Fish in a Tree discussion

This is where we are posting our ideas.

How does the writer begin the tour of the storyworld?

She gives a little of her own personality
She introduces the other characters in the story
She sets the current scene of the story (exposition)
She gives her own view of what she thinks all of the other characters are like
Gives what all of other characters say about herself
Gives the memories (history) of what has happened before the current day
Gives what an average school day is life for herself
What is Ally's life like outside of school?

What point of view is your novel written in?

1st person

Why do you think this writer chose this particular point of view?

So the reader has an inside look on what life is like for Ally and all of her daily struggles with bullying, reading, school, and family/friends. Also, so everything in the plot is through the lenses of her so everything will be told with her feelings and opinions on it also, to help with knowing what life is like daily for her.

What mood does the writer establish in any given scene?

Depressed and stressed

How does she establish that mood?

Through the characters thoughts and actions

Why does the writer chose that mood for this particular scene?

I think the writer chose this mood for this particular scene to show how depressed Ally is that she can’t read and I feel that with her with the great detail shown

What is Mr. Daniel's like and how will he influence Ally's view on school?

What is the tone of the speaker in a particular passage?
When she is talking about her Dad to the class
sadness
depressed

How does the writer establish this tone?
Saying “I really miss him”
he is enough to represents Ally
actions

Why is this important to understand this tone?
Ally has a lot of emotions
we only see the bad until now

What is the tone of the speakers in a particular passage?
in the classroom
explaining what is important to each student for the new teacher to learn about them more
Ally does not want to share so she says she has nothing but then she finds what she was supposed to share in her pocket while trying to hide it and Mr. Daniels saw
the tone: brave and confident
How does the writer establish this tone?
she makes Ally very passionate about the coin she is showing that represents her relationship with her dad who left for the military
The teacher cares deeply
she foiled her tone from previously when she was embarrassed to share what is important to her to the class to when she shared the coin so it would stand out more
Why is it important to understand this tone?
to show Ally’s change for the better
to show her new confidence building

What is real and what is fiction in your book?

real: has been to 6 schools (dad is in the military), has no friends, acts out in class, brother understands her,

fiction: not able to read/write in 6th grade, not based on true events

What is real and what is fictional in your book?
real: having a mean teacher, not liking school, people fight in her class, Ally goes to the principal a lot, mom owns a restaurant, girls in her class make fun of her, mom doesn't understand her well, brother understands her well, conflict.
fiction: not being able to read nor write in 6th grade, not based on true events.

What is ambiguous in your book?
ambiguity: when the author leaves something in the story unclear
Why Ally cannot read
goes to a different school every year
infer: to try to read
Why did Hunt leave this unclear?
to leave the decision to why Ally is not educated
also it leaves the reader wondering if she is so embarrassed, why is she not trying to get a better education (reading and writing)

"When people have low expectations of you, you can sometimes use it to your advantage"

My Book’s Storyworld:
Where in time does the story exist?
present time
Where in the universe does the storyworld exist?
earth
What is the history of my storyworld?
Ally’s dad is deployed for the military so she moved to 7 schools, one every year
What does the world look like physically and geographically?
The World, small town
What specific sets will host the action?
her school
mom's restaurant
What social classes exist?
upper class
middle class
lower class
What does society look like in my world?
present day society
What laws exist? Do people follow them?
Present day laws
people do follow them (as if right now
What other rules do people follow?
in the school, where you sit at lunch, who are your friends
Ally does not follow school/classroom rules
What is the government like in my world?
present day government
What type of education does a person get?
every character, besides the mom, that have been introduced to me have gone to school
Ally still does not know how to read or write in the sixth grade
What are the elements of the culture?
each person has a different culture
Suki: Japanese
What are the basic needs of a person?
do well in school
make money
What is considered a luxury?
to most people: money
Allys family: money and the coins her grandfather and her father collected
What beliefs do people share?
religious beliefs
What are typical family dynamics?
close family
friends

Where in time does the storyworld exist?
the present day

Where in the universe does the storyworld take place?
earth
United States

What is the history of the storyworld? How did it come to this moment?
dad is in the army
has been to 6 schools
Ally can’t read or write
Ally and her brother like coins

What does the world look like physically and geographically?
A small town

What specific sets will host the action?
restaurant
school
coin shop
priceables office



What social classes exist?
high
middle
low

What does society look like in the world?
mean kids
everyone judges each other
tries to look nice in front of adults
a couple people who stand up of themselves

Choices, Decisions, Consequences

Choice - To pick on Albert or not
Decision - She picked on him
Storyworld - She was peer pressured to pick on him by Shay and Jessica. In Ally’s mind, it helped her with her credit with her classmates.

Describe the choices a character is faced with as a result of the storyworld he/she lives in. Explain the character’s decision. Finally, explain how the storyworld impacts the consequences of the decision.
decision: Ally decides to sit with Albert, and Keisha at lunch instead of Shay and Jessica like last time
It impacts the storyworld or involves the storyworld because part of the society, everyone wants to be like the popular, and rich girls (aka Shay and Jessica)
Ally says she wants to be like Shay and Jessica
she goes against the society of the storyworld to make her decision
her consequence is making new friends and stepping out of the box

Choices, decisions, and consequences

choice- not to or do well in school
decision- not
consequence- always getting in trouble, going to the principal's office, can’t read or write, has not many friends
the story world impacts the consequences because the book is realistic fiction

How do the mundane actions of your character contribute to your understanding of the storyworld?
Ally goes to school
this contributes because it helps us learn:
characters
teachers
her struggle with school
goes to the principal's office
her learning abilities
also helps us learn:
where she goes everyday and where every kid goes everyday
the classrooms
Ally is with her family often
this contributes because it helps us learn:
what her brother is like
what her mother is like
her relationship with her mother and brother

How does your novel end?
With Ally's brother learning how to read/write
I like the ending
what I wanted to happen
would have liked Ally to talk about her dad more

How does your novel end? Analyze the writers decision
my novel ends with Ally’s brother learning to read as well
I don’t like the ending because I seemed to not care for Travis because he didn’t add much to the story in my opinion
I did like when Ally handed to possible sheet of paper to Travis because Mr. Daniels saw that Ally really does care and it showed Travis that Ally really cares for him, also it showed Travis that Mr. Daniels cares for him as well and they all get along
the one thing I would've liked to know more about it Ally’s dad. We only heard from him once throughout the whole book so I think that it makes the reader sorry for Ally for missing a huge influence for her childhood but if the writer had mentioned the dad more or if he had visited once it would make the reader feel even more sorry for Ally but also care more for Ally’s dad.