and I think also experiencing worse things than them.
"Then I'd see Finn in the hall, or I'd catch a glance of his profile out of the corner of my eye while we were driving to school, and he would turn to me and smile" (page 151). Have you ever thought about someone this way? What would you say if I told you that someone feels this exact same way?
Was Hayley just going through a huge phase of depression? The book is based on her story so it is very opinionated. Here are a few symptoms of depression that explain Hayley very well which led me to this question, were these problems really as bad as she made them seem or was she going through depression that made small problems appear major? http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/detecting-depression
I remembered talking about warning signs for suicide in health, and it occurred to me that Andy exhibited quite a few of the red flags such as giving away personal possessions, not caring about having a profession and alcohol/ drug abuse. At what point in the book did you realize he was suicidal? Here's an article on warning signs and risk factors. http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-recognizing-signs-of-suicide
Question. Why do you think Hayley's memory of what happened in the pool is all messed up? She remember's falling in, however Trish informs her that she jumped in, trying to save her dad. Have you ever experienced this? I've forgotten minor details in some memories, but never altered a major part of them subconsciously like Hayley did.
Sometimes me and Kayla get mixed up with our memories for example, Kayla: "so I just remembered blablahblahblah" me:"Dude that was me". So that's a thing.......
i know that if i am ever in a situation that is very intense i may forget what happened all together. I will have to ask people what happened even though i was there or i was directly involved in the situation. I do not know if other people experience that too...
Okay.. On page 365, the author explains that Hayley made an apple pie for Trish. This was supposed to be Trish's Christmas present from Hayley. Does this mean that Hayley and Trish are finally coming to terms? Or will the two of them always have a little bit of conflict?
I think the reason Hayley made the pie for Trish was to thank her for helping out her dad. I also believe that Hayley wants to like Trish but as she had said before, she is afraid to let her guard down. In that case I infer that there will always be a little bit of conflict between the two.
after reading the book and thinking it over, I have come to the conclusion that Hayley probably has been affected by Andy's PTSD through depression and possibly PTSD herself. I found this fantastic link about how PTSD can influence those around them.
"Dad called this version of Happily Ever After 'Good Enough for Today'." (Anderson 387)
When everyone got out of the hospitals and somewhat done with physical therapy, everything seems to be okay: Finn is at Swevenbury, Andy got help with his PTSD, etc. Do you think this will stay positive or do you think something will come up again like Rebecca isn't really dead or something crazy like that? I really don't care for a sequel...
I think everything will turn out good, and nothing crazy will happen. I feel as if Andy learned his lesson the hard way when he almost died, it was really a wake up call for all of them. I think Trish will still try to be a part of Hayley's life, and I think Hayley will be more accepting of her as well. That family went through so much and I feel as if they don't want to repeat the past.
"If this were a fairy tale, I'd stick in the 'Happily Ever After' crap right here. But this was my life, so it was a little more complicated than that" (Anderson 385).
When Hayley was thinking this, she was in the hospital after the quarry incident. I was wondering if this quote represented Hayley finally accepting her life the way it is or if she thought a moment like this will only come once and everything will slowly go downhill from here.
I think that when Hayley says this she is being her sarcastic self as if she really didnt care because of all she has gone through. I believe that Hayley is accepting the fact that her life isnt getting better and she is giving up, just like her dad did.
-In this article, the writer talks about the kind of people that are at risk of developing PTSD. In this article it talks about how a person can develop this disorder if they know someone close to them has it. Even though Andy is now getting help, could Trish has been effected too? She has been around Andy long enough to experience how he acts when he has an episode. Could that take a toll on her life as well?
The short and quite simple answer, is yes. This kind of disorder does not just effect one person, it effects everyone around them. They are extremely paranoid, and have little triggers usually. For Trish to help Andy that much, shows she cared more than we credit her for.
"I could see everything: ghost squares on the walls where Gramma used to hang our pictures, a sliver of glass in the carpet that I had missed, the memory of Daddy under the water" (Anderson 377). This quote is from right before the quarry scene where Hayley figures out how her Dad was going to try to commit suicide. I can infer from the quote that Hayley knew her dad was going to do it there because of the incident that happened between them in their past, but how and why does Hayley's memories always come flooding back to her and why do they always spark something else inside of her? This quote is just an example of it since it happens numerous times in the book. Also, in that quote Hayley has a few memories, then she figures out where her Dad will commit suicide. What are your thoughts?
" Her chin faded away next, then her mouth and her nose. The eyes smudged like they were being wiped off with a fat pink eraser, and then they were gone, too. The mirror was empty" (Anderson 184-185). What do you think led Hayley to go to Gracie's bathroom, and what do you think made Hayley put back the pills and leave. I think it is everything going on with her dad and her friends.
Hayley most likely considered taking the pills for just that reason, however a more in-depth look reveals that she has grown up with people who abuse drugs, and likes to accept that she is a rebel. She has witnessed both Gracie and her father go through problems using substance to hold back the pain for a little while, she considers following suit. She puts the pills back down when she realizes that drugs would both add to her problems, and change her into a person that she did not respect or want to be.
Why do you think Hayley says at the end of the book that the truth hurt too much if those memory's were good one and not one of her dad getting drunk or her dad and Trish fighting.
Steven, that is the basis of this book in my eyes. A girl who cant distinguish past and present half the time, but however some of her greatest memories hurt her the worst. All of her good memories of Trish cause her to hate her more each time. So basically, in the long run, she is hurt still.
Heres some facts on suicide. I found that many of them somehow related to Andy. Many people who have commited seem to have been exposed to some kind of special or unsual circumstances, different from the "Normal". Andy was exposed in the Miliary.
Will Finn and Hayley be able to maintain their relationship in the future? Hayley already blew up on Finn once and going off to college will not make things any easier for them. They seem to be good for each other but are they going to last if they will not be able to see each other?
To this story i must say that there is two sides to this argument. First, i must say, they are just kids. We all know they do not the mental maturity it takes to have a happy long term relationships, at least until they mature a bit. However, i must say that fighting is in fact something that must happen in everything to make the relationship stronger. That is what a relationship is, overcoming hard times and tough obstacles. So Maddux, i conclude by saying, no one will ever know.
Would it be more difficult to live in a house with two parents who are at war with each other or to live in a house with one parent who is at war with them self? The family situation for both Hayley and Gracie would be very difficult and could and would also cause the girls other problems. Here is an article on the possible affects of kids living with broken families: http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/effect-broken-family-development-5183.html
I would say two parents at war. As a son of divorced parents, i've witnessed both sides of the stories a few times. It is more gut wrenching to see mommy cuss out daddy and vice verse.
After reading a post by another student, I believed that i needed to ask a question that relates to many points of the book. Does fighting help couples? From Finn and Hayley, to Andy and Trish, does it help? I believe it does, but i want others opinions. To help your decision making, here is a link i found: http://www.match.com/magazine/article/13111/5-Fights-Every-Couple-Should-Have/
I think in moderation fighting can be good for couples, because it can help solve problems, and settle differences, but in the terms of Gracies parents, the fighting gets out of hand and appears to be almost constant. Gracies parents fighting does not help there relationship at all.
Fighting is never a god thing, as it can lead to poor relationships with partners, and emotional issues with children. Some good things can come from arguments, such as compromise and agreements, but most things can be prevented with communication. If you communicate with someone your needs, they have a chance to make sure it meets their needs as well, so you don't end up fighting about it later.
Since the end of the book doesnt actually tell you what happens to Gracies parents, what do you think will happen? I know that in the book they said they would try to work things out, but after thanksgiving dinner, I dont think thats possible, so I think they get divorced.
I don't think anything good happened to them. It seemed like a pretty big argument and everything when Gracie described it and after cheating, usually I don't see the couple getting back together. I'm guessing they got divorced.
I think after Andy trying to attempting to commit suicide, I can't believe how I never saw it coming. I actually felt pretty stupid. There are lots of things that Andy did that are connected to suicide and now that I look back, I should've seen it coming. What things did you notice that led you to believe Andy was going to commit suicide, if you did see it coming? And even though ABBEY told me it was going to happen before I got to it, I was still a little surprised. Even just the fact that he had PTSD is a big sign. Here are facts and how PTSD relates to depression and suicide: http://ccjm.org/content/79/2/92.full
While the suicide attempt by Andy was also a surprise to me, I noted a few signs that this might happen anyways throughout the book. For example, Hayley's constant worry about attempting just what he did is an example of foreshadowing, and her father seemed to recover from his fit of rage much too quickly for comfort. Here is a link providing some other signs of suicide found in the book, the most displayed one however is Andy's gift of the purple heart to Finn. This relates to the sign that people who are going to commit suicide often give away their belongings. http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2007/10/08/common-signs-of-someone-who-may-be-suicidal/
Do you agree or disagree with Hayley's different philosophies? Most notably, the philosophy that there are 2 people in this world, consisting of "zombies", and "freaks". I personally disagree with this, as she is both stereotyping people she hasn't seen for more than a few months, and the fact that she believes that there are clear cut "bad guys" and "good guys". She actually stereotyped both Finn and Gracie, believing that they couldn't possibly have problems just as serious as hers.
I believe her idea of freaks and zombies is an interesting take on today's society. Her idea on this seems to have worked in this book fairly well and accurately, and in my belief, it can be applied to the real world outside with little or no flaws. So I do agree with Hayley's philosophies.
Hayley is struggling in school. Do you think this is because of her lack of homeschooling, or being raised in a single parent home. This article gives helpful insight to believe that single parent homes may not actually effect academic performance.
I don't believe Hayley is struggling in school for either of these reasons. I believe it's because she just doesn't care enough to try. She hates the teachers, and doesn't find school important enough. I think she's smart and this is not showing through her grades, which could be brought up if she wanted them to be.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHere is an excellent article both about the author and IKOM:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/12/books/review/laurie-halse-andersons-impossible-knife-of-memory.html?_r=0
Hi! I have a question...for anyone who has read chapter 5, what does that mean? I'm very confused!
ReplyDeleteI think chapter 5 is relating to Haley's dad. It could possibly be a letter he wrote or him just thinking in his head. I also believe that this is a flashback to when he was in the war because it talks about several squad member in the army. This chapter could be foreshadowing what really happened to Haley's dad which we might find out about later in the book.
DeleteI agree with Luke, every few chapters a flashback of Hayley's dad's war days is given. I think this is to slowly introduce us to the entirety of his experiences. The further into the book you get, the more experiences these flashbacks recall and the more you can understand where he is coming from and the amount of horrible things he has seen.
DeleteLucy, My thinking with this chapter is that it is one of Hayley's father's flashbacks. It is italicized and I'm thinking that all of the italicized parts are flashback's of some character's in the book. Also, it talks about not remembering what his wife looked like but remembering what his daughter looks like, " I don't remember what my wife looks like, but I recognize death... I remember what my little girl looks like" (Anderson 12). Hayley's mother (which would be her father's wife) is dead, and he does have a little girl who is Hayley. This is why I think it's one of Hayley's dad's flashbacks. - Abbey Skaggs
ReplyDeleteI have a question, I was wondering if you consider Hayley a freak or a zombie? My assumption is that she considers herself a freak because she addresses a group of girls as fellow freaks, "Gracie dragged me to the corner where some fellow freaks were trying to copy poses from a yoga app on a girl's phone" (Halse Anderson 57). -Abbey Skaggs
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Abbey. I think Hayley considers herself a freak because she portrays the zombies as not particularly descent people, and the freaks as normal/good people. This is why she distances herself from school activities and friendships.
DeleteDoes anyone have an idea as to why Hayley's dad doesn't tell her that he quit his job? (Page 24 is where she finds out).
ReplyDeleteLuke, I believe that Hayley's dad did not tell her that he quit his job because he doesn't want her to be disappointed in him. Hayley has to push her father just to do everyday things. Hayley wants her dad to succeed and he knows this. By telling Hayley that he quit his job he knows that it would hurt Hayley.
DeleteI agree with Kendra, but also, I think that If Hayley was told her father lost his job, it would but more stress on Haley and it would keep her worrying. When her father doesnt have a job, Michael is often over and they do bad things. Hayley already has to take care of her father,and her father probably didnt want her to worry about her too.
DeleteIn several chapters we start to see the beginning of Hayley and Finn's friendship. Based on this foreshadowing, what do you predict will happen with their relationship in future chapters?
ReplyDelete-Grace Luther
My prediction? Well I predict that they will become something more than friends (*insert kissy heart face emoji here*). This is mostly because of the comments she sometimes make after or while she is talk to him that kinda relates to how I would react and then probably end up liking the person later. That's just me though.
DeleteI predict that Finn will break through to Hayley. Although Hayley finds him annoying at times, she craves the sight of Finn next to her. It's inevitable that they will end up as a couple.
DeleteI'm curious to see how everyone is reacting to the characters I'm the book, who is everyone's favorite character? However, i guess nobody reads at the exact same pace and opinions change- at YOUR current part of the book who is your favorite character? Mine's Finn (pg 70)
ReplyDeleteI like Finn too! He seems like the only character who doesn't dull the mood. Hayley rarely seems happy, likewise with her father. Gracie and Topher argue a lot, and according to Hayley everyone else in her school are mindless zombies. Finn always has something witty to say which really lightens the mood.
DeleteMy favorite character is Finn as well. I think he brings out the best in Hayley. Though he might have been considered a "zombie" in the beginning, it appears that Hayley has maybe warmed up to him and possibly started liking him (after getting to know him). It seems that Hayley might be a little reluctant to think that someone might actually like and pay her some attention, but Finn has altered that mind set completely.
Delete(Chapter 35)
My favorite character is Finnegan. He seems to be the jokester of the group and likes to tell jokes. He also is a somewhat nerd, tells cheesy pick-up lines, and loves chocolate milk. Finn is like the boy version of me. Overall, he just seems to be a happy person unlike the other main characters who constantly have drama
DeleteHey, on page 184-185 I'm really confused about what Hayley is doing. (spoiler alert) "Her face in the mirror melted, morphed one centimeter at a time the way pictures in a flip book do when you slide your thumb down the edge of the pages" (Anderson 184). "The eyes smudged like they were being wiped off with a fat pink eraser, and then they were gone, too. The mirror was empty. I blinked" (Anderson 185). What do you think Anderson means by this? I think it's trying to show us that Hayley is confident in herself in knowing that she has to be strong to get through the situation that she's in, rather than giving up like the girl she sees in the mirror. Immediately afterwards, she notes to herself that she should probably leave Gracie's house before she turns into the girl she saw; could this symbolize the fact that she should stop trying to recall her childhood? I wonder what else she'll discover as she continues digging deeper?
ReplyDeleteWhen I read these pages it sounded to me that she was starting to see the "zombie" she was turning into. She started to try to surpresses her pain with drugs, which is what the zombies do.
DeleteBut looking at it in a sense of her childhood is interesting. But in that case, I don't think she'll stop looking into her past.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI'm on chapter 44-
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think Hayley took a pill from Gracie's stash?
I think Hayley might be conforming and turning "zombi-ish", otherwise she never would have popped a pill. I suspect she will steal weed from her dad later in the book as well.
Carley, I don't think that Hayley took the pill realizing it. Gracie was taking the pills and peer pressure is strong everywhere, not to mention Hayley was really stressed about her dad getting worse and almost hacking her and Finn into tiny freak-pieces. You're right that she absolutely could have smoked some weed from her dad, but she knew that she had to stay away from that to take care of her dad. I also agree with you that Haley was turning zombie-ish at this part because of her relationship with Finn, but this is where she realizes it and changes.
DeleteI think Hayley took a pill from Gracie's stash because she was under a lot of peer pressure brought on by Gracie and Gracie really made it feel like it would make Hayley's struggles go away if she were to take the pills and Hayley would have done just about anything to relieve some of her stress and relax for a while. Here is a link to show just how influencing peer pressure is, what it can lead people to do and how common it is. https://www.aacap.org/aacap/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/Facts_for_Families_Pages/Peer_Pressure_104.aspx
DeleteI believe that Haley took a pill because she was under pressure and stress. With her dad seemingly to get worse I feel as if she thought that by taking the pill her problems would almost slip away. Also her friend Grace was pressuring her to take the pill and the world in general pressures you to do things such as this. In one of our group talks we discussed what year we thought this book was written in and we came up with the answer 2011 or 2012 so if you think about she's facing some of the same pressures we are today.
DeleteHere is my link to my response above:
DeleteAfter the great night Hayley saw her dad having with the army guys, how surprised do you think she was to see him acting the way he did when he wasn't drunk or stoned?
ReplyDeleteI was sad and honestly a little disappointed that he couldn't remain "normal" for more than 12 hours.
I just read the first part of chapter 59-
ReplyDeleteDo you think there is any symbolism in mirrors? It seems that her childhood memories come up when she looks in a mirror, and sees the reflection of a younger version of herself.
It could also have something to do with other people's houses: Gracie's and Finn's seem to bring back memories.
Yeah, odd. I didn't notice until you said something. I wonder if she'll recognize this and take advantage of it later on in the story.
DeleteLater on in the story, do you think Hayley's dad will die?
ReplyDeleteBlake my prediction for the ending of this book has been the same since I started reading it, that Hayley's father would end up killing himself, attempt to commit suicide, hurt himself or even hurt/kill someone else. I have been looking at articles and websites about PTSD and have found the following one very helpful to my understanding of PTSD: http://www.metanoia.org/suicide/ptsd.htm
DeleteThis website talks about how sucicdal people often meet the formal criteria for PTSD because of all of the symptoms such as flashbacks and nightmares which Hayley's father has. -Abbey Skaggs
Hey everyone, this interview between the author and Entertainment Weekly gives a great insight as to how Anderson's childhood translated to the novel. She talks about her similarities with Hayley, how the book connects with her personally, etc.
ReplyDeletehttp://shelf-life.ew.com/2014/01/07/laurie-halse-anderson-the-impossible-knife-of-memory/
Just finished chapter 62 and had a question. Do you guys think it's possible for Andy and Trish to get back together? If they do, how will this affect Hayley? When she visited the college campus with Finn, she mentioned taking online courses because she "had" to stay with her Dad; yet if her hatred for Trish is so real, and they got back together, do you think she would still stay to help her Dad? What kind of short term and long term effects would this have on her? It seems like a very real possibility because Hayley walked in on the two having a dinner date (so it seemed) Halloween night. Initially, I think Hayley would be furious; though I can see that Trish is trying and that she has possibly changed for the better, so maybe long term the three will get along. What are your thoughts?
ReplyDeleteHello fellow classmates, I am a little confused when Hayley burns the letter Trish sent to her. It is quite obvious that Hayley has a burning hatred for Trish, but what could she have done so wrong to get Hayley to despise her to this point? It can be imagined that out of curiosity Hayley would open the letter just to read and and see what it was about, however she does not do so. What are your thoughts on what Trish could have done ?
ReplyDeleteWhen the school counselor mentioned Trish as Hayley's stepmom, Hayley denied having one. It took her a minute to reply because she felt a lot of anger, hearing Trish's name. I assume that Trish is the only motherly figure Hayley has had in her life since her biological mom died, and that she left when Hayleys father's PTSD episodes became too hard to live with. It's hard enough for Hayley to let people in and so when Trish left, Hayley must have felt immense pain, feeling betrayed.
DeleteWhy do you think that Haley (Rose) never went to anyone for help?
ReplyDeleteFor example when her dad got drunk and almost hit her she could have called Finn and asked him to come get her but I think that it's that she's scared that when someone finds out how bad her situation is she'll be abandoned.
Mack, I believe that Hayley never went to anyone for help because the last person who helped them was Trish and Trish broke her heart. Trish was like a mom to her and took care of her and then she just left them when her dads issues were getting worse. After she left them it was just Hayley and her dad. So, it is possible she did not really know how to ask someone for help for her situation because she had to take care of herself and her father so she was used to doing things on her own without peoples assistance. Another possibility was that she did not want to ask anyone else for help because she was afraid how they would react to her situation. She was possibly afraid that they would not understand and judge her negatively instead of helping. With Finn I don't think that she wanted his help because she did not want him to see her dad like that .
DeleteI think that either, like you said, she's afraid of the outcome if someone comes to help her, and I also think that it could be that she doesn't want people to think she needs help. She wants to appear strong and independent on the outside, even though on the inside sometimes, she's terrified.
DeleteOn page 2, Hayley says, "I did not give a crap about the Stalinist rules of underpaid orcs." How do the Stalinist rules she is talking about in detention relate to Stalin's rules that we talked about in World Studies?
ReplyDeleteHailey, My thinking with this line in the book was automatically that this is an allusion to Joseph Stalin and his period of rule over Russia which at the time was the Soviet Union. During Stalin's rule the people were very concerned over their freedom; the people of Russia had to follow what the state allowed. This connects to what Hayley is saying because she is in school, in detention and obviously got the detention for not following the schools rules, which in the allusion would be Stalin's rules. Hailey is basically saying that herself being a student feels as if at school she has no freedom because she is supposed to follow the rules of the "underpaid orcs" which are really the teachers. The following link tells about Joseph Stalin's rule over the Soviet Union (Russia): http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/Stalins%20Russia.htm
DeleteHailey, I believe that in certain attributes this can be related to Joseph Stalin. In Russia Stalin ruled in a communist government that basically becomes a dictatorship. Freedom and rights are taken away from the people. In school detention in a way is almost the same. They put people on lock down and take away the rights that they might of had during a regular, but there's also the point that the kids did something to deserve the detention which gives the leaders (teachers) a right to punish them in a way they see valid. Also Haley believe she didn't deserve this detention so it also goes along with the people in Russia didn't believe their rights should be taken away. So really it depends on how the person might depict the message
DeleteIn response to Kendra's comment, I think Hayley may be ashamed at something she did to Trish, that's why when people try to talk to her about it she shuts the conversation down. On the other hand, maybe Trish did something to Hayley and/or her Dad that she does not like to talk about. It is hard to say what she did since I don't know much about her, but I was thinking that maybe she did something to worsen her Dad's PTSD in some way. Or, Trish tried to act too much as a mother figure to Hayley. Since Hayley's mom died, I can't imagine her liking that.
ReplyDeleteI have a question for ya'llll, What do you think happened to Hayley's mom, and could that have any effect on the state Hayley's dad is in? Every time Hayley's mom is brought up, her dad plays it off like he does not want to talk about it. I know that most of Mr. Kincain's condition is related to PTSD from the war, but could there also be part of his past or childhood that makes him so guarded and reluctant to help himself?
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I think that both Rebecca's death and Andy's experiences in the war cause his PSD. This is supported by the fact that Andy feels better when his army friends come to visit, because they knew his wife and went through what he went through.
Delete"There are two kinds of people in this world: 1. zombies 2.freaks," (Anderson 3).
ReplyDeleteDo you consider yourself a zombie or a freak? Why?
Oh my gosh, I've thought about this before! I'm actually kinda scared to think about it, you wouldn't exactly want to be a zombie but I feel like that's what I would be. To be honest, it isn't really our choice or our view, it's how OTHERS view us.
DeleteI feel that I would be both depending on the situation. If the situation is something that mattered to me I think I would be a freak while if something didn't really matter to me I feel I'd be a zombie.
DeleteDo you think Hayley's truly hates Trish because she has offended her by leaving her, or do you think that Hayley truly loves Trish because she took care of her and loved her and that shes just upset that Trish left because she didn't want her to go? Do you think Hayley is actually relieved that Trish is back because she missed her and the attention she got from her that she doesn't recieve from her father?
ReplyDeleteDo you think Hayley may have any type of mental disease? She show signs of several different ones.
ReplyDeleteI think Hayley wants to like Trish and have her support and have a female around but i feel she makes herself hate Trish because of Trish's problems.
DeleteI have a question as well. :) We learn about Hayley's past because of the ripping of the knife throughout the story. It seems like her memories trigger at random times. What do you think the purpose of the memories are and is there a reason why they happen when they do?
ReplyDeleteI think that the memories are used as both flashbacks and foreshadowing. On page 161 there is a "ripping" text in which Hayley remembers herself drowning. This is obviously a flashback, but I took it as foreshadowing to Trish coming back and reminding Hayley of her past. Not just of her and Trish being friends, but of Andy being a "normal" father.
DeleteBut trying to understand where and how they're placed, I'm just not getting it.
This is an informational page on PTSD and explains more about it and how you can identify it and diagnose the disease. The cite also has actual veterans' experiences. If you're looking for a way to help, it has that as well!
ReplyDeletehttp://maketheconnection.net/conditions/ptsd?gclid=CILzuZmU9b0CFaN9OgodT20AGQ
What do you think is causing Hayley to not try in school and get bad grades? I think Hayley is too distracted with her Dad's struggles and also because she is not really pushed to try hard in schools by her parents.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Hayley is doing so poorly in school due to her new distraction, Finn. With Finn around Hayley is less worried about school work and is more worried about her relationship. I agree that Hayley is doing poorly in school because of her dad's situation, but I think that Hayley isn't focused on school because she just isn't determined. Hayley needs more of a push to do better in school.
DeleteIn my opinion I feel that Haley doesn't try in school because she feels that it can take her no where in life. Since she has to deal with her dad's problem so much she doesn't feel that she will need college in the future because she's thinks that for the rest of her life she will be stuck with her dad. It's more in the mind thinking of "what's the point of trying to do it when it's boring and isn't going to be beneficial in the future".
DeleteWhy do you think Hayley's Dad tends to usually take his anger out on Hayley? I think Hayley's Dad takes his anger out on Hayley because Hayley is the only one he is always around and she sometimes aggravates him, setting him off.
ReplyDeleteI think that Hayley's Dad gets angry when he's around Hayley because she's a reminder of the reality he's trying so hard to forget. When she's not around it's easy for him to do drugs with Michael or drink all day. However, when he sees Hayley it reminds him of his failures as a parent.
DeleteWhy do you think Hayley's Dad had his ex-girlfriend come over without informing Hayley first? I think Hayley's Dad knew that Hayley would be upset about it and he did not want to upset her anymore and wanted Hayley to go and enjoy a night with her friends.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think caused Haley's dad to finally try to commit suicide? - In my opinion I think that he realized how bad his flashbacks to the war were getting and that he was starting to hurt Haley. Also I think Trish plays into this as well because in his letter to Trish he tells her to take care of Haley and to love her. I think he saw that since Trish was there someone would be there for Haley so he didn't have to be there anymore.
ReplyDeleteMack, I think that what finally pushed Hayley's dad to attempt suicide was his realization that he wasn't actually helping Hayley, but that he was somewhat a burden to her. When Hayley asks him why he never showed her the pictures of her mother, he replies, "Thought I'd screwed you up enough already" (Anderson 380). This shows that Andy feels guilty of being a job for Hayley with his condition and his bad temper. Also, it is obvious that the effects of having PTSD has something to do with his attempt as well. I think that this is what caused him to finally try to commit suicide.
DeleteThis article gives information about the relationship between PTSD and suicide. I see a lot of the factors that contribute to suicide in this article that are shown in Andy: https://d3gqux9sl0z33u.cloudfront.net/AA/AT/gambillingonjustice-com/downloads/220343/The_Relationship_Between_PTSD_and_Suicide.pdf
this is for all the people out there who might participate in shenanigans...like Hayley and Finn ALMOST did.
ReplyDeletehttp://crihb.org/files/statistic_on_teen_pregnancy.pdf
Do you think that Hayley has the flashbacks like her dad because her dad having PTSD gives her some symptoms of PTSD because he was the only person she has besides Finn?
ReplyDeleteIt shows in her flashbacks that she has had at least some form of trauma. In an article from Helpguide.org, it is stated "that Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop following a traumatic event that threatens your safety or makes you feel helpless". It is easy to say that there is situations where she felt endangered and/or helpless. I believe she herself may have minor PTSD.
Deletesource: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/post_traumatic_stress_disorder_symptoms_treatment.htm
Hello.I'm in chapter 42 and am curious about how Hayley's mother, Rebecca died. I don't know if i just missed it or hasn't been talked about yet. The information would better help me relate to the content and emotions. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHey Jasmine. In the book, the death of Hayley's mother was not clear. However, the author implied that Rebecca was in a car crash when Hayley was very little. She was said to be "T-Boned".
DeleteSomething I don't understand is why Hayley is so rude to Trish. I know that Trish took care of her when she was little and then she left. I just don't think Hayley needs to act like this toward Trish. Other thoughts?
ReplyDeleteHayley is so rude to Trish because she was always drunk and cheating on her dad while Hayley was already dealing with her dad being away and Trish was the one parent-like figure that she grew up with and to have that person totally ditch you in the most impressionable years of your life, it hurts, and odds are no matter what kind if person you are, that person is not going to be your favorite... even if they try to win you back.
DeleteNot sure what to blog about....
ReplyDeleteUse your discussion questions.
DeleteDo you think Gracie is a negative or positive impact on Hayley?
ReplyDeleteI feel like it goes both ways. Gracie is really Hayleys only friend that is a girl. She trusts her and supports her. Gracie also gives her good advice. On the other hand, Gracie does give Hayley pills to make her feel "better". Hayley is also depressed and Gracie is giving her idea to worsen the problem.
DeleteI feel that Gracie is a bad influence on Hayley because she gets Hayley to do things that she normally wouldn't do such as when she kept encouraging Hayley to take some pills "to help her through her problems".
DeleteGracie does try to help out Hayley, but Gracie is not a positive influence on her. Gracie has tried to get Hayley to take pills and fell under the peer pressure to drink alcohol at a party and get drunk. She also went behind her mother's back and told Hayley it was okay to come over when it wasn't, then lied about it. Given Hayley's situations at home, these definitely are not positive influences.
DeleteI think that Gracie is bad influence on Hayley. She does not do much to help Hayley with her dad and in school and she gets Hayley to do things that are not necessarily the best, but she is someone for Hayley to talk to.
DeleteWhy do you think Finn likes Hayley Kincain if she is so ugly and gross sounding? Why does the author make her sound this way?
ReplyDeleteFinn and Hayley like each other because they both have their own problems and need someone outside their own family to talk to and voice their thoughts too. Also Hayley isn't gross sounding, although I do think she is annoying, Finn is also annoying to. But how she sounds ugly and gross to you, I don't know. The author tries to make her sound realistic and relatable.
DeleteI believe that the author was trying exaggerate that relationships aren't just about looks and reputations. Finn and Hayley are both "freaks", they are both weird, and that makes them compatible.
DeleteI believe that Finn likes Hayley even though the author makes her sound ugly because Finn realizes that Hayley is going through tough times and she also needs help and he enjoys helping Hayley and witnessing her reactions to what he does for her, creating a bond between the two, becoming almost unbreakable, no matter what they go through.
DeleteHey, I was just curious if anyone found any relevance to the italicized, page long chapter that tell of Hayley's dad's army days. I honestly didn't really think about it, but I wondered if there was something I missed. For example, chapter 45 when in 44, Hayley and Gracie were popping pills.
ReplyDeleteDid anyone ever figure out what Mrs. Boylan meant by "Romeo does Juliet" #i #need #25 #words #to #make #this #blog #count #please #comment #what #your #thoughts #are
ReplyDeleteChapter 44: gracie is explaining to Hayley how Topher's ex is asking him for help on an English assignment.. Gracie thinks it's more than just some English assignment and she talks about how it's like how Romeo and Juliet are teens who meet, instantl marry and well.. you know where this is going...
DeleteDid you guys find the ending satisfying? If not, how would you change it? I thought it was good and I liked that it was a happy ending for Hayley and Andy, but Gracie's parents were still divorced and Trish was still secluded from the family. If I were to change anything for better some of these things would have been resolved as well.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the ending of the book was mostly satisfying. I like the fact that it ends on a cheerful note and that it somewhat resolves Hayley's problems. However I feel that the author could have done a little bit more with the book. For example, I feel that she could have talked more about Hayley and her dad. Instead of saying her dad was getting better have him get better and talk about what their family situation was with Trish. Also I feel that the author could have talked more about how Gracie and Topher. For example, have a happy ending for them in the end of the book as well. Like a paragraph that explained what happened to them at the end of the book. For example, their college plans or what they were going to do after the summer. Overall I somewhat liked the ending but I feel that it was somewhat abrupt and that more could have been done to it.
DeleteI feel as if the end was not as satisfying as I would like. It could have involved more action at the end, and had a stronger climax. Also, it doesnt tell you what happens to Gracies parents, so overall, the book gives you a feeling of dissapointment because the story builds up well, but it falls flat at the end.
DeleteIn the book, it is obvious that Andy suffers from PTSD. In reality many veterans suffer from the same thing as well, plus many other brain disorders/disabilities. Is it true that the United States should be doing more to help the veterans that so bravely fight for our country? In the article I am attaching, it describes a veteran who was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan who suffers from PTSD and another brain disorder that is really struggling.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/13/opinion/sunday/kristof-a-loyal-soldier-doesnt-deserve-this.html
file:///C:/Users/slmcswor/Documents/pstdcartoon.jpg
ReplyDeleteas we see in Hayley's dad, PTSD can be sort of a grenade, and you don't want to do anything to set it off. Sometimes though, the bomb can be disguised so that it doesn't seem like a deadly explosive. Iinstead, everyone else just sees the mirage, and not the reality that is a life or death situation. It takes someone really close to the person with PTSD to know the truth.
the last thing i posted is actually a picture... it just didnt copy as a link....... :P
ReplyDeleteOk, I'm not sure if they said what part of the military Hayley's Dad was apart of, but does anybody know?
ReplyDeleteI don't know for sure if it says in the book but this review say he was in the Army fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-impossible-knife-of-memory-laurie-halse-anderson/1115700021?ean=9780670012091
DeleteDo you think that having Finn as a boyfriend is improving Hayley's family relationship, or breaking them apart even more? Do you think Hayleys Dad's outbreak was an overreaction or an action caused by intoxication?
ReplyDeleteIs Hayley just mad at Trish over the fact she left her or some other factor like abuse? In the book Hayley has a flashback to remembering Trish holding her and comforting her from her dad. Did Trish really ever do anything wrong? Or has Hayley been scarred some other way?
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 86(if your not there, don't read this yet; spoilers!) Trish tells Hayley about the day she and her Dad had almost drowned in a pool. Andy had a seizure in the water; Hayley tried to save him, but she could not swim yet, and she almost drowned. From this comes her fear of water. And also from this, she may see herself as the one who need to keep him safe. This is what scared her. The thing that Trish did wrong in Hayley's eyes is that she drank a lot and then Trish just left Hayley and Andy. Hayley thought that Trish(when she came back), she would make Andy's PTSD come back, worse then before.
Deleterandom blog
ReplyDeletei was reading a review on the book and in the first comment she gives morre insight on PTSD.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18079527-the-impossible-knife-of-memory
I found this article, that explains how PTSD can effect relationships. This may help you understand Hayley and Andy's relationship.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/family/ptsd-and-relationships.asp
I feel like someone probably already posted about this but there is more than 80 comments and notes on this blog so I'm not going through it. Anyways, Hayley at one point towards the end, and probably other times throughout her life, wants to run away, get away from all the chaos that is her life. Has anyone else just been so fed up with parents or siblings that you just want to pack up your stuff and leave? It cant possibly be just me.
ReplyDeleteI think we've all been there, I remember once when I was five I even packed a bag and made it down the drive way! But sadly, that's not how life works,you must return to reality, and battle through your problems, not turn away and pretend they don't exist. For the majority of her life Hayley has witnessed her dad running away from his problems, but despite the bad influece he's been on her, she doesn't run away, she goes back and stares Life in face, not backing down. "Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced".
DeleteIn the book there are several chapters that are Hayley's father's episodes of PTSD. What do you think caused his PTSD? I believe what caused Hayley's father's PTSD were the many tramatic experiences he had to endure during the war. All of those experiences put together would really take a toll on someone emotionally and mentally and some of the flashbacks in the book were very brutal. I have attached a link in this blog that explains PTSD and its causes. http://my.clevelandclinic.org/neurological_institute/center-for-behavorial-health/disease-conditions/hic-post-traumatic-stress-disorder.aspx
ReplyDeleteAlso another cause of his PTSD may have caused by him having a seizure in a pool and almost drowning. Although most of it was most likely caused by his time in the war.
DeleteMy link did not copy correctly so here is the link copied correctly:
Deleteclick here
Why do you think Hayley never takes her dad to get professional help? She has to know that he needs treatment and that living in that house, constantly loosing jobs isn't helping him get any better. I think it's because she doesn't want him to feel like she's abadoning him and she doesn't want to lose him.There are plenty of places to receive help http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-treatment/2011/03/08/id/370857/ These are just a few of many places out there to help people like Hayley's dad.
ReplyDeleteHayley says in the book that she wants her dad to get help and even asks him to go to the VA hospital, but she cant force him to go. She says that her dad had gotten a prescription from a doctor but he never used it. He knows she wants him to go, but he chooses not to go.
DeleteHere's a link http://samafoundation.org/youth-substance-addiction/effects-of-drugs-on-adolescent-brain/ . It talks about the effects of alcohol and drugs in the teenage brain. In the book there is a lot of usage of drugs and alcohol, so here's an explanation of what this do to the teenage brain. Give me your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with the link and teenagers should be educated about the effects of alcohol and drugs before the put them in their bodies.
DeleteWhen Hayley's dad leaves the house to the quarry, how did she figure out where he was going? Was it the memory rip about when she drowned, because from that it seemed like he was going to drown, not jump off a cliff.
ReplyDeleteI was reading about what PTSD really is and this will answer any questions. http://m.helpguide.org/articles/ptsd-trauma/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd.php
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of veterans who come back from the war with PTSD, after reading the link http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/family/helping-family-member.asp what are some ways you can reach out to those with PTSD?
ReplyDeleteTennis=life
ReplyDeleteDo you think that Hayley's dad's actions have a big influence on the way Hayley acts? I was wondering because when she went to Finn's house she was about to drink alcohol just like she has seen her father drink after he dropped out of the military.
ReplyDeleteI most definitely believe that Hayley is influenced by the way her father acts. Everyone is influenced by their parents, for example if it weren't for my mom I probably would not be doing music, I may be more into sports. Seeing her dad drink after all these years, it is almost surprising to see that she has restrained from alcohol. In some cases, alcoholism may be hereditary.
DeleteI also believe that Hayley's dad definitely influenced her in the way he acts. I mean in the relationship between Hayley and her father she acts more like the parent. Also in the book her dad's illness really takes a toll on her too. For example on page 192 in the book Hayley makes the statement "the crazy inside Dad had infected me, weakened me so that when Finn smiled, I'd been vulnerable." (Anderson). Throughout the book Hayley is constantly worrying about her dad's illness and it effects her majorly. This effects her on her schoolwork and just in her ability to live without worry and constant feeling like something bad is going to happen. I feel that if her dad would not have PTSD he would not drink or have any of those problems which effect Hayley. Also Hayley then would not constantly have to worry about her dad. This would allow her to focus more on school and on just being a teenager.
DeleteBy the point where we're SUPPOSED TO BE in the book (no spoiling), what do you believe to be the most important theme, if any? Do you think any different themes will show up by the end of the book? Why do you think so?
ReplyDeleteCurrently posting not blogging to be graded but blogging to be the 100th post. So here it is, the 100th post.
ReplyDeleteI think the 99th post is much more important because it leads up to the 100th post. Just sayin. (Not to be graded)
DeleteAnd the 101st
DeleteI feel that Hayley is influenced by her fathers ptsd in the way that she asses people as threats or non-threats. But the drinking and drugs is something everybody faces and that we make a conscious decision on what we put in our bodies it doesn't just happen.
DeleteI found some great facts about PTSD that added to my knowledge of this topic: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/basics/symptoms/con-20022540 It explains about the symptoms of the disorder, and causes of it as well. Post Dramatic Stress Disorder is a very serious condition and the more you know about it, the more aware you are!
ReplyDeleteIn the book Hayley struggles with school especially in the subject of Pre-calc. Can you relate to her struggle in school or just in one subject? I can relate with the struggle in on subject. That subject is geometry. I have a really hard time understanding the topics especially when it comes to proofs. Even though I can relate to the topics I can not however relate to the extent of struggle that Hayley had in school. My struggle was nearly not as bad as hers.
ReplyDeleteI think that everyone goes through the struggle of having that one subject that doesn't come as easily as the rest do. Like you, I struggle in geometry. However, keep in mind that there are a lot of variables that can bring someone's grade down. Some people don't test well, some people don't commit to studying, and some people don't pay in class (cough, cough, Hayley). I think Hayley does so bad in calc because her teacher is kind of a jerk and failing in his class gives her a certain satisfaction.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteMadi, I found a great video on Laurie Halse Anderson's views on school and the pressures associated with it. This could be related to the reason why Hayley also hates school. Youtube Video
DeleteIf you have read all the way through this book, do you think that Laurie Halse Anderson ended the book how it was supposed to be ended? Authors have complete control over what they write, but sometimes conclusions can be hard to get right. A good guide for ending a book can be found on http://businessbuildingbooks.com/how-to-end-your-book-4-ways-to-leave-readers-with-a-smile/. This should be able to give you enough information to know if Laurie ended the book in the correct way for The Impossible Knife of Memory.
ReplyDeleteFinn has many family problems, so I am wondering why he never does anything about them. I think it might be because of how he handles everything else; by not confronting his problems and taking the easier way out instead (quitting swim team, never fixing his car, etc.). Any other ideas?
ReplyDeleteIn reply to Ean's comment, I think Finn is partly embarassed by his problems. Considering his sister does drugs and his family has no money. Those kind of problems are hard to talk to people about, and I feel like Finn thinks that if he does people will think he is weird.
DeleteI agree with Hunter. I think that Finn is embarrassed and shy about his family life. He does not want to be judged because he might think that will make all of his other problems a lot worse. I think he does not want people to look at him differently based on his family issues.
DeleteSo, a question has come up in my group as to what year this book has taken place. We know that Hayley's mom died in 1998, when Hayley was a little baby. Since she is seventeen, does that mean that the book is set in 2015 into 2016? That is the conclusion that my group has come to, I just would like to know what everyone else thinks.
ReplyDeleteWow, i never really thought about it. That would make sense though, Hayley is a senior which would make her around 17 or 18. Therefore, assuming Hayley was 1 or less, the book would indeed be around this time-frame. Also, considering that this book was published not to long ago (2014 or 2013), Laurie HAlse Anderson could have purposefully made this book so that it would take place in 2014-2016.
DeleteI agree with Shelby. I think Laurie Halse Anderson made the setting around current times so the reader has a better connection with the story. The plot would have changed greatly if the story occurred in the 1900's.
DeleteI think that the reason for Hayley becoming a "zombie" and breaking up with Finn is all because she keeps holding in her feelings which are getting worse as her dad gets worse, so these isolated feelings are just building up and kind of just exploding inside of her. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteIn the book Hayley puts people in the category of zombies and freaks. I think that I am honestly a combination of zombies and freaks. I am a zombie in the sense of I follow the rules of teachers and I am a goodie-goodie. I am a freak in the sense that I do not conform to society. I do not do things I feel are wrong or go through life doing whatever other people do. I have a mind of my own. So, which category are you?
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I would categorize myself as a zombie because just like you, I will conform to the ways of my teachers, and I most of the time will do whatever they ask and believe what they teach. I also am concerned with the way I come across to other people, and I find myself doing things sometimes to not seem weird, I guess. I can be a combo of both sometimes but for the most part, I would classify myself as a zombie.
DeleteSo, I found myself asking what the answer to this question would be as I filled out my discussion questions. How does the storm around Andy as he is trying to attempt suicide relate to the way he gets along with his daughter? Personally, I thought that both the storm and the relationship were killing the two of them. The storm was going to freeze them to death, and the relationship was just physically taxing for the both of them. Hayley had to grow up really quickly and that was sometimes hard for her. Does this seem like a reasonable answer? Do you guys have anything else to add?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Hailey. I believe that their lives were so chaotic during that time of the snow storm. Hayley didn't know what to make of the situations that she was dealing with, with her father, and they both felt a little lost. And, much like how the storm calmed, Hailey and her father finally "found" each other again and everything turned out to be okay.
DeleteI do agree with you Hailey. Although i did add something else into the question. Like you said Hayley had to grow up very quickly due to the fact that no one was there to parent her and that she had to be the responsible one. I believe that just as a snowstorm is, it is unpredictable when Andy will be in a good or bad mood. Same goes for Andy and Hayley's relationship. Sometimes it's not that bad at home and others Hayley just feels like running away. They have to fight through the storm just to make it through the day.
DeletePage 127 made me wonder, what drives people into temptation? Not just teenagers and kids, everybody. Even if someone knows the consequence of an action, why do they fall under that spell of temptation?
ReplyDeleteMadison, I believe that when someone falls into temptation the problem is that they arn't thinking about the consequences. When somone is desperate, feeling happiness or having a good time can wash away any thought or feeling of what might happen next, whether it is bad or not. People in distress will jump right on a good oppertunity to feel "good".
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Deletewhen you read this book do you feel that the situations are too clear cut? there's a right and a wrong choice, there's no grey area where a choice could be good or bad. what are your opinions?
ReplyDeleteEvery decision that goes on in the book definetly has a huge impact in the book. It seems that every choice leads to a bad situation and i think that the author does this on purpose to make the book more dramatic and suspensful, not that it really works...
DeleteI agree thta the situations are too clear cut. If there was more of a grey area, the book could have ben more exciting because you wouldnt know what the character would do, but the book was a little too predictable at times.
DeleteI have a question for this quote in chapter 86,Must have had a tiny stroke or a seizure in the deep end,"(Anderson 357). This moment was when Trish was explain to Hayley how her dad fell in the pool when she was little. My question is if you think it was an accident, brain injury, or purposeful? The reason I am asking is because Hayley was the only one outside so no one really knows how it happened. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI think that Andy fell in the pool on accident because he had an injury, but not necessarily a brain injury. A couple sentences before said, "the docs had discharged Andy too early,but we didn't know it then." (Anderson 357). This leads me to conclude that Andy fell on accident because of previous problems that weren't fully solved.
DeleteGoing along with Gr ace, I think he fell in on accident as a result of having an injury. If you think about it, since Andy does have war experiences, he probably had to make sure he had experience with water before going into war. (just incase something would happen). Also, since the doctors released him early, they did not think a near death experience would happen or else they would have kept him in longer.
DeleteI have a question about the end of the book. What led Hayley to realize where her dad would be was it something he said in the past or was it something about one of the present he left.
ReplyDeleteRead page 376 and the top of 377. It starts with Hayley having a knife rip of the swimming pool incident after that she realizes what he was doing. All along.
DeleteIf you were in Hayley's position would you help your dad or abandon him? If you were to help what would you do?
ReplyDeleteIn response to Luke: I think I would try to help him as much as possible. I would probably try doing what they did at the end of the book (HUGE BIG HUMUNGOUS MONSTROUS SPOILER ALERT) after he wanted to commit suicide and send him to VA because apparently he got really well after that and even "remembered how to smile" (Anderson 387). It seemed like the right thing to do and it could've been done all along.
DeletePersonally, I felt like the book was just one huge rising action. I feel like the whole book was leading to the climax which didn't last very long and then the book basically ended right after the climax and I didn't really like that. So I would like to know peoples' opinions on the way the book ended. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI think the book had 2 climaxes and two falling actions. The first climax was when Hayley comes home after Andy found out about Roy I then feel like it was a falling action until the snowstorm when Hayley and Finn find the presents under te tree
DeleteI think that what caused Hayley's realization was her last knife rip. She says, "I could see everything...the memory of Daddy under the water. 'I know where he is'" (Anderson 377). This memory was recurring throughout the story and it shows the connection between her father and water. In a way, it foreshadowed that he was going to the quarry. Also, on Halloween, Andy advised Hayley to stay away from the quarry, which hinted that the quarry would have something to do with his suicide attempt. After the previous knife ripping, I think Hayley had the epiphany that her father went to the quarry.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it not a thing to be able to like someone's post? I'd be liking a whole bunch. Like can i just comment *Thumbs up* or *likes* because i just want you all to know that I enjoy reading this group's posts. Just a thought that occurred to me while counting how many blog posts I have.
ReplyDeletehttp://danachawngthu.blogspot.com/2013/09/causes-and-consequences-of-broken-family.html?m=1 after reading this what do you think is the cause or causes of Hayley's broken family?
ReplyDeleteI have a question about Hayley. When she identifies the situations that she is in (her thinking threat, assess, and action), is that from growing up with her father in the military, always being on guard and defending himself, the things that she went through with his PTSD, or just that its part of her personality?
ReplyDeleteI think a big part of this is her dad being in the military. After his accident on Iraq more than likely he was always on guard, and Hayley probably took this up while growing up with him. For example in the book she talks about being on the road with him and for a time he wouldn't go under overpasses in fear of snipers. Being like this around Hayley would have helped her start to act like this, a lot of kids tend to do certain things like their parents would have.
Delete(Spoiler alert) Now that Hayley is going off to college do you believe that Andy will get better or worse? I think that now that he is getting therapy and is really trying and now that he will have Trish around the house that he really will get better. I think it will take him some time and he will have to try really hard, but I think he will quit this time for Hayley. In addition, now that Hayley is going off to college do you think that she and Finn will last or break up soon after? I think they would try their best to stay together but would breakup one way or another, what do you believe ?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the book, we see how the characters react in certain situations. Based on this, what character are you most like?
ReplyDeleteFor most of the book, Hayley despises Trish. It says that she cheated on Hayley's father, and left. Do you think there is more to it than that? Since Hayley was young, and her father's condition, she could have missed big parts of it, more detailed reason's why she did what she did. Because Trish was so nice and caring to Hayley in the book, it could have been more complicated. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion Trish did leave them when she became intoxicated which would make anyone hold a grudge. I also believe Hayley is being highly infuenced by her father's PTSD. She shows many of the same signs in this article. http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treatment/children/pro_child_parent_ptsd.asp
DeleteThis is kind of a two-part question... If anyone (besides Hayley), who do you think was most effected by Andy's PTSD? I am also wondering why Roy or any of the other soldiers who were in the war with Andy weren't impacted as much as him/did not have PTSD when they had the same experiences as Andy.
ReplyDeleteI think Trish was also affected by Andy's PTSD because she was the closest woman to him after his wife died. That person's mental illness affects everyone around them, especially those the closest to them. For the second part of your question, everyone is different and they process memories and tragedies differently. They could have been in the same squad side by side, but everyone's brain reacts differently.
DeleteCan we have a competition to see who can post the last blog?!?!
ReplyDeleteI believe that Trish was most effected. She was with him for a lot of the time while he had his condition, and since she kind of made it worse for him, he acted worse around her, which could have scared her at times. Also, I think that since Andy was a captain, he had one of the most important jobs, and I think also experiencing worse things than them.
ReplyDelete"Then I'd see Finn in the hall, or I'd catch a glance of his profile out of the corner of my eye while we were driving to school, and he would turn to me and smile" (page 151). Have you ever thought about someone this way? What would you say if I told you that someone feels this exact same way?
ReplyDeleteWas Hayley just going through a huge phase of depression? The book is based on her story so it is very opinionated. Here are a few symptoms of depression that explain Hayley very well which led me to this question, were these problems really as bad as she made them seem or was she going through depression that made small problems appear major? http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/detecting-depression
ReplyDeleteI remembered talking about warning signs for suicide in health, and it occurred to me that Andy exhibited quite a few of the red flags such as giving away personal possessions, not caring about having a profession and alcohol/ drug abuse. At what point in the book did you realize he was suicidal? Here's an article on warning signs and risk factors. http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-recognizing-signs-of-suicide
ReplyDeleteQuestion. Why do you think Hayley's memory of what happened in the pool is all messed up? She remember's falling in, however Trish informs her that she jumped in, trying to save her dad. Have you ever experienced this? I've forgotten minor details in some memories, but never altered a major part of them subconsciously like Hayley did.
ReplyDeleteSometimes me and Kayla get mixed up with our memories for example, Kayla: "so I just remembered blablahblahblah" me:"Dude that was me". So that's a thing.......
Deletei know that if i am ever in a situation that is very intense i may forget what happened all together. I will have to ask people what happened even though i was there or i was directly involved in the situation. I do not know if other people experience that too...
DeleteOkay.. On page 365, the author explains that Hayley made an apple pie for Trish. This was supposed to be Trish's Christmas present from Hayley. Does this mean that Hayley and Trish are finally coming to terms? Or will the two of them always have a little bit of conflict?
ReplyDeleteI think the reason Hayley made the pie for Trish was to thank her for helping out her dad. I also believe that Hayley wants to like Trish but as she had said before, she is afraid to let her guard down. In that case I infer that there will always be a little bit of conflict between the two.
Deleteafter reading the book and thinking it over, I have come to the conclusion that Hayley probably has been affected by Andy's PTSD through depression and possibly PTSD herself. I found this fantastic link about how PTSD can influence those around them.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.militarymentalhealth.org/blog/2013/06/one-persons-ptsd-can-affect-a-whole-family-learning-to-heal-ptsd-and-secondary-trauma/
Sorry- *After
Delete"Dad called this version of Happily Ever After 'Good Enough for Today'." (Anderson 387)
ReplyDeleteWhen everyone got out of the hospitals and somewhat done with physical therapy, everything seems to be okay: Finn is at Swevenbury, Andy got help with his PTSD, etc. Do you think this will stay positive or do you think something will come up again like Rebecca isn't really dead or something crazy like that? I really don't care for a sequel...
I think everything will turn out good, and nothing crazy will happen. I feel as if Andy learned his lesson the hard way when he almost died, it was really a wake up call for all of them. I think Trish will still try to be a part of Hayley's life, and I think Hayley will be more accepting of her as well. That family went through so much and I feel as if they don't want to repeat the past.
Delete"If this were a fairy tale, I'd stick in the 'Happily Ever After' crap right here. But this was my life, so it was a little more complicated than that" (Anderson 385).
ReplyDeleteWhen Hayley was thinking this, she was in the hospital after the quarry incident. I was wondering if this quote represented Hayley finally accepting her life the way it is or if she thought a moment like this will only come once and everything will slowly go downhill from here.
I think that when Hayley says this she is being her sarcastic self as if she really didnt care because of all she has gone through. I believe that Hayley is accepting the fact that her life isnt getting better and she is giving up, just like her dad did.
Deletehttp://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml
ReplyDelete-In this article, the writer talks about the kind of people that are at risk of developing PTSD. In this article it talks about how a person can develop this disorder if they know someone close to them has it. Even though Andy is now getting help, could Trish has been effected too? She has been around Andy long enough to experience how he acts when he has an episode. Could that take a toll on her life as well?
The short and quite simple answer, is yes. This kind of disorder does not just effect one person, it effects everyone around them. They are extremely paranoid, and have little triggers usually. For Trish to help Andy that much, shows she cared more than we credit her for.
Delete"I could see everything: ghost squares on the walls where Gramma used to hang our pictures, a sliver of glass in the carpet that I had missed, the memory of Daddy under the water" (Anderson 377). This quote is from right before the quarry scene where Hayley figures out how her Dad was going to try to commit suicide. I can infer from the quote that Hayley knew her dad was going to do it there because of the incident that happened between them in their past, but how and why does Hayley's memories always come flooding back to her and why do they always spark something else inside of her? This quote is just an example of it since it happens numerous times in the book. Also, in that quote Hayley has a few memories, then she figures out where her Dad will commit suicide. What are your thoughts?
ReplyDelete" Her chin faded away next, then her mouth and her nose. The eyes smudged like they were being wiped off with a fat pink eraser, and then they were gone, too. The mirror was empty" (Anderson 184-185). What do you think led Hayley to go to Gracie's bathroom, and what do you think made Hayley put back the pills and leave. I think it is everything going on with her dad and her friends.
ReplyDeleteHayley most likely considered taking the pills for just that reason, however a more in-depth look reveals that she has grown up with people who abuse drugs, and likes to accept that she is a rebel. She has witnessed both Gracie and her father go through problems using substance to hold back the pain for a little while, she considers following suit. She puts the pills back down when she realizes that drugs would both add to her problems, and change her into a person that she did not respect or want to be.
DeleteWhy do you think Hayley says at the end of the book that the truth hurt too much if those memory's were good one and not one of her dad getting drunk or her dad and Trish fighting.
ReplyDeleteSteven, that is the basis of this book in my eyes. A girl who cant distinguish past and present half the time, but however some of her greatest memories hurt her the worst. All of her good memories of Trish cause her to hate her more each time. So basically, in the long run, she is hurt still.
Deletehttp://facts.randomhistory.com/2009/07/15_suicide.html
ReplyDeleteHeres some facts on suicide. I found that many of them somehow related to Andy. Many people who have commited seem to have been exposed to some kind of special or unsual circumstances, different from the "Normal". Andy was exposed in the Miliary.
Will Finn and Hayley be able to maintain their relationship in the future? Hayley already blew up on Finn once and going off to college will not make things any easier for them. They seem to be good for each other but are they going to last if they will not be able to see each other?
ReplyDeleteTo this story i must say that there is two sides to this argument. First, i must say, they are just kids. We all know they do not the mental maturity it takes to have a happy long term relationships, at least until they mature a bit. However, i must say that fighting is in fact something that must happen in everything to make the relationship stronger. That is what a relationship is, overcoming hard times and tough obstacles. So Maddux, i conclude by saying, no one will ever know.
DeleteWould it be more difficult to live in a house with two parents who are at war with each other or to live in a house with one parent who is at war with them self? The family situation for both Hayley and Gracie would be very difficult and could and would also cause the girls other problems. Here is an article on the possible affects of kids living with broken families:
ReplyDeletehttp://everydaylife.globalpost.com/effect-broken-family-development-5183.html
I would say two parents at war. As a son of divorced parents, i've witnessed both sides of the stories a few times. It is more gut wrenching to see mommy cuss out daddy and vice verse.
DeleteAfter reading a post by another student, I believed that i needed to ask a question that relates to many points of the book. Does fighting help couples? From Finn and Hayley, to Andy and Trish, does it help? I believe it does, but i want others opinions. To help your decision making, here is a link i found: http://www.match.com/magazine/article/13111/5-Fights-Every-Couple-Should-Have/
ReplyDeleteI think in moderation fighting can be good for couples, because it can help solve problems, and settle differences, but in the terms of Gracies parents, the fighting gets out of hand and appears to be almost constant. Gracies parents fighting does not help there relationship at all.
DeleteFighting is never a god thing, as it can lead to poor relationships with partners, and emotional issues with children. Some good things can come from arguments, such as compromise and agreements, but most things can be prevented with communication. If you communicate with someone your needs, they have a chance to make sure it meets their needs as well, so you don't end up fighting about it later.
DeleteSince the end of the book doesnt actually tell you what happens to Gracies parents, what do you think will happen? I know that in the book they said they would try to work things out, but after thanksgiving dinner, I dont think thats possible, so I think they get divorced.
ReplyDeleteI don't think anything good happened to them. It seemed like a pretty big argument and everything when Gracie described it and after cheating, usually I don't see the couple getting back together. I'm guessing they got divorced.
DeleteI think after Andy trying to attempting to commit suicide, I can't believe how I never saw it coming. I actually felt pretty stupid. There are lots of things that Andy did that are connected to suicide and now that I look back, I should've seen it coming. What things did you notice that led you to believe Andy was going to commit suicide, if you did see it coming? And even though ABBEY told me it was going to happen before I got to it, I was still a little surprised. Even just the fact that he had PTSD is a big sign. Here are facts and how PTSD relates to depression and suicide: http://ccjm.org/content/79/2/92.full
ReplyDeleteWhile the suicide attempt by Andy was also a surprise to me, I noted a few signs that this might happen anyways throughout the book. For example, Hayley's constant worry about attempting just what he did is an example of foreshadowing, and her father seemed to recover from his fit of rage much too quickly for comfort. Here is a link providing some other signs of suicide found in the book, the most displayed one however is Andy's gift of the purple heart to Finn. This relates to the sign that people who are going to commit suicide often give away their belongings. http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2007/10/08/common-signs-of-someone-who-may-be-suicidal/
DeleteDo you agree or disagree with Hayley's different philosophies? Most notably, the philosophy that there are 2 people in this world, consisting of "zombies", and "freaks". I personally disagree with this, as she is both stereotyping people she hasn't seen for more than a few months, and the fact that she believes that there are clear cut "bad guys" and "good guys". She actually stereotyped both Finn and Gracie, believing that they couldn't possibly have problems just as serious as hers.
ReplyDeleteI believe her idea of freaks and zombies is an interesting take on today's society. Her idea on this seems to have worked in this book fairly well and accurately, and in my belief, it can be applied to the real world outside with little or no flaws. So I do agree with Hayley's philosophies.
DeleteHayley is struggling in school. Do you think this is because of her lack of homeschooling, or being raised in a single parent home. This article gives helpful insight to believe that single parent homes may not actually effect academic performance.
ReplyDeletehttp://library.adoption.com/articles/single-parenting-and-childrens-academic-achievement.html
I don't believe Hayley is struggling in school for either of these reasons. I believe it's because she just doesn't care enough to try. She hates the teachers, and doesn't find school important enough. I think she's smart and this is not showing through her grades, which could be brought up if she wanted them to be.
ReplyDelete