Go to the link below for an amazing playlist that accompanies the novel as well as a video, Q & A, and many links related to teen suicide. http://madwomanintheforest.com/youngadult-twisted/
Does anyone else believe this to be an odd thing for the author to put in this book? "Thinking about death relaxed me as usual"(30). Teenagers often think about this but judging by the way that Tyler's life starts to get better, as the events of the book take place, I find myself reminiscing on this statement by Tyler... It may just be me. I want to hear everyone else's thoughts. Also I think that Tyler explaining that his eighteenth birthday is soon has occurred more times than what is normal. Although, at the same time I find myself having to explain my odd age for this grade, a lot.
In my opinion, it really isnt such an odd thing for the author to put this in the book and for Tyler to revisit this thought even when his life begins to look up. In Tylers rough life it would be comforting to think about dying and finally being free and able to start over. To once be in control of something in his unstabble life.
What do you guys think about the paragraphs where the author italicizes the words? "Pick up the monitor and bring it down on his head, shove the keyboard down his mouth, cram his skinny butt into the trash can..."(55) I feel like these are meant to show Tyler's anger towards everyone but I'm not sure if there is another purpose, any thoughts?
I think the author includes his angry thoughts of violence to his father throughout the book as a way of developing Tyler's character. It shows that Tyler can restrain his aggression, but he still has it within in him. It also supports the theme of anger and violence in this novel, which I feel is one of the biggest themes throughout the book.
When the author uses italics it is not just to show Tyler's anger towards people, but that is one use for the italics. In most of the italicized paragraphs Tyler is thinking or considering what he could do in that current situation. For example, "I leap over the table just as she slips on the grease-slicked floor. she falls into my arms and whispers, 'thank you, Tyler'..." (65). Tyler thought this when Bethany walked into the lunch room but he did not actually do it.
On page 101 Tyler realizes that his dad is acting weird, and uses the situation of drinking milk and realizing that it is spoiled. I think that paragraph means more then just describing his dad, I think that Laurie Halse Anderson maybe foreshadowing his relationship with Bethany. Saying that at first it look good but really it was rotten from the start. Thoughts?
i completely agree. i think tyler was overtaken with the thought of being noticed by a popular girl, rather than seeing that she was just using him because of his reputation and good looks to make herself even more popular.
Tyler is continually thinking about suicide throughout the book. He says, "I rolled over on my back and prayed to every god I had ever heard of to let me die" (29). I think Tyler is so obsessed with the idea of killing himself, because it is the easy way out of all his problems.
Tyler said, "Thinking about death relaxed me, as usual" (30) He had chances where he could have killed himself but never went through with them. He could have jumped off the school building or used the gun but he didn't. I don't think he really wants to die but more the thought of it makes him feel better. Killing himself wasn't the answer and he knew that. He made the right choice by getting rid of the gun and facing his problems.
The author does not focus on Bethany at the end of the book. After Tyler ignores her, she is only mentioned a couple more times. I think Laurie Halse Anderson did this to focus on Tyler's other problems. He had to stand up to his dad and deal with trouble he was having at school.. Thoughts?
The author resolved the problems between Tyler and Bethany so I don't think she really needed to bring her back in. I think getting Bethany out of his life was part of his recovery from his rough times. He got rid of Bethany, dealt with Chip, talked to his teachers about dropping some of his classes, and then finally formed a better relationship with his dad. By fixing all things that were contributing to his hardships Tyler will now be able to move on with his life in a more positive direction. I feel if the author would've brought Bethany back into the story it would have just made the whole thing even more 'twisted'. :)
I think that the author does not mention Bethany at the end because Tyler is trying to move on from his problems. He gets his school work done, talks to his dad, and stands up against Chip. Tyler saw Bethany as his past and wanted to move on.
I am on chapter 47 and I have noticed so far that that dad has a lot of anger and does not have a good relationship with his family. I wondered if the dad has always been like this or if there was a time before where he was not so angry at people. Tyler does mention that things used to be better than what they are now but I did not know exactly what he meant. Personally I think the father has been this way for a long while because the kids seem used to his behavior. "Coming home at a decent hour, forcing my mom to cook, making jokes at the table: something was desperately wrong with my father" (101). Tyler explained how unusual it was for his dad to act like how he does. This made me think that it was normal for his dad to act in such rude and angry manner all the time.
Why do you think Laurie chose the title Twisted for this book? I mean it is very clear that Tyler has a lot of changing factors in his life that makes it twisted, but I feel like there would be more to it than just the obvious reasons. Any thoughts??
I think another reason would be his thoughts and his mind would get "twisted". At the party he had to make a decision when he was with Bethany. He could choose the right decision or do what he wanted to do. His thoughts would get twisted and they would go against eachother. Also, when he thought about killing himself he would change his mind than change his mind again. His thoughts were "twisted" with different options that he could make.
I think the title points to how this book deals with stereotypes that we would put on Mathew, and how Anderson twists them. For example, when bethany gets drunk and wants to seduce Tyler, we would expect Tyler to go ahead, it's what's expected of him by the audience, it's a stereotype, but he doesnt do it.
Tyler does not understand the point of trying in life because he thinks it will end up sucking like his life has so far. Tyler's thought process is that he will recreate the childhood he lived in by acting just like his dad. Tyler talks about a life where him and his wife would always fight which is what he witnessed with his parents growing up. Tyler then goes on to say, "and the kids would grow up watching this, until one day I'd look at my son and he'd look just like that face in the bathroom mirror? If that was life, then it was twisted" (191). He feels that if his life is just going to repeat that of his parents, then that's not a life for his children and he finds that a life like that is very twisted.There are many parts in the book that relate to the title and this is just one of them.
yes absouletly. Tyler was ready to take off and start over, the only times that he was conflicted was when it came to his mother and sister. It was painful for Tyler to see Hannah cry and affected his decsion to leave.
I don't think Tyler would have killed himself if it weren't for his mother and sister. However, i believe that they helped him confirm his decision not to. I don't think he would've been able to pull the trigger himself or jump off the building. Many teens say they will but the attempt doesn't work. Tyler would have probably wimped out or realized that he can just have a shift that will completely change how he feels. The book It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini is a story about a kid who watned to commit suicide but he had a huge shift after being in a mental hospital. Although, not all connections are the same between the two books... I think that Tyler wouldn't be able to carry out the attempt.
I think Tyler would've stood up to his dad a lot sooner than he did rather than having a plan to run away. he would've put his dad in his place rather than letting his dads job consume him. he would've felt the need for someone caring, so he could get his dad to understand that there are things more important than a job.
I think that the biggest reason why Tyler did not commit suicide was because of Mr. Salvatore. By him coming in during his lunch period helped mold his ideas about suicide. And Tyler ends up like the character from Fastaus and, homo fuge, fly away.
Throughout the book, i was constantly wondering that if Tyler was so unhappy with his life, why not choose to do something? i know that it would be difficult for him but it was like throughout the book, he was constantly just giving up..
I think the reason Tyler hadn't made the effort to fix his life was because he hadn't yet hit rock bottom. Once he was at the lowest he could be; he finally got the motivation to do something. He was tired of the judgmental glances from his fellow classmates and the disapproval of his parents. I feel it was his immense anger that had been building up throughout the book that pushed him over the edge. More so a motivational anger than an 'angry' anger.
Josh Daman and I were discussing the symbolism of the game Tophet. We concluded that Tophet was directly related to Tyler's life, especially at the end of the book when he won the game. He was given the option to become the Lord of Darkness or be reincarnated. Ty says "I chose wisely." (250) I strongly believe he chose to be symbolically reincarnated and realistically start bettering his life. Here is a link that I found that further discusses the topic: http://anumshaikhtwistedblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/tophet_19.html (I don't know how to make it blue... so copy and paste :)
I agree with you that Tyler chose to be reincarnated at the end of Tophet. I also think that the author left it as a question so that the reader could choose what they thought he would decide. does anyone think that he chose to be Lord of Darkness?
I think that becoming Lord of darkness would make sense, in that it represents tyler having more control over his life, but it could also represent tyler becoming cold, like his dad.
What do you guys think Tyler chose at the end of the book? To become the new Lord of Darkness or take the gamble and reincarnate. relating this to his life I think it is very obvious to me that he is going to reincarnate into something new and a better person. At the end of the book not only Tyler was deciding to change his life around, but his dad too which was a big step for both of them.
Yes I agree with you Hannah, I believe that Tyler choose the choice of reincarnation. The reason I believe that Tyler choose reincarnation, is because of how the book tells of him trying to make his life better. Even if took Tyler awhile to improve his life, he still manage to improve his well being. He especially improved his family life by rejuvenating his spirit and his fathers spirit. That is why I believe that Tyler would choose reincartion at the end of the book.
I think you could look at it from both ways. If he had chosen to be the "Lord of Darkness", then it could represent him finally taking control of his life, but it could also represent him becoming like his dad, like how his dad became like his father.
I believe that Tyler decided to be reincarnated in the game of Tophet instead of becoming The Lord of Darkness at the end. He had fixed everything in his life and was ready for new challenge.
I agree, earlier on it evem foreshadow it on page 216 when he is doing an art history report on the renaissance. So at the end he takes all the lessons that he has learned and plans to make a better life for himself
what were some of your feelings about the ending? Personally I felt that it tied everything together without it being too cheesy like everything was going to be okay, because in reality is was not, at least not for a while. Although, the members of my group did feel it was underwhelming.
I personally felt that it was a great ending, especially since his life was paralleled with the video game and the book said that he beat the game around the time that he fixed things with his dad. Also, a nice cliffhanger at the end kept you thinking.
I think that Tophet symbolizes Tyler's life. Some teens often use video games as a branch of their life. It helps them to cope with stress as well as solve problems within themselves without hurting themselves in real life. This article talks about how video games can be an escape from reality and that some can parallel the lfie of the player. Tyler's life is paralleled in the game most clearly at the end when he beats the games boss around the time he confronts his father. http://realtruth.org/articles/346-vgaefr.html
in the book Tyler says he was good at digging holes in life when relating to his job. do you think the job has any symbolism relating to Tyler? to me it shows that he really has a good work ethic and that he really is a good kid. thoughts?
throughout the book, tensions between Tyler and his father rise exponentially. do you think his dad is so hard on him because his dad made some of the same mistakes when he was a teen? it also seems like he and his father are constantly turned to as a scapegoat, like his dads boss pinning the problems on him that should really be handled by the whole company, and the cops immediately pinning the pictures from the party on Tyler. it just seems like his dad doesn't want Tyler to make the same mistakes as he did. any ideas?
Often times parents want more or better for their kids, but that can also mean expecting too much out of them. I feel both Tyler and his father are misunderstood. Tyler seems like a good kid that just got a bad deal. People see the Tyler that is on paper, the one with the record. Tyler has the ability to clean up his life, especially being so young, he "screwed up" but is not a "screw up". as for his father it is a possibly that the way he is acting towards Tyler is because of his past but his past wasnt really explored in the book enough to say that, i wish it was. I also think the problems with Tyler and his father parallel, both being scapegoats, which adds to the tension.
Do you believe that more students can relate to this book than those who can't? How many at our school? State? Country? The world? Do you think that the number is more, based on teenagers hiding their problems? Or do people really just dont have any problems to show, and the ones who appear okay, really are okay?
I believe that there are 2 main themes to this book. One theme is about teen suicide and the other is about resilience. Tyler shows resilience by coming back from all of his problems and the whole book led up to when Tyler almost committed suicide. Are there any other themes?
Another theme would be family. Tyler had a lot of problems with his family but they would help him with his problems too. Tyler had to fix his relationship with his father which did eventually happen. Also, when Tyler wrote the note that he was leaving, Hannah told him not to leave and to just stay at Calvin's house. She didn't want him to leave because she cared about him.
I think they became distant because of his dad's job, because on page 5 it says "Meet my father: Corporate Tool. He'd always been a hardass, but since his latest promotion, he'd dialed it up."
When Tyler's dad Tyler that his whole life he was trying not to be his father but still ended up becoming him, do you think it was because Tyler's dad just gave up instead of fighting back like Tyler?
under what circumstances do you think Tyler would have killed himself. If something wouldnt have happened, that would cause Tyler to pull the trigger, What would it be?
I think that a certain circumstance that Tyler would have gone through with the awful deed that he attempted would be, if his father came home or his mother. If it was his father, then he would of probably went through it and shoot himself. But if it was Tyler's mother then he would of stopped thrown down the gun and get got. Which would lead to Tyler probably going to a psychiatric hospital.
If Tyler was serious about killing himself it would have been thought through. He wouldn't want anyone else to get hurt or clean up a mess. In my opinion, he would have most likely overdosed on some kind of pain killers or sleep medication.
Hannah said Tyler and Bethany would never have worked out. I would disagree with Hannah because I think they did really like eachother. Bethany didn't care that Tyler wasnt popular, she sat next to him during lunch and went to parties with him. Do you think it would have worked out?
I think that even though Bethany liked Tyler, it was more out of lust and temporary feelings, rather than love. Tyler was the same way, therefore it didn't work out
When Tyler had the gun and was thinking about killing himself he didn't want to sit on his dad's bed, "No, not sitting, not sitting on his bed" (211). Why would Tyler care where he died at? Maybe it was because he didn't want to be lying dead where his dad sleeps every night. Thoughts?
On page 191, Tyler was contemplating how he should commit suicide, and asked himself "What would achieve the goals of a) a quick death, b) a painless death, and c) a neat death? Call me weird, but I couldn't check out knowing I was leaving a nasty mess for somebody to clean up." I think the neat death part is why Tyler wouldn't want to do it on his dad's bed, because he thought that the blood and brains would be hard to clean up off the walls and the sheets.
On page 212 Tyler says, "I was a different size, a different shape. I kept trying to squeeze into a body, a skin suit, that was too small. It rubbed me the wrong way. I blistered. I callused. I scarred over and it kept hurting. I would never fit." Is he talking about fitting into his father's mirror when he was trying to watch him kill himself? Trying to fit like his father would?
I think that Tyler is trying to metaphorical fit into his father's mirror, which was to be just like his father. Because thats the only way that he could fit in his father's mirror, other than not killing himself and standing up to his father. Which Tyler of course choose the right option, which was to face life and stand up to his father.
http://psychcentral.com/lib/depression-in-teens-and-children/00010763 this article goes well with the book, it explains what happens with depression in young teens
Hypathetically speaking, if Tyler was arrested how would it affect his family? Do they genually care about Tyler, or would they be better off without him?
I think that his mom would be angry and depressed about it, along with Hannah, and they would take it out on Tyler's father. Tyler's dad would remain quiet about it, as if nothing had happened.
I feel like Tyler's mom, Hannah, and Yoda would take it the hardest. It would put a strain on the family. Tyler's dad might try to keep going as things were before but I do believe he might feel guilt and that is why he might act as if nothing happened or go the other way and try to help his son as much as possible.
Take a look at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/01/father-son-relationships-dad-raising-boy_n_3186191.html, it explores the relationship between father and son, and finds out what makes a good one, from a father's point of view. I think this article is very telling when compared to the relationship between Tyler and his father.
In Twisted, Anderson gives the reader an insight to the kind of sports played at George Washington High. There's a tennis team, a field hockey team, and probably7 other common sports; but why doesn't Tyler play any of them. In spite of his new strength from working hard the summer before Tyler neglects his opportunity to join a sport. Why?
As someone who has played a sport for most of my life, with any sport, team or individual, there needs to not only to be the capability to play but also the discipline. Tyler being a senior I don't see what the point in him joining a sport would be even if it is smithing like track and field. I also honestly think he just doesn't have the discipline.
I agree that Tyler wouldn't be able to play a sport. But not just because of his discpline.Especially in a team sport, he is selfish, and has little lack for authority.
Here is an article that describes an experiment done to find how teen depression has social, academic, and physical affects. It is a good source in relation to Twisted since how Tyler feels impacts his decision making and the others around him. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/124/4/e596.full
"I decapitated dandelions all morning, leaving death and carnage strewn in my path" (24). What do you think Tyler means by this? I feel it has to be more than simply what it says like it is meant to be taken figuratively but I just can't figure out what. Maybe the dandelions are the choices he has had in life and Tyler feels he has screwed up and made a mess of things both personally and at home. Any thoughts?
When Tyler was blamed for the incident at the party and with Bethanny, were there any other possible people at the school that could have committed the act?
There were probably several others at their school who could have done it but my guess is that it would be Parker. Mostly because he is the only other boy who flirts with Bethany and I honestly don't think Chip would do something like that to his twin sister. Then again, everybody was drunk or high at the party so really, who knows?
I believe that Tyler has a rare and weird fascination with death. This fascination with death was probably came on by the emotional and physical abuse he recieved throughout the book. Here I have an website of famous peoples last words. http://thoughtcatalog.com/oliver-miller/2012/05/famous-last-words-2/ A famous person's last words can also lead to a obsession over death. This is possible because you like the person who died and how them dieing made you feel a certain way. The way they felt was through death, so you could become very interested in death itself. And how you can try to feel like that.
The story ends when Tyler beats Tophet and is faced with a choice on page250: “I could become the new Lord of Darkness myself, or I could take a gamble and be reincarnated. I chose wisely.” The ending has a symbolic meaning but I was still unsatisfied after reading it. Do you think there was a better way of ending the book? How do you think the story should have ended?
When Tyler was in the bedroom with Bethany and was able to take advantage of her but did not. Do any of you feel like that Bethany was totally rude and nasty to Tyler because of him making the right decision. I believe this is true because a girl would definitely want a boy not to take advantage of her. Bethany got so mad at Tyler for doing the right thing, so with out the whole fight do you think the book would have read like it did?
One of the main themes in the book is teen suicide. I found an artical online that talks about how teen suicide afftects everybody, not just the person who comitted it: Click here to view the article.
If the story took place here at Marysville High School, do you think it would have been any different, or would it be the same, but just with a different high school name.
I think that when Tyler goes to the batting cages he gets blisters when thinking about everybody that he hates. But later on he pops the blisters. Does his popping his blisters symbolizing him "popping" his problems away? he did it after he threw the gun away and when he mad a truce with his dad..
Do u think Tyler would've commited suicide. Statistics would point to him doing so. Being a male trouble teen with a firearm. Copy and Paste this URL http://www.afsp.org/understanding-suicide/facts-and-figures
Go to the link below for an amazing playlist that accompanies the novel as well as a video, Q & A, and many links related to teen suicide.
ReplyDeletehttp://madwomanintheforest.com/youngadult-twisted/
Does anyone else believe this to be an odd thing for the author to put in this book? "Thinking about death relaxed me as usual"(30). Teenagers often think about this but judging by the way that Tyler's life starts to get better, as the events of the book take place, I find myself reminiscing on this statement by Tyler... It may just be me. I want to hear everyone else's thoughts. Also I think that Tyler explaining that his eighteenth birthday is soon has occurred more times than what is normal. Although, at the same time I find myself having to explain my odd age for this grade, a lot.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, it really isnt such an odd thing for the author to put this in the book and for Tyler to revisit this thought even when his life begins to look up. In Tylers rough life it would be comforting to think about dying and finally being free and able to start over. To once be in control of something in his unstabble life.
DeleteWhat do you guys think about the paragraphs where the author italicizes the words? "Pick up the monitor and bring it down on his head, shove the keyboard down his mouth, cram his skinny butt into the trash can..."(55) I feel like these are meant to show Tyler's anger towards everyone but I'm not sure if there is another purpose, any thoughts?
ReplyDeleteI think the author includes his angry thoughts of violence to his father throughout the book as a way of developing Tyler's character. It shows that Tyler can restrain his aggression, but he still has it within in him. It also supports the theme of anger and violence in this novel, which I feel is one of the biggest themes throughout the book.
DeleteWhen the author uses italics it is not just to show Tyler's anger towards people, but that is one use for the italics. In most of the italicized paragraphs Tyler is thinking or considering what he could do in that current situation. For example, "I leap over the table just as she slips on the grease-slicked floor. she falls into my arms and whispers, 'thank you, Tyler'..." (65). Tyler thought this when Bethany walked into the lunch room but he did not actually do it.
DeleteOn page 101 Tyler realizes that his dad is acting weird, and uses the situation of drinking milk and realizing that it is spoiled. I think that paragraph means more then just describing his dad, I think that Laurie Halse Anderson maybe foreshadowing his relationship with Bethany. Saying that at first it look good but really it was rotten from the start. Thoughts?
ReplyDeletei completely agree. i think tyler was overtaken with the thought of being noticed by a popular girl, rather than seeing that she was just using him because of his reputation and good looks to make herself even more popular.
DeleteTyler is continually thinking about suicide throughout the book. He says, "I rolled over on my back and prayed to every god I had ever heard of to let me die" (29). I think Tyler is so obsessed with the idea of killing himself, because it is the easy way out of all his problems.
ReplyDeleteTyler said, "Thinking about death relaxed me, as usual" (30) He had chances where he could have killed himself but never went through with them. He could have jumped off the school building or used the gun but he didn't. I don't think he really wants to die but more the thought of it makes him feel better. Killing himself wasn't the answer and he knew that. He made the right choice by getting rid of the gun and facing his problems.
DeleteThe author does not focus on Bethany at the end of the book. After Tyler ignores her, she is only mentioned a couple more times. I think Laurie Halse Anderson did this to focus on Tyler's other problems. He had to stand up to his dad and deal with trouble he was having at school.. Thoughts?
ReplyDeleteThe author resolved the problems between Tyler and Bethany so I don't think she really needed to bring her back in. I think getting Bethany out of his life was part of his recovery from his rough times. He got rid of Bethany, dealt with Chip, talked to his teachers about dropping some of his classes, and then finally formed a better relationship with his dad. By fixing all things that were contributing to his hardships Tyler will now be able to move on with his life in a more positive direction. I feel if the author would've brought Bethany back into the story it would have just made the whole thing even more 'twisted'. :)
DeleteI think that the author does not mention Bethany at the end because Tyler is trying to move on from his problems. He gets his school work done, talks to his dad, and stands up against Chip. Tyler saw Bethany as his past and wanted to move on.
DeleteI am on chapter 47 and I have noticed so far that that dad has a lot of anger and does not have a good relationship with his family. I wondered if the dad has always been like this or if there was a time before where he was not so angry at people. Tyler does mention that things used to be better than what they are now but I did not know exactly what he meant. Personally I think the father has been this way for a long while because the kids seem used to his behavior. "Coming home at a decent hour, forcing my mom to cook, making jokes at the table: something was desperately wrong with my father" (101). Tyler explained how unusual it was for his dad to act like how he does. This made me think that it was normal for his dad to act in such rude and angry manner all the time.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think Laurie chose the title Twisted for this book? I mean it is very clear that Tyler has a lot of changing factors in his life that makes it twisted, but I feel like there would be more to it than just the obvious reasons. Any thoughts??
ReplyDeleteI think another reason would be his thoughts and his mind would get "twisted". At the party he had to make a decision when he was with Bethany. He could choose the right decision or do what he wanted to do. His thoughts would get twisted and they would go against eachother. Also, when he thought about killing himself he would change his mind than change his mind again. His thoughts were "twisted" with different options that he could make.
DeleteI think the title points to how this book deals with stereotypes that we would put on Mathew, and how Anderson twists them. For example, when bethany gets drunk and wants to seduce Tyler, we would expect Tyler to go ahead, it's what's expected of him by the audience, it's a stereotype, but he doesnt do it.
DeleteTyler does not understand the point of trying in life because he thinks it will end up sucking like his life has so far. Tyler's thought process is that he will recreate the childhood he lived in by acting just like his dad. Tyler talks about a life where him and his wife would always fight which is what he witnessed with his parents growing up. Tyler then goes on to say, "and the kids would grow up watching this, until one day I'd look at my son and he'd look just like that face in the bathroom mirror? If that was life, then it was twisted" (191). He feels that if his life is just going to repeat that of his parents, then that's not a life for his children and he finds that a life like that is very twisted.There are many parts in the book that relate to the title and this is just one of them.
DeleteIf it was not for Tyler 's sister anf mother do you think that Tyler would of gone through his plan to run away?
ReplyDeleteyes absouletly. Tyler was ready to take off and start over, the only times that he was conflicted was when it came to his mother and sister. It was painful for Tyler to see Hannah cry and affected his decsion to leave.
DeleteI don't think Tyler would have killed himself if it weren't for his mother and sister. However, i believe that they helped him confirm his decision not to. I don't think he would've been able to pull the trigger himself or jump off the building. Many teens say they will but the attempt doesn't work. Tyler would have probably wimped out or realized that he can just have a shift that will completely change how he feels. The book It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini is a story about a kid who watned to commit suicide but he had a huge shift after being in a mental hospital. Although, not all connections are the same between the two books... I think that Tyler wouldn't be able to carry out the attempt.
DeleteI think Tyler would've stood up to his dad a lot sooner than he did rather than having a plan to run away. he would've put his dad in his place rather than letting his dads job consume him. he would've felt the need for someone caring, so he could get his dad to understand that there are things more important than a job.
DeleteI think that the biggest reason why Tyler did not commit suicide was because of Mr. Salvatore. By him coming in during his lunch period helped mold his ideas about suicide. And Tyler ends up like the character from Fastaus and, homo fuge, fly away.
DeleteThroughout the book, i was constantly wondering that if Tyler was so unhappy with his life, why not choose to do something? i know that it would be difficult for him but it was like throughout the book, he was constantly just giving up..
ReplyDeleteI feel that he did not choose to do anything to improve his life because he did not know what to do. Giving up seemed like the easier choice.
DeleteI think the reason Tyler hadn't made the effort to fix his life was because he hadn't yet hit rock bottom. Once he was at the lowest he could be; he finally got the motivation to do something. He was tired of the judgmental glances from his fellow classmates and the disapproval of his parents. I feel it was his immense anger that had been building up throughout the book that pushed him over the edge. More so a motivational anger than an 'angry' anger.
DeleteJosh Daman and I were discussing the symbolism of the game Tophet. We concluded that Tophet was directly related to Tyler's life, especially at the end of the book when he won the game. He was given the option to become the Lord of Darkness or be reincarnated. Ty says "I chose wisely." (250) I strongly believe he chose to be symbolically reincarnated and realistically start bettering his life. Here is a link that I found that further discusses the topic: http://anumshaikhtwistedblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/tophet_19.html (I don't know how to make it blue... so copy and paste :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that Tyler chose to be reincarnated at the end of Tophet. I also think that the author left it as a question so that the reader could choose what they thought he would decide. does anyone think that he chose to be Lord of Darkness?
DeleteI think that becoming Lord of darkness would make sense, in that it represents tyler having more control over his life, but it could also represent tyler becoming cold, like his dad.
ReplyDeleteEven though Tyler seeshimself as unpopular, does that mean he sees himself as inferior to his peers?
ReplyDeleteWhat do you guys think Tyler chose at the end of the book? To become the new Lord of Darkness or take the gamble and reincarnate. relating this to his life I think it is very obvious to me that he is going to reincarnate into something new and a better person. At the end of the book not only Tyler was deciding to change his life around, but his dad too which was a big step for both of them.
ReplyDeleteYes I agree with you Hannah, I believe that Tyler choose the choice of reincarnation. The reason I believe that Tyler choose reincarnation, is because of how the book tells of him trying to make his life better. Even if took Tyler awhile to improve his life, he still manage to improve his well being. He especially improved his family life by rejuvenating his spirit and his fathers spirit. That is why I believe that Tyler would choose reincartion at the end of the book.
DeleteI think you could look at it from both ways. If he had chosen to be the "Lord of Darkness", then it could represent him finally taking control of his life, but it could also represent him becoming like his dad, like how his dad became like his father.
DeleteI believe that Tyler decided to be reincarnated in the game of Tophet instead of becoming The Lord of Darkness at the end. He had fixed everything in his life and was ready for new challenge.
Deletei also believe that Tyler decided to be reincarneted. After Tyler finally got his life together at the end of the book, why would he wreck it again?
DeleteI agree, earlier on it evem foreshadow it on page 216 when he is doing an art history report on the renaissance. So at the end he takes all the lessons that he has learned and plans to make a better life for himself
Deletewhat were some of your feelings about the ending? Personally I felt that it tied everything together without it being too cheesy like everything was going to be okay, because in reality is was not, at least not for a while. Although, the members of my group did feel it was underwhelming.
ReplyDeleteI personally felt that it was a great ending, especially since his life was paralleled with the video game and the book said that he beat the game around the time that he fixed things with his dad. Also, a nice cliffhanger at the end kept you thinking.
DeleteWhat do you think that the video game Tophet symbolizes throughout the book?
ReplyDeleteI think that Tophet symbolizes Tyler's life. Some teens often use video games as a branch of their life. It helps them to cope with stress as well as solve problems within themselves without hurting themselves in real life. This article talks about how video games can be an escape from reality and that some can parallel the lfie of the player. Tyler's life is paralleled in the game most clearly at the end when he beats the games boss around the time he confronts his father.
Deletehttp://realtruth.org/articles/346-vgaefr.html
in the book Tyler says he was good at digging holes in life when relating to his job. do you think the job has any symbolism relating to Tyler? to me it shows that he really has a good work ethic and that he really is a good kid. thoughts?
ReplyDeletethroughout the book, tensions between Tyler and his father rise exponentially. do you think his dad is so hard on him because his dad made some of the same mistakes when he was a teen? it also seems like he and his father are constantly turned to as a scapegoat, like his dads boss pinning the problems on him that should really be handled by the whole company, and the cops immediately pinning the pictures from the party on Tyler. it just seems like his dad doesn't want Tyler to make the same mistakes as he did. any ideas?
ReplyDeleteOften times parents want more or better for their kids, but that can also mean expecting too much out of them. I feel both Tyler and his father are misunderstood. Tyler seems like a good kid that just got a bad deal. People see the Tyler that is on paper, the one with the record. Tyler has the ability to clean up his life, especially being so young, he "screwed up" but is not a "screw up". as for his father it is a possibly that the way he is acting towards Tyler is because of his past but his past wasnt really explored in the book enough to say that, i wish it was. I also think the problems with Tyler and his father parallel, both being scapegoats, which adds to the tension.
DeleteDo you believe that more students can relate to this book than those who can't? How many at our school? State? Country? The world? Do you think that the number is more, based on teenagers hiding their problems? Or do people really just dont have any problems to show, and the ones who appear okay, really are okay?
ReplyDeleteI believe that there are 2 main themes to this book. One theme is about teen suicide and the other is about resilience. Tyler shows resilience by coming back from all of his problems and the whole book led up to when Tyler almost committed suicide. Are there any other themes?
ReplyDeleteAnother theme would be family. Tyler had a lot of problems with his family but they would help him with his problems too. Tyler had to fix his relationship with his father which did eventually happen. Also, when Tyler wrote the note that he was leaving, Hannah told him not to leave and to just stay at Calvin's house. She didn't want him to leave because she cared about him.
DeleteI think they became distant because of his dad's job, because on page 5 it says "Meet my father: Corporate Tool. He'd always been a hardass, but since his latest promotion, he'd dialed it up."
ReplyDeleteWhen Tyler's dad Tyler that his whole life he was trying not to be his father but still ended up becoming him, do you think it was because Tyler's dad just gave up instead of fighting back like Tyler?
ReplyDeleteunder what circumstances do you think Tyler would have killed himself. If something wouldnt have happened, that would cause Tyler to pull the trigger, What would it be?
ReplyDeleteI think that a certain circumstance that Tyler would have gone through with the awful deed that he attempted would be, if his father came home or his mother. If it was his father, then he would of probably went through it and shoot himself. But if it was Tyler's mother then he would of stopped thrown down the gun and get got. Which would lead to Tyler probably going to a psychiatric hospital.
DeleteIf Tyler was serious about killing himself it would have been thought through. He wouldn't want anyone else to get hurt or clean up a mess. In my opinion, he would have most likely overdosed on some kind of pain killers or sleep medication.
DeleteHannah said Tyler and Bethany would never have worked out. I would disagree with Hannah because I think they did really like eachother. Bethany didn't care that Tyler wasnt popular, she sat next to him during lunch and went to parties with him. Do you think it would have worked out?
ReplyDeletei think she was using him because he was the one rebellious kid who she also thought was good looking so she used him to make herself more popular
DeleteI think that even though Bethany liked Tyler, it was more out of lust and temporary feelings, rather than love. Tyler was the same way, therefore it didn't work out
DeleteWhen Tyler had the gun and was thinking about killing himself he didn't want to sit on his dad's bed, "No, not sitting, not sitting on his bed" (211). Why would Tyler care where he died at? Maybe it was because he didn't want to be lying dead where his dad sleeps every night. Thoughts?
ReplyDeleteOn page 191, Tyler was contemplating how he should commit suicide, and asked himself "What would achieve the goals of a) a quick death, b) a painless death, and c) a neat death? Call me weird, but I couldn't check out knowing I was leaving a nasty mess for somebody to clean up." I think the neat death part is why Tyler wouldn't want to do it on his dad's bed, because he thought that the blood and brains would be hard to clean up off the walls and the sheets.
DeleteOn page 212 Tyler says, "I was a different size, a different shape. I kept trying to squeeze into a body, a skin suit, that was too small. It rubbed me the wrong way. I blistered. I callused. I scarred over and it kept hurting. I would never fit." Is he talking about fitting into his father's mirror when he was trying to watch him kill himself? Trying to fit like his father would?
ReplyDeleteI think that Tyler is trying to metaphorical fit into his father's mirror, which was to be just like his father. Because thats the only way that he could fit in his father's mirror, other than not killing himself and standing up to his father. Which Tyler of course choose the right option, which was to face life and stand up to his father.
Deletehttp://psychcentral.com/lib/depression-in-teens-and-children/00010763
ReplyDeletethis article goes well with the book, it explains what happens with depression in young teens
Hypathetically speaking, if Tyler was arrested how would it affect his family? Do they genually care about Tyler, or would they be better off without him?
ReplyDeleteI think that his mom would be angry and depressed about it, along with Hannah, and they would take it out on Tyler's father. Tyler's dad would remain quiet about it, as if nothing had happened.
DeleteI feel like Tyler's mom, Hannah, and Yoda would take it the hardest. It would put a strain on the family. Tyler's dad might try to keep going as things were before but I do believe he might feel guilt and that is why he might act as if nothing happened or go the other way and try to help his son as much as possible.
DeleteTake a look at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/01/father-son-relationships-dad-raising-boy_n_3186191.html, it explores the relationship between father and son, and finds out what makes a good one, from a father's point of view. I think this article is very telling when compared to the relationship between Tyler and his father.
ReplyDeleteIn Twisted, Anderson gives the reader an insight to the kind of sports played at George Washington High. There's a tennis team, a field hockey team, and probably7 other common sports; but why doesn't Tyler play any of them. In spite of his new strength from working hard the summer before Tyler neglects his opportunity to join a sport. Why?
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has played a sport for most of my life, with any sport, team or individual, there needs to not only to be the capability to play but also the discipline. Tyler being a senior I don't see what the point in him joining a sport would be even if it is smithing like track and field. I also honestly think he just doesn't have the discipline.
DeleteI agree that Tyler wouldn't be able to play a sport. But not just because of his discpline.Especially in a team sport, he is selfish, and has little lack for authority.
DeleteHere is an article that describes an experiment done to find how teen depression has social, academic, and physical affects. It is a good source in relation to Twisted since how Tyler feels impacts his decision making and the others around him.
ReplyDeletehttp://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/124/4/e596.full
"I decapitated dandelions all morning, leaving death and carnage strewn in my path" (24). What do you think Tyler means by this? I feel it has to be more than simply what it says like it is meant to be taken figuratively but I just can't figure out what. Maybe the dandelions are the choices he has had in life and Tyler feels he has screwed up and made a mess of things both personally and at home. Any thoughts?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhen Tyler was blamed for the incident at the party and with Bethanny, were there any other possible people at the school that could have committed the act?
ReplyDeleteThere were probably several others at their school who could have done it but my guess is that it would be Parker. Mostly because he is the only other boy who flirts with Bethany and I honestly don't think Chip would do something like that to his twin sister. Then again, everybody was drunk or high at the party so really, who knows?
DeleteI believe that Tyler has a rare and weird fascination with death. This fascination with death was probably came on by the emotional and physical abuse he recieved throughout the book. Here I have an website of famous peoples last words. http://thoughtcatalog.com/oliver-miller/2012/05/famous-last-words-2/ A famous person's last words can also lead to a obsession over death. This is possible because you like the person who died and how them dieing made you feel a certain way. The way they felt was through death, so you could become very interested in death itself. And how you can try to feel like that.
ReplyDeleteThe story ends when Tyler beats Tophet and is faced with a choice on page250: “I could become the new Lord of Darkness myself, or I could take a gamble and be reincarnated. I chose wisely.”
ReplyDeleteThe ending has a symbolic meaning but I was still unsatisfied after reading it. Do you think there was a better way of ending the book? How do you think the story should have ended?
When Tyler was in the bedroom with Bethany and was able to take advantage of her but did not. Do any of you feel like that Bethany was totally rude and nasty to Tyler because of him making the right decision. I believe this is true because a girl would definitely want a boy not to take advantage of her. Bethany got so mad at Tyler for doing the right thing, so with out the whole fight do you think the book would have read like it did?
ReplyDeleteOne of the main themes in the book is teen suicide. I found an artical online that talks about how teen suicide afftects everybody, not just the person who comitted it: Click here to view the article.
ReplyDeleteI found an article online about teen suicide and why teens do it.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.americanthinker.com/2014/01/sad_truths_about_teen_suicide.html
If the story took place here at Marysville High School, do you think it would have been any different, or would it be the same, but just with a different high school name.
ReplyDeleteIn the book, there is a video game that Tyler plays called Tophet. If it were a real video game, would you want to play it?
ReplyDeleteI think that when Tyler goes to the batting cages he gets blisters when thinking about everybody that he hates. But later on he pops the blisters. Does his popping his blisters symbolizing him "popping" his problems away? he did it after he threw the gun away and when he mad a truce with his dad..
ReplyDeleteDo u think Tyler would've commited suicide. Statistics would point to him doing so. Being a male trouble teen with a firearm. Copy and Paste this URL
ReplyDeletehttp://www.afsp.org/understanding-suicide/facts-and-figures