Final Blog Post

         Eric Calhoune can be described in  a few words, thoughtful, kind, empathic, and altruistic. It makes Eric strong. Eric is strong because he always puts others first. He literally had a knife in his shoulder for Sarah Byrnes. That's a big act for someone who is just a friend. Eric did change from the beginning of the book because at the beginning he was shy, scared and he didn't know how to stick up for himself, he was a pushover. Now, he's strong and even stood up to a big tough man (Virgil Byrnes). I think Eric Calhoune did this because he wanted to be big and tough like Sarah Byrnes. Now, he accomplished much more.

      I didn't love the book, but I didn't hate it either. It was okay for me. The ending was awful, it just cut off, though it wasn't supposed to be a cliff hanger. The end for me was a "and then we went home" ending, in other words it was terrible. There was absolutely no dialogue, it just kind of wrapped it up, and it was still bad. My favorite part was when Mr. Byrnes was chasing Eric Calhoune around town and Eric ended up getting stabbed. My least favorite part was when Sarah wasn't talking to anyone. It was boring and not that interesting. It was literally pages and pages of blah. Overall, the book way okay like 3/5 stars.

Eric Calhoune: Final Evaluation

Eric Calhoune has changed a lot since the beginning of the book. That time, he was a shadow of his current self. He let people step all over him, and had very little personality. As the book went on, his character grew. He went from a "Weak" character to a "Middle" character. His relationship with Sarah Byrnes grows especially. Now, instead of a Weak character laying on his psychical characteristics to bind their friendship, he uses his emotional/mental characteristics, him and Mark Brittian become friends. Also important, he showed resistance against Virgil, when, in the beginning, he probably would not have. Because of his friendships' strengths increasing, and because of his resistance against Virgil, his character has grown.

I liked the book. It dealt with serious themes was actually removed and banned from some schools because of it. Of course, its handling with some of the themes was definitely shaky, but I felt overall that it handled these serious themes okay. Carver's discussion with Elaine Murphy was one of my favorite parts, because it lets Carver's "Sacrifice for the better good" character flourish.

High School Student Eric Calhoune

Well, as you should already know, Eric is a high school student. At school he is on the swim team and only has two friends, Sarah Byrnes and Ellerby. He is most likely Lemry's favorite student, and usually knows what to say and when to say it. He isn't shy (anymore), and isn't afraid to stand up for what he believes in, with the exception of Dale of course. He is semi-popular, mostly because he is dating Jody and he is really good at swimming. We aren't completely sure, but he may have his mother's attractiveness after he slims up. All of these characteristics tell us that he is very well-rounded, he is friends with the popular people, as well as some of those who aren't. He has some strong, bold characteristics, but he also knows when to bask off (cough, cough Mark Brittain).

What clique

If I had to pick what kind of clique Eric would be in, it would probably be the Sporty kids. I would choose this because he is a really good swimmer and a lot of his friends are swimmers too. For example Steve Ellerby kind of Mark Brittain.

He would probably get most of his wok in on time. He seems like he gets good grades and is a smart kid. I just think he might forget every once in a while.

Sarah Byrnes Character Evaluation

Sarah has a strong personality. I think this because she shows a large amount of loyalty to Eric and her friends. And how she doesn't need to use words to communicate with others. Sarah does change her views and beliefs throughout book on her friends and her past. I did like book because it was a story about loyalty all the way through and through.

P1: CER-  Sarah has many trait such as being tough or confident. These traits do make her strong. She did change but in a good way she got stronger and more confident. Later in the book she got more confident because she finally cam out that she was faking it because of her dad abusing her. She did this because she kind of realized that she could use help about her dad. And now because of that choice many people stand up for her and she now gets a second chance.

P2: My opinion on the book is it isn't a book I would read twice. I liked the book it was good but it just isn't good enough to read twice. Because there was many boring parts that were hard to get through and many good parts. My favorite part was probably when Eric got stabbed just because there was action but my least favorite was to figure out that Sarah was getting abused. I really did like this book more than I thought I would. Its just that I tried reading it in 4th grade I just didn't get it cause I was like 2.

Traits and opinion

       A character trait for Sarah would be depressed,moody, sad that makes her weak because she was sitting in the hospital and then told Eric he had to get her and when they drove past her dad she pretty much still because of he has done to her, also he went after Eric and stabbed him with a hunting knife so that he could find out where Sarah was, she also said that he was getting worse with the drinking and abuse.
        In my opinion I liked the book because it was very interesting and it could relate to different kinds of kids at school. My least favorite part of that book would be the beginning because it kinda drags on and doesn't really have a point, my favorite part of the book is when Sarah is trying to run away from her father and Eric doesn't let her just run away they go and find her and also when Sarah is adopted before her 18th birthday.

My Thoughts About This Book

Sara Byrnes is out going, independent, and stubborn. This makes her "strong". She changes a little through out the book because at the beginning she was rude to everyone. Now, she is still a little mean, but is a little bit nicer, especially Eric. But she is still stubborn and independent.

I surprisingly liked this book! I didn't think I would but I did. I loved how the author showed us the point of views from most of the characters.  I also liked how descriptive the book was. My favorite part of the book was when Eric was getting chased down by Mr.Byrnes because I was on the edge of my seat. My least favorite part was at the beginning of the book, because the book kept switching settings. I couldn't really follow the book.

Eric Calhoune is a...

High school cliques. This will be fun.

Eric is a bit of a class clown. He's not fully a class clown, don't get me wrong. He gets his work done mostly, he's a pretty good student, but there are some times when. he's pretty laid back and a joker. But a class clown is only a bit of Eric. Thanks to Wikipedia's handy list of common high school cliques [thank you, wiki], I'd say Eric falls into being more of an outsider. 

Outsiders don't tend to fit in as well and/or are socially challenged [kind of...], or they can feel independent and don't really feel like they they need to be in a group [that's more like Eric]. They often have this "I don't care about anything" attitude and tend to get in trouble for it. Sounds familiar? It should. Eric fits that bill.

Eric tends to not show much interest in anything. He never really gets that much attention other than from his friend Steve Ellerby, Sarah Byrnes, or his kind of rival but not really Mark Brittain. He's not in any real clique group. He's not a jock, a nerd, a popular kid, an emo, a puck, a gamer, or any of that. He's just... Eric.

Eric's heading off into college, so as an adult, he'll probably be that one worker who gets things done by themselves unless they desperately need help. He'll be that independent guy who gets his job done and doesn't really talk to anyone and just keeps sipping his coffee. So... good luck, Eric.

Eric Calhoune at School

Eric, the main character in our book, is a high school aged student. In spite of this I would never consider him in a clique. Sure he is on the swim team with other people, but how many of them are he actually friends with. I mean, come on, Mark Brittan is on his swim team for crying out loud.

At school Eric interacts with other students in varying ways. He doesn't talk to Ellerby like he talks to Jody. He is also disrespectful to certain authoritative figures (ie. Mautz) and picks on Mark with Ellerby. In addition he was bullied when he was in middle school which could have left a lasting impact on him.

Honestly, I think Eric will be a successful adult. He stands up to people that he disagrees with and he is a good friend. He's going to have a good life.

High School Clique?

Eric Calhoune would not be popular. Basically everyone bullies him. (Later in the book they don't, but in the beginning a lot of people do.) He does swim and it's pretty competitive, but I still wouldn't say sporty because he's not doing any other sports. He might be a little bit nerdy. I mean, he doesn't seem like the dumb stuff, but he doesn't seem like a know-it-all. He would turn in his work on time, I think. He is good with words.

Eric is in high school. He is 18 years old. He interacts with Ellerby at school a lot. Steve Ellerby is a funny character and is on Eric's swim team. Ellerby and Eric liked to tease Mark because Mark is a jerk. They did get in trouble for contributing to the fact that Mark attempted suicide. Honestly, I don't think they were guilty. It was Mark's choice. From this, I can tell that Eric feels more confident around his friends than alone.

Eric's high school clique

     In the beginning of the book Eric is a nerd. But in the end he would be at the bottom of the sporty people. Eric turns in all of his homework on time. Eric is in high school during the book. In the beginning he was really fat and didn't have any friends. But now he is making new friends and is trying new things and is slowly making his way out of the "nerd" category.

High school Clique

        Eric Calhoune would definitely not be in the popular clique. He's nowhere in that crowd, actually those people make fun of Eric. Eric is somewhat sporty, but he doesn't live and breathe for swim. He turns in his work and participate's in class, but he's not a nerd. Eric does turn his work in and he's a pretty good student. My character is in high school and he's only friends are Jody, Sarah, Ellerby, and their teacher, Lemry. It tells me that Eric is somewhat of a loner.

High School Clique

Eric would probably be an outcast to the sporty cliques - and an outcast in general. I'm not even sure if he could be in a clique, actually. He has such a flat line in his 'likes' category that I can swear that it's a 180 degree angle. I imagine Eric to be the kind of person who considers work to be a minor annoyance, and, as such, gets it done quickly and on time. Eric has few friends and he really centers his life around Sarrah Byrnes and Swimming. This tells us that he's either lonely or his looks really makes him unpopular, or that his self esteem is really that low.

High School Clique

Eric would be nerdy, He probably wouldn't turn in all of his work in all time because of all the drama. He can get along with some people but then again he doesn't put up with crap. He is a nice kid but like I said if he gets mad it isn't that easy to talk to him.

High-School cligue

Eric would be sporty because he is actually on the swim team, Eric would not turn in his work all the time because he as a lot of drama in his life with Sarah's situation. Eric usually keeps his opinion to himself because he uses the 5th, this tells that Eric doesn't want to be a part of more drama than necessary and likes to keep to himself.

High School Clique

Sara Byrnes and Eric would not be popular or sporty. Eric would turn his work in on time, but Sara wouldn't. They don't interact well with others because they look "different". This shows us that they are anti-social.

Group Discussion #3 Overview

These are the questions and answers from today's discussion:

Q1: Why did Sarah Byrnes only confide in Dale?
     A1: He also has pretty bad parents and he isn't the kind of person who would tell.
Q2: Is CAT class's educational purpose worth the risk? (Mark Brittain's suicide)
     A2: Yes. These kids are getting to explore their thoughts and opinions. Mark Brittain made his own choice.
Q3: Is Sarah Byrnes stronger physically or emotionally?
     A3: Physically because she was depressed and sat in silence, whereas physically she took a beating from Dale.
Q4: Is the world a good place or a bad place? Has your opinion changed since the beginning of the book?
     A4: We all still think that the bad outweighs the good.
Q5: Is the known better than the unknown? (Generally)
     A5: Some things are better left a mystery, so the unknown is better.
Q6: Sarah Byrnes says, "When you can't take it anymore, your body stops feeling for you. That was just your body being your friend." Is she talking emotionally or physically?
     A6: She is meaning emotionally because she went to the hospital to be silent and just shut everything out.
 Q7: Do you think that most of the students in CAT class could do their report on shame?
     A7: Yes, because everyone but Eric tries not to interact with Sarah, which is why she doesn't have many friends.
Q8: What would be your way of "staying fat"?
     A8: We would stop studying, quit sports, not wear nice clothes
Q9: What do you think of Carver after what he did?
     A9: We like that he stood up for what he believed in.
Q10: Do you have any teachers that you would trust the info about Sarah Byrnes with?
     A10: Yes
Q11: How is Mark's life now like Sarah Byrnes's life? (after his suicide attempt)
     A11: They are both being abandoned by people that they should be close to.
Q12: Do you think that Virgil Byrnes would have ever actually kill Moby?
     A12: Definitely, if he felt like it.
Q13: Should everyone always be held accountable for everything they say?
     A13: Yes, unless they are under pressure or are feeling very strong emotions.
Q14: What do you think Virgil Byrnes's past was like?
     A14: Maybe he was abused as a child.
Q15: Do you think that Virgil Byrnes loves Sarah? Even a little?
     A15: Absolutely not!

Sorry for the super long post! Enjoy!

Strong or Weak? - Mark

Mark Brittain is a bit hypocritical. In his CAT class discussion about Abortions, as you know, he claimed that abortions would are sin, and that you are basically dancing on jesus' grave if you were to get one. He claimed that a child was a contract that could never be broken. Yet, when he impregnated Jody, Jody got an abortion, and he knew full well about that abortion, and the child. This makes Mark a weak character. He is unable to face the truth, or he denies that the truth ever even happened.

It's hard to tell, but there's a chance that Mark's character will change for the better. You see, usually with a enemy character their personality either changes for the better - or they suffer because it doesn't. And. judging by this book's central themes, Mark is probably going to suffer. My group agreed with me on this.

Weak, Strong, Or Middle?

       Sarah Byrnes is strong, although once or twice she let down her guard. She is very strong because her face was burned and her dad wouldn't let the plastic surgeon fix her face when she was three years old. Most people wouldn't let others see their own face, but she actually goes out in public and lets others see it.
    My other group members said Sarah is strong, though some one said that she can't face her problems. I think she has faced her problems because she when like 15 years with a scarred up face and people making fun of her. No I don't think Sarah will move on the scale though she might move down if she finds her mother.

Strong or Weak

For Sara she is strong because she stands up for herself and doesn't let people say anything that isn't true and she will keep going until they stop their opinion and most of the time she still don't stop until she is finished. My group all agree that Sara is a strong character and is not afraid to speak her mind. I think Sara will move down the scale because her friends all know what happened to her really and what he has done, she is also trying to find her mother and she might or she might not find her.

Sarah Is Strong

Sarah is VERY strong. She really isn't afraid of anything. She isn't afraid to speak her mind.. She goes by her opinion only nobody else. We all compared the same that Sarah is strong. No nobody had a different opinion we had all the same. I think that Sarah will get weak as she moves through the book though. We also all agree on that.

Sara Byrnes Is Strong

I think that Sara Byrnes is strong because she is not afraid to speak her mind. All of my group members agree that Sara is strong. We also all agree that she will get weaker as the book goes on because she is slowly losing confidence because of her dad. However, she is starting to tell people the truth, so some may say that she is going to get stronger.

What I Would Say to My Main Character Right Now

  There is many things that I would want to say to the main characters of my book. If I had the chance to my main character right now I would tell Eric to be positive.  I would say this because he has a lot of drama going on right now and is having trouble with being positive.  I would also say that being positive may be hard at first, but it will get easier.  Just focus on swimming, your friends, and school.  Another thing that I would tell him is to focus on the solutions and not just the problems.  That is the conversation I would have with Eric.
  There is also many things that I would say to Sarah.  If I had the chance I would tell her to be careful at school, because her dad might come and see her.  I would say this to her because her dad is on the lookout for her since she left the hospital, and it would be bad if he found her.  She also needs to be careful anywhere she goes. That is because her dad might be there.  She also may want to be nice to everyone, because someone could easily tell her dad where she is.  That is what I would say to Sarah Byrnes if I had the chance.

What I would say to the main character

What I would tell Eric right now is he did the right thing.  He told somebody about what Sarah's dad did to her and now she is trying to stop him from doing something worse.  I would also tell him that he chose the right person to tell Sarah's secret too and trust her with.  When Sarah's dad is chasing him and threatening him I would tell him to tell somebody what he did and why.  If they sent him to jail they wouldn't have that problem anymore.  He should tell Sarah as well so she knows her dad is coming.

What I would tell Sarah right now is that she shouldn't be mad at Eric for telling somebody.  I  bet if he told her that she would try to help too.  Also I would tell her that she shouldn't be scared of her dad.  She should tell somebody what really happened no matter how long ago.  I think it is the right decision to look for her too look for her mom but she has to know her dad would notice she is gone.  I would also tell her her dad went after Eric and is on her way to them so they need to hurry.

A Chance to Speak...

     If I were to speak to my main character, Eric, a lot would come out of my mouth. I would say that he has gotten a lot stronger. At the beginning, he was a wimp, but now he is a strong character who is willing to stand up for himself and others. I would also say that I am proud of him. He stood up to Sarah's dad in a way that would take a lot of courage. I could never do it! He has become a much better character, in my opinion.

     If I got to talk to my other main character, Sarah, even more would come out. I would first start by saying how sorry I was for her, and how much people should not judge her. I can not believe anybody would say such careless things. I would also say that I am VERY proud of her for being so strong, and living past her dad. A dad should never treat her daughter like that, whatsoever. It takes a very strong person to live with an abusive parent, and that is Sarah Byrnes. Lastly, I would tell her I wish I could help. Honestly, I would love to help her get back to her mom. Sadly, she is a character in a book, and I can not actually do anything through a thin sheet of paper.

What would you say to your main character right now?- Olivia Gill

If I had a chance to talk to one of my characters in my book, I would talk to Eric Calhoune. I would say he made the right decision to tell Lemry about Sarah's dad, and how she got her burns. Sarah Byrnes has been able to talk about her problems, and about how her dad burned her ever since she has been living with Lemry. Lemry has been kind to her, she let her stay in her room above the garage, gave her food, and she has had protected from her dad. If Eric did not say anything she would still be in the hospital, scared of her dad, and she would not have a good shelter. 

I would say Eric made the right decision to tell Lemry because even though Sarah Byrnes told him not to tell anyone, he noticed she was in danger. He was not going to let his best friend be in danger, and have to live through it her entire life. He was a good friend, and stood up for Sarah. Even though Sarah was mad at him for telling, he didn't care because he didn't want his best friend hurt. He would rather have Sarah safe and mad at him, rather than Sarah not safe and happy with him. Eric made a good decision, and that's what I would tell him if I could talk to Eric Calhoune.

-Olivia Gill

Strong, or Weak?

On the line of weak to strong, I placed Eric somewhere in the middle. I think Eric is a strong enough character to show a little backbone when he needs to. However, at the beginning of the book he was very weak. He constantly needed Sarah Byrnes just to survive school. But a lot has changed since that time and Eric has begun to take charge of his life and assist Sarah Byrnes in her crisis. As the book goes on, I believe Eric will be an even stronger character than he is now and may become not as tough, but close to as tough as Sarah Byrnes.

On the other hand we have Sarah Byrnes. I put Sarah very high on the scale, because of her overall hard shell. However, as the book goes on, I think she'll become weaker. Sarah Byrnes has a serious issue and I think the struggle may cause her to become weaker. This is only a theory, but I do believe she may break. But who knows...maybe she'll be even stronger than before.

Eric's Strength On a Scale of 1-10

I think that if I had to give Eric's strength a rating from one to ten, I would give him a seven. I think that his thoughts are usually weak, but his actions are very strong. My rating was pretty much the same as everyone else's. If anything mine was higher though. i think that other people rated him lower because they are only thinking of his thoughts. I have already read the book, and I know that Eric definitely gets stronger in his actions. I think that his thoughts stay the same, but he turns into a better person.

Sarah Byrnes- Strong or Weak

I rated Sarah as a very strong character. I rated her strong because of how she can stand up for herself. For example when her and Dale are in a fight, even though she is getting mauled, she stands her ground and doesn't quit. Also she has had to stand up with her crazy abusive father for so many years. She would have to be strong to put up with those things.
Everybody in my group also rated Sarah Byrnes really strong. I think this proves even more how strong she really is.

Rate Eric and Sarah

       I rated Eric as 2/10. He isn't so weak that he can't do anything at all, but he still doesn't do anything for himself. Almost all of our group ratings compared except for one (who did the end of the book instead). She didn't do strong but she did in the middle. I believe that Eric will move up the scale and become more strong than weak because he doesn't have Sarah to protect him. So he may become stronger.

      I rated Sarah Byrnes with about 6/10 because she is strong inside and that's what counts. None of my other group members did Sarah Byrnes. I think that she will grow more weak than strong by the end of the book because she is falling apart. It makes me very sad to see Sarah Byrnes weaken. I hope she gets better.

Eric-- Is He Strong, Weak, or Both?

I rated Eric Calhoune as weak. He gets stronger near the end of the book, but I still think that overall, he is weak. (I guess I could of put him a little farther away from the weak side though...) When we compared our ratings, everyone put Eric as very weak. He was the weakest of all the characters in the literature circle's books. (Again, I guess he could've been rated a little bit stronger.) Our group's opinions on Eric did not differ that much.

---SPOILER ALERT---

I guess this might be kind of a spoiler. I think/know that Eric gets stronger as the book goes on, especially at the end. He does some pretty brave things like when Virgil Byrnes or Sarah Byrne's dad stabbed him with a hunting knife. As I said two times before already, I probably should have rated him farther up the scale a bit. He definitely gets a lot stronger. 

Eric: Weak Or Strong?

I feel like Eric is more of a weaker character. I just feel that he doesn't really speak his beliefs that much. He has improved, but I still feel like he's kind of weak. Most of our group members said this [other than Naomi, who stuck him in the middle], so I'm not the only one who feels this way. I put him at the very end, but now, I feel he's kind of between the middle and the end of the line now.

I feel like if things get more dire, he'll probably get stronger in order to keep Sarah Byrnes safe from her father. Eric really does care about Sarah Byrnes, so he'd do a lot to keep her safe. But right now, he just feels kind of weaker.

Blog Post Number 4

If I could talk to the main character in my book right now, I would tell Mobe to be more stern. To tell Sarah to suck it up and talk. At least to him. He's always stuck by her side. There's no reason she shouldn't at least talk to him.
I would tell him to do this because I think he's just too nice to the people he should be more strict on. He usually lets everything slide and the only one who wouldn't let him be like that was Sarah. Sarah was the one who taught him to stand against his bully.
Mobe needs to stop letting himself beat himself down. People are saying he's starting to look a lot more fit but he won't agree with them. He always told himself he was fat. Instead he should be more stern with himself and stop feeling sorry for himself and do something about it if it bothers him so much.
I just think that overall Mobe needs to be more stern with himself and the other characters in the book.

What I'd Say To The Main Character

   If I had the chance to talk to Eric (the main character) I would tell him to get his life on track. Who goes after your worst enemies girl? That's breaking some kind of guy code, right? It doesn't even sound like he likes Jody, it just sounds like he what's to get back at Mark Brittain. His mother even agrees with me.

  Carver disagrees though, he thinks that Eric should just go for and learn from his mistakes. Carver also says that it's okay if he get's hurt, that it's just part of life. To me that's just like wasting his feelings and saying that his feelings don't matter.

   Eric's feelings do matter though. With people telling him that they don't he might start to think that they don't matter. I would also tell Eric to not care what other people think. eric was worried about his body shape. If he is happy then that's all that matters

to Sarah Byrnes

I would probably tell Sarah Byrnes to just spill the beans already. If she told the truth, people would stop laughing at her like she's comedy gold, and realize that it wasn't an accident, it was abuse.

I would tell her that "Yeah, sure, the police might not do anything, but others would - and eventually others would make the police do something, assuming that they really didn't do anything in the first place." The support that she has right now is none because nobody actually knows that her father basically nearly killed her, and everyone follows the belief that she was an idiot who tipped over a spaghetti bowl.

Sarrah Byrnes is the under constant torment because of her own actions - she lies about what really happened, and, because of that, nobody really thinks twice about it. The truth getting out wouldn't hurt her at all, so why not tell it already? It doesn't matter if one person doesn't believe you, or a lot of people for that matter. All the matters is that you believe and are proud and confident with your self.

If I could talk to Sarah

I would tell her to just break the truth out. About her father going to jail. Maybe her mom would come back and get her. There are many possibilities of that happening. I would tell her to talk to Eric. I know if she did she wouldn't stress as much as she is. It would really calm her down.

I would also tell her it is safe to talk to Eric because he is very humble. He would do anything for her. He would even talk to Dale. I feel like Eric would do something about Sarah's dad. Eric goes and sees Sarah every day after school. That should just prove to Sarah that he cares about her.

I would tell her to maybe talk to someone else like Eric instead of her dad. If her dad gets mad she will just have to deal with it. He probably wouldn't even figure out. If she doesn't talk to someone else her dad will just abuse her again. She isn't being very smart. I would just tell her to talk to someone.

Talking to Eric & Sarah

       If I could talk to Eric I would tell him he needs to find out what's wrong with Sarah and needs to not pressure her into telling him, even if he is her best friend and has been with her for awhile it doesn't mean he can just go and ask her about it.
        What he wants to ask is a very touching subject. Also, he should try to find out more about her mom to see if she is passed away or if she just up and left like Sarah thinks she did because Sarah doesn't think her mom loves her anymore. Then, go and talk to her dad and find out what he really did to Sarah when she was 3 and he must be careful cause if he drinks and is always angry Eric will have to be careful so that Sarah's dad wont hurt him.
         I would also go with him to talk to Sarah and find out more about herself and understand more about wanting to be in the hospital for a month and not talk, and I would ask why not tell the protection services because if she is that scared that she needs to fake not talking for a month and doctors saying something is wrong with her brain she just might need to talk to someone who doesn't talk down to her.Also, I would go with Sarah and help her find out what is wrong by actually listen to her and that by staying quiet won't really help with the problem

If I Could Talk To Sarah

 If I had the chance to talk to Sarah I would tell her to tell the police the truth. She needs to tell people how her face really got burned. If she told the truth her father would go to jail, and her mom would most likely come get Sarah. It would also get a huge weight off of Sarah's shoulder knowing that her dad can't get to her again.

 I would also tell her to talk to the hospice staff. She needs to let them know that she is okay. If her dad were to see her talk, he would take her home. And she would most likely end up getting abused by her dad again.

 The last thing I would say to her is that Eric really cares about her. I say this because he is willing to fight her dad. And it's not like her dad is a small dude! He also is facing his fear of talking to Dale Thornton to try to figure out what happened to her. I think that Eric will go to extreme measures to save Sara Byrnes.

Impressions of my Main Character-Olivia Gill

Eric Calhoune's actions in my book makes me think he is a good friend. Everyday he goes and visits Sarah, and he will talk to her even though she will not talk back to him. I've learned Eric loves to swim. Eric has told us about many of the events in swimming that he has won. He always tries to get better each time he swims. He works on new skills, and new tips. I think Eric is a good character in my book. He will speak his mind, but in a kindly manner. He also stays by Sarah in thick and thin times. Overall Eric Calhoune is a good character in my book.

-Olivia Gill

The Hard Truth to Sarah Byrnes

If I could say one thing to Sarah Byrnes right now, it'd be to stop trying to be that one kid in the corner who has no friends. You need to start talking again! Please just be a good friend and stop ignoring Eric and everyone else who is worried about you. It's not fair to them if you just sit there and you don't try to solve the problem. Eric has done so much for you, please try to be kind back.

I'd say this because Sarah Byrnes has no reason to hide things from Eric. He can help her if she needs it and again, everyone is worried! Hiding things like this isn't healthy and she needs to open up again. This isn't good for anyone and she can't be helped if no one knows what the problem is. Please Sarah Byrnes, talk again!

Suck it up princess

     Right now if I could talk to Eric I would slap him in the face and say, "Suck it up princess! Your such a wimp and you need to learn how to protect yourself. Sarah Byres isn't always going to be there to protect you!" After that I would comfort him and tell him that I understand he is going through a lot with Sarah Byrnes in the hospital and Mark Britten being a jerk. I do feel really bad for him, but that doesn't give him permission to be a wimp!

What would I say

If I got the chance to talk to my main character I would ask why he didn't tell child protection services or the cops about what Sarah Byrnes' dad did to her. I know she told him not to tell anyone, but it would be for her own good. First of all she wouldn't have to deal with her dad anymore. Second of all she would be protected so she wouldn't have to worry about her dad's threat.
A second thing I would ask is why are intrested in Jody Mueller. I mean she had an abortion! Obviously this means she might not be the best GF.

Eric, listen.....

You have done very smart things recently. Right now you need to just listen to Lemry and Sarah Byrnes. They are very smart and know the best thing to do. You are on the right track. Don't get distracted by Jody. Remember, Sarah Byrnes is the main priority. You can not give up until she is completely safe and old man Byrnes is locked up. For a long time.

You need to lay off of Mark. I know that he deserves what he is getting, but man, I don't think he can take much more of what you and Ellerby are giving him. He is under a lot of pressure to be this poster boy for Christianity, and he's not letting himself make any mistakes. That is why it is so hard for him to own up to them.

Research On My Author

  The author of my book is Chris Crutcher.  Some of the books that Chris Crutcher has written include, Running Loose, Stotan!, and The Crazy Horse Electric Game.  He has also written Chinese Handcuffs, Ironman, and Whale Talk. The author may have written this book to show that no matter your story you can still be able to stand up for yourself.  This relates to the story in many ways.  One way it relates is by Sarah always standing up for herself when people made fun of her burns.  Always have the courage to stand up for yourself!  

Chris Crutcher

            Chris Crutcher is the author of Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes. He's a good author and he wrote Whale Talk, Deadline, Ironman, and Running Loose. Chris Cutcher has been writing for a long time, since 1985. Chris probably wrote this book because it was a personal experience. He might have had self confidence problems. He might have also participated in a sport or swimming. The book has really changed from the beginning for me. I actually like it now and from the beginning I hated this book.

Research on my Author-Olivia Gill

Who is your author?
Chris Crutcher
What have they written in the past?
Chris Crutcher has wrote many books. He has written Whale Talk, Deadline, Iron man, Athletic Shorts, Running Loose, Stotan, Chinese Handcuffs, The Crazy Horse, The Sledding Hills, King of the Mild, and The Deep End.
Why do you think Chris Crutcher wrote this book?
I think Chris Crutcher wrote this book to tell people to stand up for themselves and others. In the book, Sarah Byrnes never told anybody about how she got her scars/burns. The only person she ever told was Eric Calhoune and she told him not to tell anyone. He did decide even though she told him not to tell, he reached out and got help for Sarah Byrnes. He told Lemry, and he was so surprised Mr. Byrnes put Sarah against a hot wooden stove. Eric then reached out and got help for Sarah Byrnes. Eric Calhoune stood up for Sarah Byrnes and helped her, so Chris Crutcher wrote this book to tell people to stand up for themselves or for others.
-Olivia Gill

Chris Crutcher

Chris Crutcher has written other novels which include Whale Talk, Deadline and Ironman (not the comic). I think Chris wrote this book to show how the Underdogs end up together and have to eventually help you out.

My author is Chris Crutcher.  In the past they wrote Period.8, Whale talk and many more.     I think he wrote this book for many reasons.  One reason is to show that people should stick up for themselves without being scared of anybody else.  Another reason is to not be mean to people unless you know their story.  Sarah is not scared to stand up for her and Eric.   Also people are making fun of Sarah's scars and Eric's size when they don't know her story.

Behind the Scenes

     The author of "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes" is written by Chris Crutcher. He is a novelist and a family therapist. Him being a therapist explains why he would write a book that involves mental problems. Also, he has written a lot of books, which explains why this book is so professional. He has written many other books such as "Deadline", "Whale talk", "Period 8", "Athletic Shorts", "Stotan", "Chinese Handcuffs", "Running Loose", "Kind of the Mild Frontier", "Iron Man", "The Crazy Horse Electric Game", and "The Deep End". I feel like he is a very professional author.

Research on author

My author is Chris Crutcher, he has written is the past with books for the teens. I think he wrote this book so he can appeal to the teen age range, because many teens would probably understand the situations that the character faces which also relates to real life.

The author is  Chris Crutcher. He has wrote Whale Talk, Running Loose, and more. I think he wrote this book because maybe he had a friend or someone in his family like Sarah.

Chris Crutcher

The author of Staying Fat For Sara Byrnes is Chris Crutcher. He has written Whale Talk, Deadline, Ironman, and many more. I think he wrote this book because he might have went through the same things that Eric is going through in the book. He also might have had a friend like Sara Byrnes.

If I could say anything to Eric..........

I would tell him he's a wimp! I'd say, "Eric, man, you need to toughen up!" I understand that throughout the course of the story he grows but that isn't by much of a change. Honestly I will always see him as the scared little fat boy in a cardboard box. "In the end Eric, you're a good person. Don't let anyone change that."

I would tell him this because he is a good person. Though he is a wimp he has a genuinely good soul. He would probably benefit from  more self esteem but no one has the right to tell him who to be.

I know this is formatted like a letter but here goes.

Sincerely,
Naomi

A Word for Eric

If I could go into the book and say one thing to Eric, I would have to say... man up, Mobe!

Eric, you need to stand up for yourself. YOU. ARE. A. WIMP. You can't deal with any bullies, having Sarah Byrnes fight for you or having her roll you out of the school in a box, or you can't defend your points in CAT class. In CAT class, you rarely ever make your point unless it involves Mark Brittain being overly religious and bringing up points you really disagree with. Understandably, that's a good reason, because Mark Brittain needs to be taken off of his throne, per se, but why can't you do it with anyone else?

Eric, you're 18. You're nearly about to hit the real world. There will be times when there's nobody there to "hold your hand" and do everything for you. You have to do things for yourself if you want to be successful. Because Mark Brittain isn't the only person out there who you'll need to defend yourself against.

What I Would Say to Eric Calhoune

If I had a chance to talk to Eric, I would tell him how he needs to be more like Sarah Byrnes. He needs to be brave and tougher. He doesn't even stand up for himself when a bully comes and teases them because they're ugly and fat. I'm going to put everything in letter form.

Dear Eric,
       I think that you are a complete wimp. No offense, but you really need to learn how to stand up for yourself. You're making Sarah Byrnes do all the work. When a bully comes along, you just basically hide behind Sarah Byrnes. When someone intimidates you, you start sweating like crazy. Like buckets of sweat!

     You definitely need to toughen up. When you swim a hundred 100 meter laps around the pool, you do fine. When a vice principal comes along, you freak out. You have to remember that he is the vice principal and not the actual principal. So basically, what I'm trying to tell you is, you shouldn't be that scared fat boy that is easily intimidated. Your destiny isn't probably even to end up fat, dumb, and scared of most things. Be the person that at least can resist the glare of Vice Principal Mautz.

                                                                                              Sincerely,
                                                                                                     Grace Tang

Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes man vs. society

        1: Man vs. Society

Eric and Sarah Byrnes have to fight against all the people at school. Eric is fat and Sarah Byrnes is scared so everyone is making fun of them. They are being made fun of by Dale (bully) and everyone at school pretty much. I think that they can't make everyone like them but, they can just ignore them and make some other friends 

The Conflict

       So far the main characters are struggling with society in this book (man v.s society). They're struggling with how they look compared to everyone else. Everyone makes fun of Eric because he thinks he's fat and Sarah Byrnes thinks she's ugly because of her scars on her face. In some places there is man v.s man, but only when Eric puts himself down because he's fat.
       Events that have complicated the conflict farther are when Sarah Byrnes let Dale punch her in the face. Dale thought he could walk all over both of them. No, don't think that the problem will be solved with more harm.  Sarah Byrnes will most likely cause the harm. Eric may or may not learn to stand up for himself, I don't know. I do not think there will be a happy ending.

Mobe.

My main problem with the book as of page 90 is that Mobe, as a character, is uninteresting. Nothing is particularly "special" about him, except for two things: He's fat, and He swims fast. As of late, he has had less character development than Sarrah Brynes, who is boarded up in a hospital. Actually, the story would be more interesting if Sarrah was the main character, or even Dale. Atleast Dale has a firm personality; High School Dropout. Mobe is just generic. There is nothing bad or good about him, and he just feels borderline mediocre. Oh, and lets not forget; the "My dad left me when I was young" archetype that artificially adds to his character development. After page 5, it is NOT mentioned again for ATLEAST 80 PAGES. It feels sort-of, just there. The joke about rocks was funny though.

Point being, the story should've been handled a little differently. Mobe needs some more personality traits, or he needs to be a side character.

My Books Main Conflict

Eric Calhoune's conflict in "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes" is his best friend Sarah Byrnes is in the hospital. The conflict is man vs. man because having a best friend in the hospital causes people to pick on Eric.When Eric goes to visit Sarah Byrnes in the hospital, she never talks to him. She sits on the coach and stars out the window, and will not talk to anyone that comes into the room. When Sarah Byrnes dad came to visit her, it made the conflict even more complicated. When Sarah's dad entered the room, Sarah became frightened. As he was talking to Sarah Byrnes, Eric walked in and was listening. When Sarah's dad walked out he said, " if you hear her say anything, tell me." Her dad made the conflict on why Sarah doesn't talk even more complicated. I do not think the characters will solve the problem without harm. I think once her dad finds out she talks to Eric at school, he will make the conflict even more complicated.

-Olivia Gill

The main conflict

  The main conflict of my book is man vs. man.  In the story the characters with the fact that no one knows what is wrong with Sarah Byrnes, and Eric is having trouble figuring out what is wrong with Sarah.  The events that have complicated the conflict further are when Dale, the school bully, messed with Sarah and Eric. Another event that has complicated the event further is that Sarah won't talk to anyone, she just sits there in the hospital room, so no one knows what is wrong with her.  No I don't think Eric will be able to fix the problem.  I think this because if he keeps on trying to make Sarah talk she may get mad.  She may get mad because there is a certain reason that she won't talk.  

The conflict with main charecter

I think the conflict is man vs. man because Eric is struggling with his school paper and and that Sarah Byrnes is in the hospital and they don't know why.   When Dale (the bully)  is mad that Eric wrote about him in the paper he makes it more complicated to make the story.  Also Sarah is complicating things more by not being able to speak.   No , I do not think he can solve the problem without more harm because when he writes the story it makes the principle mad and also upsets dale.  I think he will cause more harm with Sarah too because there has to be a reason she is like that. She might not be speaking cause she doesn't want to talk about it and it can make her more upset if he finds out.    

Troubling Conflict

     Both main characters, Sarah and Eric, are struggling with similar things. I believe Sarah is mainly struggling with man vs self. She stares blankly and does not talk to everybody. Eric is struggling with mainly man vs man. This story is constantly occurring fights that Eric never wins, a lot against Dale.
     Everyone is worried about Sarah, and nothing happens (lots of worry). For Eric, he can never stand up for himself. Since he always loses, he is known for him being not tough, therefor, he gets into more fights. I don't think that they will solve their problems very efficiently. Sarah  probably will not talk without being lured to, and that will probably cause some harm. Eric will have to win fights that he cannot win (although he will not), and he will probably physically get hurt. I feel nervous that they get through this. Thanks for reading!

Sarah Byrnes vs. Sarah Byrnes

***************************WARNING! SPOILER ALERTS!**************************

Now that you have been warned, I'm going to talk about one of the conflicts in this book. Man vs, Man, aka Sarah Byrnes vs. Sarah Byrnes. Right now, where most of you are reading, Sarah Byrnes is in the hospital. Just sitting there. Staring straight into the Cosmos. Like something is really  wrong with her. But I know better than that. Sarah Byrnes is just faking her comatose-like state. I think that she is having problems that she cannot face write now, problems with herself. Sadly, this supposedly very strong character is taking shelter, much like Eric does regularly. We don't know all that much about what Sarah Byrnes is really like yet, because she hasn't been normal yet, save flashbacks. She may be having issues with the way that she looks, and the way that people pick on her and bully her. Or...is it really something else?

The Many Conflicts of Two Outcasts

In the book, Sarah Byrnes sits in a hospital silent and won't say a word. I think that her conflict is man versus self. It seems she is trying to escape from reality and hide from something that happened. I think it may have something to do with her dad or her family, and that she is hiding something serious.

As for the conflict of the book, it seems Eric has a bit of man versus society type of conflict. His enemies consist of mainly Mautz, and Dale Thornton. Possibly some other kids at school being bullies? The story hasn't touched upon many of the other kids that go to their school. At least not yet anyway.

So in conclusion, "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes" has many conflicts, so here are the main ones I found.

The Conflict

One of the conflicts in this book is man vs man. This conflict is between Eric and Dale Thorton. Dale is your typical school bully stealing lunch money and getting in fights. One day Dale confronts Sarah Byrnes and asks for her lunch money. She refuses. After getting a couple of punches thrown at her he asks Eric for his lunch money. Sarah Byrnes threatens that if he gives him his lunch money he is dead meat (In a friendly way). Luckily before Dale throws punches he just gives up. This evidence proves that Man v Man is the conflict.

Conflict

There are a few conflicts in this book such as with man vs man, man vs himself, man vs society. Man vs society is the worst it has the made Erics conflict even worse. Um honestly probably not they are probably just going to make it worse at first but later they will solve it.

Conflict

The conflict is man vs society, the character is struggling because his friend Sarah is stuck in the hospital like a statue. The conflict is complicated further by people always wanting to keep Eric from seeing Sarah and the doctors not knowing how to talk to her. I don't think my character can solve the conflict without causing more harm.

Conflict

     There are many conflicts in this book such as, Man vs. Man, Man vs. Self, and Man vs. Society.
But, it's mostly Man vs. Society.

     It's Man vs. Society because Sara and Eric and are getting bullied by the world around them for being "fat"  and "ugly".  Because of their traits, people call them names everyday and hurt them physically and emotionally. They will solve their problem eventually, but they will still cause harm with their newspaper Crispy Pork Rinds.

Conflict

There are multiple conflicts in this book. One of them is man vs man. At the same time, there is also a man vs self. There is also a man vs society.

Sarah Byrnes is against her dad. Virgil Byrnes has been torturing her daughter for basically all her life. When Sarah got burned, her dad didn't do anything to repair it. Even though he could, he didn't because he said it would teach her to be tough. Well, the tough part worked.

Sarah Byrnes is now in the hospital. She doesn't talk to anyone. She does hear everything though. She is kind of going against herself then, I guess. As Lemry said, "Maybe this is her way of taking a vacation."

The last conflict is man vs society. Sarah Byrnes and Eric were both outcasts. Sarah had horrible scars from burns and Eric was fat. Sarah didn't tell the truth about how she got burned because she thought nobody would believe her. Swimming has slimmed Eric so he no longer only has one friend. Still, they were teased and bullied because of "terminal ugliness."

Main Conflict... Another Enigma...

This topic is... kind of confusing. Mainly because it kind of hits 3/4 of the conflicts. Man vs. Man, Man vs. Self, and Man vs. Society. I think that the main one, however, is Man vs. Society.

Man vs. Society is the strongest is because the two most important characters, Sarah Byrnes and Eric, have traits that society disgrace. Eric is fat, which society looks down on. Society views being fat as a bad trait, making you less important and more of an outcast. Sarah is scarred and ugly, which society just hates. Society makes it seem like if you're not a fashion model or skinny or the picture of sophisticated grace, you're less important or even an outcast to everyone around her. Eric and Sarah have to deal with the names, insults, and disgraces of their physical features and how society deems them.

Conflict

In our story the main conflict would have to be Man vs. Society. It could be argued that it was Man vs. Man or Man vs. Self but the core conflict would have to be Man vs. Society. Sarah's core reason for not wanting to tell was because no one would believe her. Also, Sarah and Eric were the outcasts. They were fat and scared and couldn't fit in. Because of this they were looked down upon by society.

Discussion Reflection

Today we had our very first discussion. I thought out 15 questions beforehand, and we didn't even have time to answer them all. These are all of the questions that I asked and the answers to them:
Q: Is the world a good place or a bad place?
     A: It depends who you are.
Q: If you were Sarah Byrnes, how would you face people at school?
     A: Just go with the flow. Why does it even matter what other people think of you?
Q: If you were Eric, would you leave Sarah Byrnes behind, or stay with her?
     A: Stay with her because a meaningful relationship is worth more than 100 lame ones.
Q: Do you think that it is right for them to write "Crispy Pork Rinds"?
     A: Yes because people are mean to them every day, and if they are in the articles, they deserve it.
Q: If you were persecuted by Dale, would you give him your money or take the beating?
     A: Take the beating because otherwise he gets what he wants.
Q: On a scale of 1-10, how important are looks?
     A: 2, 4, and 7
Q: Any inferences?
     A: Not yet.
Q: Do you think that there is actually something wrong with Sarah Byrnes, or is she faking it?
     A: Definitely faking.
Q: Where was Sarah Byrnes's mother when she was injured?
     A: No idea.

Those are all the questions we went through.

Discussion

Today we talked a lot about the development of the characters in relation to the CAT class. We talked about how the topics in that class affect your view on those characters and the story line. We also spoke a little about our views and opinions on certain characters such as Mark, Mautz, Lemry, Eric, and Ellerby. We all agree to hate Mark and believe that the class affects how we view the characters. For example it makes us hate Mark more.

Eric's First Chapter

So far the book is pretty good. the main character is Eric and he has made a pretty good first impression on me, he is determined and is not willing to give up His actions have really told me a lot about him and he is very loyal to his best friend. his best friend however is in a hospital right now with a mental disorder. Eric really like to swim but he feels insecure about his weight. He always goes to see his best friend, Sarah Byrnes, even though she doesn't respond to him. I don't really like this character because he always calls himself names and seems to over exaggerate even the smallest things, or a drama queen.

Impression of My Main Character

  The main character I will be talking about is Eric Calhoune.  His actions tell us that he is very helpful and thinks about other people and their feelings.  I said this because he frequently visits Sarah Byrnes in the hospital, because he wants to know if  she is okay and getting better.  The things we learn about them include their habits, likes, and dislikes.  One of his habits is that he works out to stay in shape for swimming, which he likes a lot.  He also likes swimming.  But, one thing about swimming that he dislikes is the butterfly event.  Eric also dislikes not being able to talk with his very best friend, Sarah Byrnes.  I like my main character.  This is because Eric is very nice and doesn't just think of himself.

What Impression Of Your Main Character Do You Have So Far?

Eric Calhoune's actions teach the reader, that he is a self doubter and he doesn't believe in himself. In the book Eric calls himself fat, and does not think he can pursue far in swimming. In the book Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, the author states, "I said one morning a couple of years ago, Dad's picture clutched tight in my beefy paws." This shows Eric calls himself fat, and later when swimming, he believes he can't go far in swimming because he calls himself fat. I've learned Eric Calhoune is a caring guy. Everyday he goes to the hospital to visit Sarah Byrnes, and tries to communicate with her. She doesn't talk to him, and looks out the window. Eric Calhoune knowing she won't talk, still visits Sarah Byrnes and checks to make sure everything is okay. I think Eric Calhoune is a good character in my book. He is a good character because he never gives up on Sarah. He is always there for her, and never lets her down. He backs her up when she gets bullied, and helps her through her struggles. When Sarah Brynes would star out the window, he would try to make her laugh and cheer her up. Over all I think Eric Calhoune is a good character in the book, and I can't wait to continue reading.
-Olivia Gill

First Impressions.

The book is a better than the cover makes it out to be. So far, Eric (known by his peers as Mobe) has been chewed out by the principal for publishing the first volume of Crispy Pork Rinds, a newspaper written by himself and Sarah Byrnes. By standing on the fifth amendment, which means that his answer may tend to incriminate him, he manages to get away with a warning. This escape is thanks to Sarah Byrnes, who was burned as a young child when she tipped a bowl of boiling spaghetti onto herself. Her father only payed to avoid danger, and did absolutely zero reconstructive work. Now, Sarah Byrnes, as Ugly, tough and as smart as a person gets sits silently in a hospital. After hearing about Mobe's hard time with principal Mautz, she says, "I say we get busy with Crispy Pork Rinds Two".

Though the book doesn't relate too much to my life, I'd say that at least I can relate to Mobe being let off with a warning for doing something "so terrible" (according to Mautz).

Eric

Eric Calhoune is very helpful and considerate.  He is helpful because in the book he is trying to help the doctors fix Sarah Byrnes.  He is considerate because he stayed fat for Sarah so she would feel better about being "ugly".   We have learned that Eric really likes swimming and doesn't like to lose. I know that because in  the book at swimming practice he and his friend had a plan to make the other kid lose so they could win.  I like Eric for many reasons. I like him because he thinks of other people besides himself like he does when Sarah is in the Hospital.

Eric The Great!!!

     Eric is the main character in "Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes". He wants to have friends, and will do his best to make them happy. This must mean Eric is a caring and considerate person. He has a habit of having low self-esteem, and calls himself names. Although he thinks he is fat, he has a love of swimming. Many of the parts of the book takes place in his local swimming area. I dislike this character, because I do not like his attitude. Eric sometimes over-dramatizes things, and never stands up for himself. This makes me think lowly of him.

Eric the Afraid; Eric the Affectionate

I completely disaprove of the main character, Eric Calhoune. To me, he is a shy wimp that is afraid of everything. He can't look a bully in the eye, he sweats (buckets) whenever he is nervous, and he never stands his ground. However, I do think that he has his heart in the right place. When he became an athlete and slimmed up, he didn't leave her behind, that actually showed some courage, whereas he could have just abandoned her. Also, I think that it will be okay, because it sounds like Sarah Byrnes will make up for lack of personality. For his characteristics, actions, flaws, and strengths, I renickname him Eric the Afraid, but also Eric the Affectionate.

Opinions About Eric

Personally, I don't know whether I like Eric (Mobe) or not. I feel like his character has a lot of potential and that he could be more layered than what it seems. Eric is (from what I can tell), very loyal and maybe even protective of Sarah Byrnes. He visits her while she's in the hospitale and tries his best to get her to come back. Eric also seems to have a good sense of humor...maybe? They both have a newspaper called "Crispy Pork Rinds" that is like a gossip magazine that makes fun of people. I don't think his humor is that great. He seems to be more of a well spoken character that has a big heart.

And although he is kind, so far I don't think he or his life is as exciting as Sarah Byrnes'. I think that if the story were told from her perspective, if may be a bit more interesting. I would enjoy to see what the book would be like if it were told from the perspective of Sarah Byrnes, but I enjoy it the way it is as well. So in conclusion, while I don't hate the main character (I actually enjoy where his character is going so far), I feel the book could have benefited from making him just a bit more interesting.


                  Abby D.

Eric

Eric is a swimmer, a pretty good swimmer by the looks of it. His best friend Sarah Byrnes is in the hospital and he likes to visit her often. He doesn't like to stand up for himself. I know this because when the school bully Dale asks for his lunch money was going to just go ahead and give it to him. Eric can be kind of a trouble maker. Once he wrote a newspaper article insulting (Dale Thorton) called crispy pork rinds.

I like Eric. I can relate to him because sometimes I can be a trouble maker too. 

Eric (Mobe XD)

       Eric (Mobe XD) is a wimp. The end. He tends to pass out when the bully Dale Thornton comes around. He also tends to sweat when he is nervous (or in an enclosed box while being rolled out of school on a dollie). I learned that Eric loves Crispy Pork Rinds (Crispy-Sarah Byrnes, Pork- Eric, Rinds-  the part that nobody cares about). Crispy Pork Rinds is a newspaper for the school. Eric dislikes Dale Thornton and likes Sarah Byrnes. I really like Eric but I wish he would stand up for himself every once and awhile.

Emily M.

Eric Calhoune: The Enigma

Eric Calhoune is the main protagonist of "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes". As the title implies, he's kind of fat. Okay. Pretty fat. He's the best friend of Sarah Byrnes, mainly because, and I quote, "he was as fat as she was ugly". He goes by many nicknames: Fat Boy, Moby, Mobe, Double E, Eric Enigma, and Eric.

Eric is a swimmer, and not a half bad one too. He's... he's a wimp. No way around it. Eric. Is. A. WIMP. Any time he gets in trouble, he's always relying on Sarah Byrnes to save his butt, whether it be by fighting Dale Thorton or rolling him away in a box that says flammable on a dolly. Eric doesn't really have many habits, but he does like to swim, and he used to write a "newspaper" with Sarah Byrnes called "Crispy Pork Rinds", which when you learn the context of the name, is really depressing.

I mostly like Eric. He's pretty relatable, since he's not the picture perfect ever so slim jock with a bunch of ditzy little cheerleaders swooning over him. He's not perfect, which makes him a perfect character, if that makes sense. He gets angry, upset (over actually IMPORTANT matters), and has actual emotions that aren't just all about romance. So far, it's not even about a romance. It's about his friendship with Sarah Byrnes. The only thing that I don't like about Eric is his wimpiness. Seriously, dude, man up! Stand up for yourself!

Eric Calhoune AKA Mobe AKA Fat Boy AKA Moby AKA Double "E"

Eric is a strong opinionated wimp. There is no better way to say it. He has many opinions but is too afraid to do anything about it. Sarah Byrnes kept him from hiding in a shell until he started swimming and shed his shell (literally). He's still a slight outcast but he has gotten better from being around Sarah.

Honestly I like Eric. I think he means well and I agree with most of his views. He clearly doesn't intend to hurt anyone (with the exception of Britten but who wouldn't.) The only thing I would change about him would be to make him stand up in himself more. Though truthfully his imperfections make him more personable. He seems more realistic than other characters I have read about.

How I feel About Eric Calhoune

Eric Calhoune is the main character in Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. He is also known as "Moby" or "Fat Boy," even though swimming has slimmed him. I guess he's kind of a wimp. Because he is a wimp, I don't really like him in that factor, but I like how he joined the swim team so now he's at least not that fat. Eric's best friend Sarah Byrnes has horrible scars from her father in a way I'm not going to say since some people might not be there yet. I personally like Sarah Byrnes because she is really tough and brave, unlike Eric

This is the book

sometimes.

Anyways, back to Eric. He is a good distance swimmer, and I find distance swimming not very fun. Eric is generally pretty nice, too. He really doesn't want to hurt anyone but Virgil Brynes, Sarah Byrnes dad who wants to hurt everyone. He also hates Mark Brittain, but honestly, Brittain is annoying and a jerk. Eric has good, strong opinions, but Sarah Byrnes usually executes the ideas. Also, Eric gets called dumb a lot by Sarah Byrnes. Sarah Byrnes does have good ideas, but I would love to see Eric actually do something tough and stand up for himself. He does eventually...

To sum it all up, I like Eric as the main character because he does some great things and he experiences some good times later on.

We the Readers...

Hello there! My name is Emmaleigh. Resident geek, nerd, and Skirish/Ottish person. I'm a rather quick reader... when I want to be. I like to read fantasy, sci-fi, graphic novels, and a tiny bit of historical fiction. It can take me a few tries to get into a book, but if I do, I will not put it down. I chose "Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes" because the aspect of real life problems just seemed interesting to me. I liked the fact that the characters weren't perfect.

Hey there guys! I'm Naomi and that is enough said. I love to read fantasy and sci-fi. I am also a fairly fast reader. I have 28 or 29 books this year which I frankly think is pathetic. I picked this book because I thought it would be an interesting perspective. I like reading about characters that aren't normal because they open my eyes to other people's feelings and positions.

Hi, my name is Grace. I am a fast reader, but I feel like I haven't been reading a lot this year. I like reading the genres fantasy, historical fiction, and mystery. This book was not my highest rating. I didn't think it would be that interesting, but it turns out that after I got to about the middle of the book, it was actually good.

Hello. I'm Emily M. I'm not the fastest reader but if I'm really into the book, I can finish the book in a day (depending on the book). My favorite book genres are fantasy and science fiction. I picked this book because it looked very interesting. I was right. It is very interesting.

All About Us!

Hello! Our names are Abby D, Greycie B., and Caleb Z.

Who are you as a reader?

Abby- As a reader, I can read fast, but only if I really like the book. I mainly try recommendations made by friends and if I like it, I continue, if not...bye bye book.
Greycie- I mostly prefer dystopian novels or realistic fiction books. I read pretty fast, especially if I am fond of the book. I've read entire four hundred page books in one night before...
Caleb- I prefer fiction, fantasy and sci fi. I read really fast if I like the book

Why did you pick this book?

Abby- I chose this book because it seemed like it would be something I would at least relatively enjoy. And while it wasn't my first pick, I think I'll have a good time reading this.
Greycie- I chose this book because I have read it before and really enjoyed it. So much that it is probably in my Top 10 list, which is really hard to make with all the books I've read.
Caleb- I chose this book because this one sounded better than most of the other choices.

Welcome!

Welcome to your Literature Circle's blog! You will be using this space to discuss and share your ideas with other Bode students reading your chosen book. Before we get started, here's a refresher on how we use our blogs at Bode!

When Posting...

1. Reread your post for mistakes before you post it!
2. Don't bother other peoples' posts! You are sharing this space. Don't open a post unless you are its author. 
3. Focus on your responses-- not fancy fonts, not cutesy pictures, not making people laugh. This is a space for you to dig into and discuss the text!
4. Use images if you want, but don't use them if they are distracting. Any posts with distracting visuals will lose points when graded-- only use meaningful pictures. 
5. Don't spoil the book for anyone!

When responding...

1. Don't be a jerk when you reply to a blog post. Correcting spelling and grammar is ALWAYS off-limits-- that's not your job! Your response should be positive and supportive of your peer's writing. If you don't agree with what they are posting, that's fine! Just make sure that when you express your opinion, you do it in a way that isn't mean or insulting. Your goal is to add to a conversation-- not to shut one down. Remember! If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all!
2. If something isn't clear or is left untouched in the original post, ask away! Comments are a great way to suggest new blog posts or to begin a conversation. 
3. Don't just say "I agree" and move on-- dig into the text! Use what you already know to spark a discussion!
4. Don't spoil the book for anyone!