It’s funny that I have barely mentioned the main character at all! Eric Calhoune is such a likeable character and seems like someone I’d like to have as a friend. His sense of humor in the book is priceless and his voice is unique. I love how he can be so comfortable with himself, and that he isn’t concerned with what other people think of him. It’s fresh to see someone who isn’t insecure because he’s heard it all- not because they’ve “found true beauty in themselves” or something like that. I’m glad that Chris Crutcher doesn’t use all the cheesy clichés in his writing- but I suppose that I wouldn’t care if there were a bunch of hokey things in there. I also like how Moby is iffy about things like abortion and God- because I know there are so many other kids who aren’t completely set on their beliefs like Mark Brittain. Moby’s just…cool, that’s all I can say.
One thing I thought was weird was that though Moby, Ellerby, and Brittain are on the swim team, there wasn’t a swim meet in the book. I don’t know if I’m happy or sad about that because my cousin is a swimmer and I went to one of his meets a few weeks ago- it was really boring. I loved all of the parts in Lemry’s Critical American Thinking class- it was the chance to get inside the other characters’ heads. Also, I enjoyed the witty conversations between Moby and people like his mom, Ellerby, or Sarah Byrnes.
Another thing I have yet to talk about it Crispy Pork Rinds. The clever title makes me laugh, but I’m not sure whether or not I like the idea. Sure, it was a way to get back at those who did Eric and Sarah Byrnes wrong- but it was so absurd. Was it really that embarrassing for the victims? What was it really doing? I’m in nobody’s favor in regards the newspaper. If Crispy Pork Rinds was talking about something less absurd then I would have been in more favor of it.
Something that I’ve been thinking about was the fact that Sarah Byrnes’ mother refused to help her. If I had been feeling guilty for years about abandoning my daughter I would do anything to keep her from out of her current misery. I don’t know if I’d call it selfish or just outright cowardly. I’m confused why she wouldn’t testify to help her daughter- isn’t that what any mother would do? She’s lucky that Sarah Byrnes ended up fine and found a new family with the Lemrys. I mean, Mr. Byrnes could have killed Sarah Byrnes- he’s just scary.
Carver was a huge surprise in this book. Who knew that he was just going to go find Mr. Byrnes and beat the crap out of him? Not to mention that he did two tours of duty in Vietnam! For a while I thought he was going to be a jerk after he got the other guy out of the way in order to get closer to Eric’s mom. Now I see that Carver was a really cool guy.
They should make Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes a movie! I think they’re going to, but they should have Keanu Reeves (the Matrix) be Mr. Byrnes, and Tina Fey (Mean Girls) be Mrs. Lemry. Danielle Panabaker could be Jody and Jamie Bell might make a good Mark Brittain. I have no idea who would be Sarah Byrnes, Ellerby, and Moby- They’re too tough to think of willy-nilly! But I would definitely go see this if it did become a movie!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
A Main Issue in Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes
In Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, Sarah Byrnes is physically abused by her father. He gave her socially paralyzing scars on her face and hands from pressing her face to a hot stove. Because of this, I decided to do further research into child abuse, specifically physical abuse. These days, you hear about child abuse all the time- 2.5 million cases are reported every year. 35 out of 100 cases are physical abuse cases like the one Sarah Byrnes was.
There are four types of child abuse- physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, and child neglect. Physical abuse when the parent or guardian in charge of a child “Inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon such child physical injury by other than accidental means” (Section 1012(e) of the Family Court Act.) That means that any injury, internal or external, that’s inflicted on a child by a parent/guardian that isn’t an accident is child abuse. Any punishment that involves injury, even if it’s only a bruise, is considered abusive. Mothers of babies who used drugs or alcohol during pregnancy can be charged with child abuse as well. Shaken baby syndrome is also abusive- it’s when a frustrated caregiver shakes a baby to make them stop being difficult which causes brain damage because undeveloped neck muscles cause an infants brain to bounce around in its head.
The main physical sign of this type of abuse is injury that can’t be explained (bite marks, bruises, lacerations, skin discoloration, broken bones, unusual fractures etc.) Some behaviors that you might find in a physically abused child might be avoiding physical contact with other kids, coming to school early and not wanting to go home, runs away from home, complains of pain, has inconsistent explanations of injuries, doesn’t get along well with other kids, or is often late or doesn’t come to school.
Child abuse can leave lasting mental scars on a child’s mind. Sufferers of child abuse generally need to seek help from a mental health professional. Family members also may need to go to counseling. If someone takes a child into custody who has been abused, they can receive up to $50,000 dollars for medical expenses through the Crime Victims’ Compensation.
If a child is being an abused, one should contact local child protective service or a local physician. This is because a Physician is legally obligated to report a case of child abuse to local authorities. Most physical abuse is a third degree felony (unless there is serious injury inflicted, that’s a first degree felony and is punishable from 5-99 years in prison.) A third degree felony requires about 2-10 years in prison, and offenders can get fines that are as much as $10,000. Child abuse is a serious, growing issue- reporting a case can help save a child and change their life dramatically.
There are four types of child abuse- physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, and child neglect. Physical abuse when the parent or guardian in charge of a child “Inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon such child physical injury by other than accidental means” (Section 1012(e) of the Family Court Act.) That means that any injury, internal or external, that’s inflicted on a child by a parent/guardian that isn’t an accident is child abuse. Any punishment that involves injury, even if it’s only a bruise, is considered abusive. Mothers of babies who used drugs or alcohol during pregnancy can be charged with child abuse as well. Shaken baby syndrome is also abusive- it’s when a frustrated caregiver shakes a baby to make them stop being difficult which causes brain damage because undeveloped neck muscles cause an infants brain to bounce around in its head.
The main physical sign of this type of abuse is injury that can’t be explained (bite marks, bruises, lacerations, skin discoloration, broken bones, unusual fractures etc.) Some behaviors that you might find in a physically abused child might be avoiding physical contact with other kids, coming to school early and not wanting to go home, runs away from home, complains of pain, has inconsistent explanations of injuries, doesn’t get along well with other kids, or is often late or doesn’t come to school.
Child abuse can leave lasting mental scars on a child’s mind. Sufferers of child abuse generally need to seek help from a mental health professional. Family members also may need to go to counseling. If someone takes a child into custody who has been abused, they can receive up to $50,000 dollars for medical expenses through the Crime Victims’ Compensation.
If a child is being an abused, one should contact local child protective service or a local physician. This is because a Physician is legally obligated to report a case of child abuse to local authorities. Most physical abuse is a third degree felony (unless there is serious injury inflicted, that’s a first degree felony and is punishable from 5-99 years in prison.) A third degree felony requires about 2-10 years in prison, and offenders can get fines that are as much as $10,000. Child abuse is a serious, growing issue- reporting a case can help save a child and change their life dramatically.
Works Cited
Jaffe-Gill, Ellen, Jaffe, Jaelline, and Segal, Jeanne. “Child Abuse and Neglect: Types, Signs, Symptoms, Causes and Getting Help” HelpGuide. Online. Internet 10 Oct. 2007. Available: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/child_abuse_physical_emotional_sexual_neglect.htm
“Parenting Corner Q&A: Child Abuse” American Academy of Pediatrics Online. Internet. June 2007 Available: http://www.aap.org/publiced/BK0_ChildAbuse.htm
Kraizer, Sherryll. “Physical Abuse” Safe Child Program. Online. Internet. 2006. Available: http://www.safechild.org/childabuse2.htm
“Other FAQs” Hill County Children;s Advocacy Center. Online. Internet. 2005 Available: http://www.hccac.org/needhelp/whatnext_faqs.html
“Child Abuse Prevention Course Part II” Laboratory Consultation Services, Inc. Online. Internet. 2006. Available: http://www.laboratoryconsultationservices.com/CAP%20Part%20II.htm
“Parenting Corner Q&A: Child Abuse” American Academy of Pediatrics Online. Internet. June 2007 Available: http://www.aap.org/publiced/BK0_ChildAbuse.htm
Kraizer, Sherryll. “Physical Abuse” Safe Child Program. Online. Internet. 2006. Available: http://www.safechild.org/childabuse2.htm
“Other FAQs” Hill County Children;s Advocacy Center. Online. Internet. 2005 Available: http://www.hccac.org/needhelp/whatnext_faqs.html
“Child Abuse Prevention Course Part II” Laboratory Consultation Services, Inc. Online. Internet. 2006. Available: http://www.laboratoryconsultationservices.com/CAP%20Part%20II.htm
Six (plus one) Traits of Writing
Chris Crutcher did and awesome job with this novel. I was surprised at how much I like Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. Crutcher has an awesome individual voice and really captures this character and the mindset of a teenager. His Ideas and Content are also well thought out. The author seamlessly puts together a host of topics and ideas without the story feeling too busy or packed. Organization was a little funny because the author jumps from flashbacks to modern time so it can tend to be hard to follow- I didn't have as much trouble as others who read the book, but it's worth mentioning. Word choice and Sentence Fluency were exceptional- as those of all published authors are. Conventions and Presentation is more of the responsibility of the publishing company, but were also fine as well.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Second Blog- What I've Got To Say About Stuff In The Book
In Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes the title character, Sarah Byrnes, is abused by her father. I kept wondering as I was reading why Sarah Byrnes, like every abused kid in books I’ve read, refuses to get help. I guess I don’t understand what they’re thinking- why they think silence will make things better. If it were me, I think I’d probably tell someone right away- maybe because I’m a trusting person. But I suppose I can’t say the situation wouldn’t be entirely different. What did Sarah think was going to happen? She knew it would be difficult to survive on her own and on the other hand her father wouldn’t be afraid to kill her. Sarah Byrnes goes on for so long without a plan that I wonder why she wouldn’t succumb to child protection services- people who would do everything in their power to keep her safe. Also in Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, when Eric gets threats from Mr. Byrnes he doesn’t report them to the police either. But I suppose that fear is a powerful thing- it can keep people from thinking logically, and to be honest that’s the only explanation I can muster up. I applaud Eric for, to be blunt, betraying his best friend’s trust to help her. He almost gave up his life to help his best friend- I don’t think I’m anywhere close to being that brave. I never cease to be astounded when someone puts so much on the line for a friend or another loved one.
Also in Sarah Byrnes there’s a great deal of focus on things like religion, morals, and abortion. These imaginary but thought provoking exchanges were those that I could relate to. Like Eric, I’m unsure about religion- I’m pretty sure I believe in God, but it’s kind of complicated. Sure, I have morals, but I’m not reading the bible everyday. I’m definitely nothing close to Mark Brittain- he irritated me like all the God-fearing-SUPER-CHRISTIANS do. I find it incredibly wrong for a person to say “If you do this you’ll be damned to hell in the afterlife” because isn’t that God’s decision? What infuriated me with Mark Brittain is that he made exceptions for himself when he judged others so harshly. I was also entertained with this concept- so many others are easier to forgive others than they do themselves but Mark is the opposite. What I have to say to this is that if you’re going to have strict morals that you judge others on then you should follow them yourself. As for the whole debate about abortion I’m split- Sarah Byrnes makes a good argument in the book about if you knew you that the child would be abused or hurt that it would be unfair to bring that baby into the world, but it’s unfair to not give that baby a chance to live either. I’m hoping that I won’t have to consider having an abortion so I wouldn’t have to consider this personally- but I guess we should let women have the choice. Sure, they should take responsibility for their actions- but raising a child is a difficult punishment for one mistake.
A big relief for me in this story is that Eric doesn’t fall in love with Sarah Byrnes and they all live happily ever after. For a moment a little thought moseyed across my brain and I thought this book would play out like your typical high school movie- the guy’s in love with the unattainable girl only to find out in the end that his best friend was in love with him all along. Then the two of them ride off into the sunset while the dream girl is left in the dust. Honestly, if that happened I would have had to pull my hair out and feed it to a litter of kittens. What surprised me was Jody’s secret that broke up her and Mark (well, I was somewhat surprised because for some reason I thought it said that Jody got an abortion before.) It put a new perspective on all of the arguments about abortion and really made me think even more.
Also in Sarah Byrnes there’s a great deal of focus on things like religion, morals, and abortion. These imaginary but thought provoking exchanges were those that I could relate to. Like Eric, I’m unsure about religion- I’m pretty sure I believe in God, but it’s kind of complicated. Sure, I have morals, but I’m not reading the bible everyday. I’m definitely nothing close to Mark Brittain- he irritated me like all the God-fearing-SUPER-CHRISTIANS do. I find it incredibly wrong for a person to say “If you do this you’ll be damned to hell in the afterlife” because isn’t that God’s decision? What infuriated me with Mark Brittain is that he made exceptions for himself when he judged others so harshly. I was also entertained with this concept- so many others are easier to forgive others than they do themselves but Mark is the opposite. What I have to say to this is that if you’re going to have strict morals that you judge others on then you should follow them yourself. As for the whole debate about abortion I’m split- Sarah Byrnes makes a good argument in the book about if you knew you that the child would be abused or hurt that it would be unfair to bring that baby into the world, but it’s unfair to not give that baby a chance to live either. I’m hoping that I won’t have to consider having an abortion so I wouldn’t have to consider this personally- but I guess we should let women have the choice. Sure, they should take responsibility for their actions- but raising a child is a difficult punishment for one mistake.
A big relief for me in this story is that Eric doesn’t fall in love with Sarah Byrnes and they all live happily ever after. For a moment a little thought moseyed across my brain and I thought this book would play out like your typical high school movie- the guy’s in love with the unattainable girl only to find out in the end that his best friend was in love with him all along. Then the two of them ride off into the sunset while the dream girl is left in the dust. Honestly, if that happened I would have had to pull my hair out and feed it to a litter of kittens. What surprised me was Jody’s secret that broke up her and Mark (well, I was somewhat surprised because for some reason I thought it said that Jody got an abortion before.) It put a new perspective on all of the arguments about abortion and really made me think even more.
First Blog- Characters
I thought for this blog that I wanted to talk about some of the characters in Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. (I know I talk about these characters like real people, but bear with me because it makes writing so much easier.) There are so many interesting characters with such unique personalities- especially Steven Ellerby. I think that Ellerby was one of my favorite characters mostly because of his obscurity and non-conformism. His nearly-blasphemous car, to his sharp tongue, and his great sense of humor made him so likeable to me. I was thankful that he could see right through the god-fearing Mark Brittain and stand up to him. Ellerby was just all around a smart guy- he knew what to say and do, but lost favor in other people because he could tend to be…weird.
Dale Thorton, however, deliberately separated himself- he was by-far the oldest kid in the eighth grade and an infamous bully. But I found that he was a decent guy, he was doing what he could to help Sarah Byrnes- his former friend. Though he wasn’t too smart (or big for that matter,) he was tough and knew what Sarah Byrnes was living with from experience. This made Dale steer away from the typically plain “mean bully” character- he’s deeper and plays a key element in Eric’s search for what’s wrong with Sarah. It was good for me to see Dale become a likeable character.
Mrs. Lemry was a character I liked but for no particular reason except for the fact that she was the “cool teacher”. Her Critical American Thinking class was the setting for most of the most thought provoking parts in this book, but there is not a lot that she does that makes you go “oh she’s definitely my favorite character” other than what she did to help Sarah Byrnes. I would say that I would want someone like her for a teacher- her personality somewhat reminds me of my eighth grade social studies teacher Ms. Burnett. But I wish that Chris Crutcher could have maybe done more to diversify Lemry from the “cool teacher” type we see so often.
Jody Mueller is another character that I would have like to see more sides of. Her abortion, to me, is the only thing that keeps her from being a “virginal ingénue” or a “love interest” character. She just seemed so single-sided to me, and I wish we could’ve seen more personality from her. But I did like Jody, which is why I wanted to see more about her. What I was thinking was “Eric likes Jody, but why?” But Jody was one of the characters in the book who was struggling to try to speak out and that was good to read.
I’m not really going into much detail on my opinions about Mark Brittain. I will say for a start that his hypocrisy and judgmental Christian ways made me dislike him. Also, I thought his attempt at suicide was cowardly- but I think suicide is mostly selfish and cowardly otherwise. What did make me feel better was the fact that Mark changed and made apologies- that takes character.
Lastly I’ll talk about Sarah Byrnes. I admired her strength and the fact that she was so smart and blunt. When I read how she kept taking one punch after another from Dale I was stunned. I know I couldn’t get back up over and over again, and I don’t think I really know that many people who could. Also to deal with all the abuse from her father, as well as the daily struggles in everyday life takes incredible strength of mind. When Sarah Byrnes argues about abortion in Mrs. Lemry’s class, I was in awe from the drama of that moment. Sarah Byrnes is so smart and clever and it’s sad to know that during all of those years her scars were keeping her from living having good friends surrounding her. But I found comfort in the fact that Sarah Byrnes does find a good home in the end of Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. (Yes, I’m such a sucker for happy endings.) I’ve thought about the option of reconstructive surgery and I’m uncertain whether I think Sarah Lemry should get surgery- on one hand she deserves it, but on the other hand her scars are part of who she is.
Dale Thorton, however, deliberately separated himself- he was by-far the oldest kid in the eighth grade and an infamous bully. But I found that he was a decent guy, he was doing what he could to help Sarah Byrnes- his former friend. Though he wasn’t too smart (or big for that matter,) he was tough and knew what Sarah Byrnes was living with from experience. This made Dale steer away from the typically plain “mean bully” character- he’s deeper and plays a key element in Eric’s search for what’s wrong with Sarah. It was good for me to see Dale become a likeable character.
Mrs. Lemry was a character I liked but for no particular reason except for the fact that she was the “cool teacher”. Her Critical American Thinking class was the setting for most of the most thought provoking parts in this book, but there is not a lot that she does that makes you go “oh she’s definitely my favorite character” other than what she did to help Sarah Byrnes. I would say that I would want someone like her for a teacher- her personality somewhat reminds me of my eighth grade social studies teacher Ms. Burnett. But I wish that Chris Crutcher could have maybe done more to diversify Lemry from the “cool teacher” type we see so often.
Jody Mueller is another character that I would have like to see more sides of. Her abortion, to me, is the only thing that keeps her from being a “virginal ingénue” or a “love interest” character. She just seemed so single-sided to me, and I wish we could’ve seen more personality from her. But I did like Jody, which is why I wanted to see more about her. What I was thinking was “Eric likes Jody, but why?” But Jody was one of the characters in the book who was struggling to try to speak out and that was good to read.
I’m not really going into much detail on my opinions about Mark Brittain. I will say for a start that his hypocrisy and judgmental Christian ways made me dislike him. Also, I thought his attempt at suicide was cowardly- but I think suicide is mostly selfish and cowardly otherwise. What did make me feel better was the fact that Mark changed and made apologies- that takes character.
Lastly I’ll talk about Sarah Byrnes. I admired her strength and the fact that she was so smart and blunt. When I read how she kept taking one punch after another from Dale I was stunned. I know I couldn’t get back up over and over again, and I don’t think I really know that many people who could. Also to deal with all the abuse from her father, as well as the daily struggles in everyday life takes incredible strength of mind. When Sarah Byrnes argues about abortion in Mrs. Lemry’s class, I was in awe from the drama of that moment. Sarah Byrnes is so smart and clever and it’s sad to know that during all of those years her scars were keeping her from living having good friends surrounding her. But I found comfort in the fact that Sarah Byrnes does find a good home in the end of Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. (Yes, I’m such a sucker for happy endings.) I’ve thought about the option of reconstructive surgery and I’m uncertain whether I think Sarah Lemry should get surgery- on one hand she deserves it, but on the other hand her scars are part of who she is.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Background Information
Plot Outline- Eric Calhoune has always been more on the, to be honest, fat side. He was always more of an outcast, his only friend being Sarah Byrnes- a girl with socially crippling scars on her face and hands from severe burns. Though Eric has gotten skinnier, their friendship has lasted up to their senior year- where Sarah Byrnes is now in the Psych Ward at the Hospital and isn't talking. Eric tries to solve this mystery behind Sarah Byrnes while trying to solve the problems he's facing at school. But soon the truth of her past puts Eric and Sarah Byrnes in danger and they worry that it isn't long unitl one of them gets hurt or worse...
Setting- The setting isn't clear, but we know that the town that they live in isn't too far from Reno- but it's likely somewhere in the midwest. Some of the story takes place at Eric's house, the local high school, and Sacred Heart Hospital.
Characters- The main Character in Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is Eric Calhoune. He's overweight, and nicknamed Moby because of his weight and the fact that he's on the swim team. His best friends are Sarah Byrnes and Steve Ellerby, and he has a crush on Jody Mueller. Eric narrates the story in first person and is a round (meaning he expresses a range of emotions, strengths, and weakenesses,) and dynamic Character (meaning he grows throughout the story.)
Other characters are Sarah Byrnes- Eric's longtime friend with burns on her hands and face, and Stephen Ellerby- a non-conforming son of a preacher who is another one of Eric's good friends. Mark Brittain, a god-fearing and judgemental member of Eric's swim team, is a sort of enemy of Eric's. Jody Mueller, who is dating Mark, is Eric's crush and is in his Critical American Thinking class.
Setting- The setting isn't clear, but we know that the town that they live in isn't too far from Reno- but it's likely somewhere in the midwest. Some of the story takes place at Eric's house, the local high school, and Sacred Heart Hospital.
Characters- The main Character in Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is Eric Calhoune. He's overweight, and nicknamed Moby because of his weight and the fact that he's on the swim team. His best friends are Sarah Byrnes and Steve Ellerby, and he has a crush on Jody Mueller. Eric narrates the story in first person and is a round (meaning he expresses a range of emotions, strengths, and weakenesses,) and dynamic Character (meaning he grows throughout the story.)
Other characters are Sarah Byrnes- Eric's longtime friend with burns on her hands and face, and Stephen Ellerby- a non-conforming son of a preacher who is another one of Eric's good friends. Mark Brittain, a god-fearing and judgemental member of Eric's swim team, is a sort of enemy of Eric's. Jody Mueller, who is dating Mark, is Eric's crush and is in his Critical American Thinking class.
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