halfalife

**RULES: **
Book Club Week 1: Margitt-Key Questioner Diana-Group Leader Alicia-Group Summarizer Alessandra-Key Questioner Teresa-Quotation Finder
 * __try to bring food every week__: not really that important, but so that we can enjoy our book club, try not to forget the food.
 * __read each week__: if you don't its just gonna be harder to discuss during class and of course difficult to do your job.
 * __do your job__: the most important one- please remember to do your job, that way we don't get points deducted.*
 * **//The punishment for disobeying these rules is: //**
 * you must complete one of the opposite group member's job for the next week.
 * grade drops.
 * you don't get to have food.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. How do you think you would feel, if you had done what Darin did? Do you think that Darin dealt with the situation differently? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. Do you believe that the accident was all of Darin’s fault? Why or why not? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. Put yourself in Darin’s shoes. Would you be able to write a memoir and actually state one of the biggest mistakes of your life, like he did? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. How would you feel if you were on the other side. Being Celine's close friend or family, do you think you would have anger towards Darin? Or would believe it was an accident, and eventually forgive him?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Questions: **
 * We all agree, that we would feel a lot worst than Darin did and very much shocked. Yes, we think that Darin took everything differently and instead of freaking out like we would do, he went to the movies and stayed calm.
 * No, because Celine was the one that swirlved and Darin had his eyes on the road like any normal driver.
 * Not at all, because it would be very hard to relive the moment and we wouldn't want to expose my darkest and most upsetting secret to everyone else to know.
 * Well at first, we'd all be very upset and a little angry because probably at first finding out that someone so special to you is gone is very shocking. However, after time we believe that we would all understand the situation and eventually forgive Darin.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. How would you feel if you were in Darin’s shoes? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Alicia: if i was in Darin’s shoes I don’t know how i would be able to go on and live a normal life with that fact of knowing that i killed someone. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Diana: If I was in Darin’s shoes I would feel awful. I would not know what to do if I had to live my life knowing that I killed someone else, even if it was an accident. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Ali: I think if i was in Darin’s shoes that I wouldn’t be able to live with myself. Knowing that I hit a girl with my car, even if it was an accident, would really bug me. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Teresa: If I was in Darin’s shoes I would be very depressed and I would not know what to do about the accident. I would feel very sorry for Celine and her family. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Margitt: If I was in Darin’s shoes I would not be able to live with myself and my conscious of knowing that I have just taken away someone’s life. I would definitely feel extremely sorry towards her family and friends, and those that I have seriously hurt.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Questions: **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. What would your reaction be if you were Celine’s sister? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Alicia: i would be very upset and very lost without her. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Ali: I probably would be very upset and scared because knowing that I probably wouldnt ever see her again would really hurt. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Teresa: If i was Celine’s sister I would have been very scared and upset. I would have also been mad at Darin because he was the one driving the car. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Margitt: If I was Celine’s sister, I would become depressed. Knowing that someone so close to you and so important wasn’t going to be there anymore would probably drive me insane. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Diana: If I was Celine’s sister I would be extremely upset and I would’nt know what to do knowing that my sister wouldn’t be around anymore and I would die.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. Why do you think it took so long for Darin to register what was going on? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Alicia: i think he didn’t realize because he was so shocked and didnt know what to do. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Teresa: I think it took so long for it to register because he was in shock about the accident, and that he had hit her and she was unconscious. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Ali: I think it took him a long time to register because it never really sunk in. He was probably in extreme shock because its not a situation that's easy to live with. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Diana: I think it took so long to register in Darin’s mind because he didn’t want to believe what he had done, and he was in shock. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Margitt: I think it took him a long time to register because he was in complete shock and didn't believe that he had actually just killed a human being.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. Is the following quote the reaction you expected after this situation? “ I’d done something this incalculably big, and here I was, still alive. I was okay. I’d hit a girl with my car, but the way the world worked, I wasn’t in jail, I wasn’t hurt; I was free to watch a movie”. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Teresa: No, i expected him to be much more shaken. I thought he wouldn’t even think twice about going out to the moves after hitting her with the car. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Alicia: i don’t think he should of went to the movies after the fact that he hit a girl. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Ali: I wouldn’t expect this to happen. I would think that if Darin hit a girl with his car he <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> would probably be taken to jail or charged, not be at a movie. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Diana: I really expected him to be a lot more upset and feel bad about what he had done. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Margitt: No, I didn’t expect this to happen because I believe that Darin would have been much more sympathetic and would have never thought to go to the movies after just hitting a girl.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5. Do you think maybe Celine was trying to kill herself? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Alicia: think that she thought about it but realized that her family needed her and couldn’t deal with another death in the family. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Teresa: I think there was a slight chance she was committing suicide, but would not have been one for my first thoughts on the accident. If it was true she tried to kill herself it would be very shocking to me. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Ali: I think that maybe she was trying to commit suicide because there was no evidence that she tried to swerve out of the way. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Diana: I think that she might have been thinking about suicide at first because she never tried to move but maybe towards the end she changed her mind, but it was too late. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Margitt: I think that Celine really did once think about comitting suicide but knew that it would hurt her family too much and at the end really didn’t want too.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. “The horizon was just my towns modest skyline done in watercolors.” <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. “This openness that does not project out is the image I have of death: everything present, nothing there.” <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. “It was years before I wrote to thank him, this guy I didn't really know, who was decent enough to perform a simple kindness of remembering the young man whose well-being it would have been easy, at that moment, to forget.” <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. “With frightened eyes, I looked everywhere, at everyone.” <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5. “His nervous eyes watched me above his words, apologizing for the ways the excuses weren’t right for even as he couldn't stop presenting them.”
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Quotes: **

Darin Staruss is the author and main character of the book Half a Life. He is a very interesting character in my opinion because he has a very interesting outlook on his life and everyone else's after the accident. After he hit and killed Celine he never to life for granted. Celine's mother told him to live his life to the fullest because he was living it for him and Celine now. I think i like this character so much because even though he has been through a lot he is still strong. I really look forward to keep reading this book and find out more about him.
 * Group Leader:**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My group and I love the book Half a Life by Darin Strauss. It’s the author who’s telling the story about his life and what had happened to him when he was eighteen. Darin Strauss was driving and accidentally hit a girl who was a junior at his school. He had killed her. Darin Strauss is an excellent author and my group and I love what we have read so far. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> During the meeting we thought that it was a good first chapter, basically a great way to start off the book. We all agreed that we felt bad for the girl that had gotten hit by the car. Also, we can’t wait to read more because it’s very good and intense. Half a Life by Darin Strauss is a great book so far.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Summarizer: Alicia Cadiz **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Book Club Round 2 Week 2 Roles: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Teresa-Group Summarizer <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Alicia-Key Questioner <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Alessandra-Quotation Finder <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Margitt-Key Questioner <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Diana- Leader (spoke about everything in person)

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. Why do you think Darin was so effected by the car accident? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- We all think that Darin is effected because he still has so much guilt, even though it truthfully was not his fault. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. Do you think going back to school made it easier for Darin to deal with the accident? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">-No, because many kids probably accused him and made fun him for what happened. It was probably much harder for him to go back to school. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. If you were Darin would you have wanted to just start over? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">-Yes, we would have wanted to just go back in time and take back everything that happened. If only life were that easy.. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. Would you have forgive Darin if you were Celines parents? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">-After time, yes. It would be very difficult but we think that since it was an accident, he deserves a chance. 5. Why do you think Mrs. Zilke told Darin to live for two people? -Mrs. Zilke told Darin to live for two people because she felt as though since he has killed a human being, Darin should also live for that same human being.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Questions: **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. How do you think Darin felt when he was faced to walk the halls of his highschool knowing that all his friends hated him for what he had done? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Darin must have felt very bad. He must of felt like many people were going to trash talk him and accuse him. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. Do you think Darin was confident with himself like he was before the accident when he got back to school or ashamed of himself? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">-We think that Darin was confident but also ashamed. Confident because just like he was before hand, he's going to be even more confident espeicially confront his fellow mates. At the same time, it must be hard having to face accusations and comments about what had happened. 3. Did you think Darin took it weird when Mrs. Zilke told him to live for two people? - Yes. "How could I live for two people, i can't even live for myself after this accident." Darin answers. As you can see, it was hard for Darin to coup with what happened and would be harder to think that he'd have to live for two people. 4. How do you think Darin felt about the Celine Zilke scholarship? - Darin felt satisfied and happy knowing that ther was a scholarship named after Celine, however hurt knowing that once again he was the one to cause her her life. 5. Do you think it's good for Darin to start fresh and new at his college? -Yes. We think it would be best for Darin to renew his mind and understand that he was NOT and will not ever be a killer. So far we all agree that Half a Life by Darin Strauss is a great book. My group and I love that it never has a dull part. There is always some kind of action that never makes you want to put the book down. At first, we thought that it was going to be a book that we just were going to read because it fulfilled the requirements, but we are actually really enjoying it. We all kept talking about Darin's reaction when he hit Celine and Celine's mother talking to Darin at the funeral. Darin was much more calm then what we expected, but we knew he was devastated by what happened. Celine's mother talked with Darin and said that she understood that is wasn't his fault. My group and I thought it was very forgiving and understanding of Celine's mother to do that.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Questions: **
 * Group Summarizer:**


 * Quotations:**
 * “How could I just pop over to where I’d killed Celine?”
 * “I remember the fast-passing median and its luscious grass. I can still see the boring road. The Shrink slowed us even more. Some geese poked along the median, each in its own way. I went nauseous. The day had become grim, irreparable.”
 * “ ‘This,’ he said, ‘ was a help, right – this drive?’ I lied and I nodded: It sure had been.”
 * “That Tuesday or Wednesday, there had been a school-wid memorial assembly: Celine’s teachers, friends, and coaches giving tributes to her, the 'girl who has been so cruelly taken from us'.”
 * “Today I realized that I’m going to die”.

Book Club 2 Week 3 Roles: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Alicia -Group Summerizer <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Diana- Key Questioner <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Margitt- Quotation Finder <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Alessandra- Key Questioner <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Teresa- Group Leader (spoke and reviewed about everything in class)

1. Would you blame Darin for killing Celine like her friends did? -No because we feel like it was an accident and because he proves in the story that he is so regretful of it and it was an accident. 2. Would you have the strength to be able to go to her funeral if you were Darin? -We think that it wouldn’t be right to not go to the funeral because technically it was his fault and it would look bad to Celine’s family if the killer of your daughter wasn’t there to show their sorrow. 3.After reading this section of the book do you think Celine tried to kill herself? -Yes we think that she tried to kill herself epically because she made the journal entry saying she knew she would die it backs it up. 4. Is this something that would bother you into college too? -We think that it would be with us our whole life because if you take a life away it would stick with you.
 * Questions**:

-“In any court setting, where people have nothing to do but lean forward and listen, silences feel drawn-out. - “Being friendly to Mr. Zilke felt, somehow, very natural." - “I did not even blame them for suing me.” - “And now I was at the end of my early twenties, spending a year in Colorado, moving back to Manhattan.” - “For years, the court case just dragged its slow length along.”
 * Quotes**:

1. If you were Darin would you constantly think about Celine? -Yes, definitely yes. It would be something that stuck in your conscious, forever. 2. Would you try to live your life to the fullest for the person you accidently killed? -Yes and no. Yes because well you obviously will try to have them person in spirit at all times and try to think positively. However, no because having that in your mind, we feel like it would stop you from living life and tying to forget about what happened. 3. If you were Darin how would you deal with being known as the kid that killed a girl? -Oh my. We definitely all agree that that is an unfortunate and sad position to be put in. Even though it was an accident, kids around you will not understand that and will go out of their way to make it seem like you are a killer. That of course, is the worst feeling, having an accusation for something you didn't mean to do. 4. Would you try to hide your emotions about the accident like Darin did? -No, if you hide your emotions the way Darin did people would use that as more of a weapon as if you didn't care what has just happened. It would be better if you showed the way you really feel, and not be fake. 5. Do you think Darin was more cautious after the accident? -Yes, I mean it would be rather stupid if he didn't espiecially after the accident that did not only lead to injury, but death.
 * Questions**:

Book Club 2 Week 4 Roles: Alessandra-Key Questioner Diana- Quotation Finder Alicia- Key Questioner Margitt- Group Leader (reviewed in class) Teresa- Group Summarizer

This week during book club our group discussed the section of the book we read, answered our questions, and talked about the quotes. Along with that we discussed the themes and images of the reading. The group leader answered the questions for the week posted on the wiki and we used a document on Google Docs to share our jobs for the week. We talked about our book most of the time and shared our opinions on what was happening. We all gave a collaborative answer to the questions the two question people made up. The quotation finder told us the quotes they picked, and why the choose them and we discussed them too. Towards the end we talked about if we liked the book or not and we ended our book club.
 * Summary:**

Book Club 2 Week 5 Roles: Margitt-Quotation Finder Alicia- Group Leader Alessandra-Group Summarizer Diana- Key Questioner

**Leader:** Our final reflections on this book were very interesting. We thought it was very good and one of the best books we have ever read. We would definitely recommend this book to peers. This topic has not been in any other book we have read as a group. This book should be considered for the schools curriculum.

**Quotation:** **<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">- "I wrote and wrote and listened close for whatever the past was trying to say to me. It was still tough even to think about this girl who died." ** **<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">- "For a long time, i had believed i was missing some crucial unimportant thing." ** **<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">- "Whether celine had been intent undying that sunny morning or not- this has, in the end, little to do with me." ** **<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">- "I used to think i'd like her to not remember me at all." ** **<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">- "We're all pretty much able to deal even with the worst that life can fire at us, if we simply admit that it is very difficult." **

Today in book club we started off by answering the survey for our school. Next we discussed the quotes. We talked a little about what they meant and how they were important. Then we answered all of our questions. We answered them all together and made up some more afterwards. After that we discussed the book even further and started to talk about the ups and downs. After that we edited our wiki and finished off by talking about the ending of the book.
 * Summarizer:**