Reading Log questions

Mudia Ogbevire

Professor Young

ENG W 1101

30 January 2017

Reading Log Questions

1. Willa Lambert is a quiet and shy girl. Early in the novel, the reader quickly learns that Willa has a crush on one of her classmates Cully. The author describes Willa's feelings toward Cully descriptively, she says, "That night in the spring, at the stadium near the concession stand, she and Dani had been talking to him, and he jokingly put his arm around Willa, let his hand rest on her shoulder for a few seconds, and when his fingers flicked at the seam of her shirt, it knocked the breath out of her" (Steinke 21). Aside from Willa's feelings toward Cully, she also has a different relationship with her parents. Willa and her father used to have a close relationship where they would spend quality time together. Recently, their relationship shifted because of the change in his work schedule. Willa also notices that it seems as if her dad is ashamed of her. The author says, "But sometime last year, his schedule at work changed and he didn't have time anymore, and she'd noticed he'd also stopped looking directly at her face, as if it somehow embarrassed him" (Steinke 23). Willa has been experiencing visions of several different things. Her visions includes, a little girl, reaching up with both arms for Willa to hold her, a naked man with thick thighs and a beard, a plate of sugar-dusted cookies and an old pot filled with pencils. The reader can assume because of the dangerous unhealthy chemicals in the environment Willa is having deluded visions.

2. Dex, is a normal student who is not necessarily popular, but he is not a "nerd" either. The reader observes the fact that Dex is fond of Willa. Dex's parents recently split up and this has taken a toll on Dex. His relationship with his mother is strained because of her unhealthy habits. She was diagnosed with diabetes but she still continues to eat unhealthy. In the novel, Dex sees his mom eating cookies and he confronts her about it. He says, "You shouldn't be eating that' She swallowed and smiled a closed-mouth smile. 'Oh I know. New diet starts tomorrow'" (Steinke 39). Because of the divorce, Dex's relationship with his father was almost nonexistent. His father is secretive, in his opinion and their relationship is not what it used to be. All of Dex's friends seem to enjoy his mother's company. Dex's relationship with his friends is somewhat distant because he does not tell them his true opinions. When talking about Willa it was evident that Dex did not mention what he really thought. "Dex didn't tell Weeks that he kind f liked the makeup (the long-lashed part of her eyes), but he suddenly doubted his perception of Willa" (Friendswood 42).

3. Hal is the father of Cully, and he sells houses for a living. Hal's career is incredibly stressful for him because his income depends on the sales he makes. He has to pray consistently throughout the day in order to make it through adversities. Hal's relationship with Cully is connected through football. "Hal felt closest to his son when he sat in the stands, watching a game" (Steinke 15). Hal's relationship with Darlene shifts. The reader has reason to believe that Hal has had affairs with other women. He talks about a woman named Dawn. "Dawn's tan, skinny legs wrapped around his waist, and the tiny shoes she wore, and the way he came home feeling sorry for Darlene, her face in a nimbus of blue TV light, her grin set like a tiger's" (Steinke 16).

4. Lee was the mother of Jess who died of cancer. She is also single because she is recently divorced. This event negatively impacted Lee's life. Lee is miserable due to the death of her daughter. Lee will also go to the end of the earth to evaluate the chemical dumping that took place. People in the community perceive her as strange ever since her daughter passed. "Lee's gotten odd since them. Can't blame her really" (Steinke 53). Avery is angry that Lee put an end to the work he wanted to do that was in the same area of the chemical dumping. Avery and Hal at first seem to believe that she is doing this out of spite.  When Hal is informed that her daughter died, he comes  to a conclusion. "That's why she's doing all of this---its grief" (Steinke 54).

5. In the town Friendswood, there was a chemical dumping that occurred. An oil refinery would dump waste into their and the EPA claimed it to be safe. The community responded to the evident danger they were faced with. "Now years later, almost no one remembered or cared, but the sludge came up out of the ground for months...People who touched it got rashes or sores on their skin. People worried but were reassured that the EPA had tested the soil and declared it safe" (Steinke 28).  The community put their trust in the EPA because they were being constantly assured that the area was safe. There were many signs that the environment was impacted by the chemical dumping. Lee explains, "Then one day, the sludge had appeared, thick and oozing with a streak of fluorescent green, under the swing set of the school playground. A mother found her little boy playing with the black coils, petroleum and dirt in war paint across his face" (Steinke 28).

6. The environmental disaster in Friendswood is also similar to the situation in Flint, Michigan. In Flint, Michigan, the governor decided to change the Detroit water system to the Flint River. Ever since then, the water remained contaminated and it comes out of the pipes completely discolored. Obama declared a federal emergency for this city in January of 2016 but the city has still yet provided safe drinking water for this underprivileged city. This event affected the city because there is only so much a person can do with lack of clean water. This city has mainly poor black residents which leads people to wonder if the color of their skin has anything to do with the lack of action.