Quarter 3: Week 5, Post A

VOCAB:

belligerent (144): of warlike character, aggressively hostile
effusive (163): lacking reserve, pouring out, overflowing

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE:

1. "Her mouth was a moist red wound" (163). This is an example of a metaphor. Clare's mouth is directly compared to a wound because of their redness and shape.
2. "I saw that Clare was glaring at me with hot acid eyes" (173). This is another example of figurative language in the book. Obviously Clare's eyes are not actually hot or made of acid, but this comparison shows the extreme anger Clare is feeling.
3. "Smoky glanced up nervously hearing the D.J.'s familiar voice: low throaty sexy as an alto saxophone" (190). This is an example of a simile in the novel. Nikki compares Wally's D.J. voice to the sounds of a soulful saxophone.

QUOTE:

"In the Saab, Clare began crying. I had never heard my sister cry so helplessly. She was saying she couldn't make it without Mom. She was saying she didn't love anyone anymore. It was too much effort, she wasn't strong enough" (186). This quote demonstrates a more vulnerable side of Clare that the reader has not gotten to see thus far in the novel. Clare is thought to be the responsible, "put together" one of the two sisters, but here we are shown how insecure and unhappy she truly is. In this rare moment of grief and anger, we learn that Clare is just as shocked and unsure as Nikki in this situation, even if she doesn't always show it.

THEME:

The theme of the novel continues to be the grieving process. Also, it seems to be focusing more on relationships: Clare and Nikki's sisterly relationship, the girls' relationships with their parents, Clare's relationship with Rob, and Nikki's relationship with Wally Szalla.