Anti-Defamation League. "What is Racism" ADL. Online. Internet. 16 Jan. 2006. Available: http://www.adl.org/hate-patrol/racism.asp
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “The Holocaust.” Holocaust Encyclopedia. http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/article.php?lang=en&ModuleId=10005143 Accessed 16 Jan. 2008.
“Ku Klux Klan History” Online. Internet. 16 Jan. 2008. Available: http://www.geocities.com/__izzy__/Dengue/kkk/history.htm
“Stop Racism” Online. Internet. 16 Jan. 2008 Available: http://www.stophate.us/racism/
“Racism” Houghton Mifflin Company. Online. Internet. 16 Jan. 2008 Available: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racism
Crutcher, Chris. Running Loose. New York: HaperCollins Publishers, 1983
Monday, January 7, 2008
third blog
Shocked. That’s the only word I can use to describe they way I felt when the words “Anyways, that’s all rhetorical now, as they say, because Becky’s not alive anymore. I mean, she’s dead” (Crutcher 135) appeared on the page. When I had first read the back of the book it made it sound like Louie lost everything because of drugs or alcohol and that’s what I thought. So when the events happened for the reasons they did it catch me off guard. Louie didn’t lose Becky through drugs like I predicted, he lost her in a car accident. There were kids on motorcycles in the street and Becky swerved so she wouldn’t hit them, but in the act of not hitting them she hit the bridge and tumbled into the river ending her life. Louie was crushed, I honestly didn’t think their relationship really meant that much for he never talked about it that seriously. It feels like they just got acquainted with each other, but maybe it just feels that way because they was so young. I think Becky really did love Louie. She was kind to him, tried to help him in his time of need and listened. It was so sad to see her go and the effect it had on Louie was almost unbearable. He had another outburst at the funeral, which again sort of damage his reputation. Becky’s mother had got a priest from this big church to do the service and while like at most funeral he started saying she went on to a better place, everything has it’s reasons….. While being a boy who just lost his girlfriend, whom he was very close to, he couldn’t handle the fact that this complete stranger was telling people what Becky was like and how to remember her. It wasn’t right and it wasn’t fair to him, to her, to anyone who was close to her. So like at the football game he lets his feelings be known. The line that triggered his feelings was the priest said God moves in strange and mysterious ways. Louie’s response “Why are you saying that? He doesn’t move in strange and mysterious ways. He doesn’t move at all! He sits up there on His big fat butt and lets guys like you earn a living making excuses for all the rotten things that happen. Or maybe He does something low-down every once in a while so He can get a bunch of us together, scared and on our knees. Hell with Him!” (Crutcher 153-154). This statement could offend someone if they didn’t take into consideration that Louie was going through a lot right now and he wasn’t ready to handle a funeral. Unfortunately most people looked down on his outburst. Later Coach Madison comes to Louie’s aid, for he too had lost a girl and he said he would have never made it through that time if it wasn’t for physical sports. Coach Madison believed that Louie should join his track team. Louie said he would except Jasper had banned him from all school sports for the football outburst. Which I think is totally unfair, just because Coach Lednecky didn’t know how to play fair doesn’t mean Louie shouldn’t be allowed to participate in other activities. Madison strongly believes Louie needs this and convinces Jasper with the help of Becky’s dad to let Louie play. I’m glad Louie found a physical way to release his emotions, I can’t imagine what he would have turned out like without it. He would just sit around all day reminiscing about Becky and his time with her. Louie’s life is turning around and he’s feeling great until he finds out about the tree. Jasper decided that in honor of Becky he would dedicate a tree in her name and that was fine with Louie. The only problem was the tree had a plaque and he didn’t agree with what it said; it had her graduation record on it, fine, but the problem was Jasper had signed it. So he took a sludge hammer down to the school at night and blasted the plaque out of the ground. Then he threw it in the river. The next day Jasper asks him about it and he plays it cool acting like he has no idea what Jasper is talking about. Jasper can’t prove anything so he lets it go and asks Louie what he thinks should be on the plague. He suggested that maybe the tree should be from every one and should say “In memoriam” with Becky’s name on it, the tree should do the rest of the talking (Crutcher 214). Well Jasper didn’t take any of Louie suggestions he just made a copy of the original which frustrated me a little because Louie’s ideas were good and made the tree seem meaningful. I wasn’t the only one it frustrated, but since Jasper didn’t want anything to happen to this one he staked out at the high school for a week, but was now long asleep. So it was Louie’s time to shine. His last words before the story’s end “In about five minutes I’m going down to the station to get the hammer” (Crutcher 216). The words made me giggle for he sure showed him.
second blog
In my first blog I talked about how Boomer, a player from Louie’s former football team, calls him a wussy and at some points Louie even calls himself a wussy actually he believes he’s a wussy most of the time. He may have started out as a wussy in the beginning of the book, though I don’t believe for one second he ever was a wussy he just had more commonsense then the average person needs, he turned out to be a gide, that’s my word for a person with guts and pride. Louie’s main discovery in Running Loose is himself. Through his experiences Louie discovers a lot more about himself then he knew before. In my opinion Louie is a very laid back guy and I don’t think he ever took the time to find his voice. He just would blend in the background and just wanted to get through life. Louie never thought there was anything special about himself he never really had any ambition. An example of this I’m not special attitude is clearly shown when he starts to date Becky. He doesn’t understand why a girl like Becky who could have any guy in the whole school would pick a guy like him. So he asks her why him, Becky’s response “Because if I were an animal in these woods and I saw you here, I’d come up to you”(Crutcher 43). Earlier that night well they were on their date they started talking about the woods and animals and Becky believed that animals can tell what type of person you are just by looking at you. So all though Louie was confused by Becky’s answer I think she was saying he was a nice guy and she could tell he was a person worth getting to know. Another way you can tell that he’s not truly sure of himself is the way he talks. For example “When I told Becky later about the conversation in Jasper’s office, she said she was proud of me. And to tell you the truth, I was feeling pretty proud of myself” (Crutcher 93). Even though he was feeling proud he still sounds unsure. The statement sounds that way, to me at least, because of the line “and to tell you the truth” it just makes him sound like he doesn’t trust his emotions all the time like he’s not sure how to feel. In the end Louie becomes more in touch with his emotions. He can better express them; though he might not always express them the right way at least he knows how he’s feeling. One of the more surprising things he admitted in the book was that he was not ready to have intercourse. He was scared and wasn’t ready and he openly admitted this to Becky and Becky was fine with it. She said she didn’t want to pressure him and reasurred him that the best thing about it anyway was the before and after were they lie together, taking care of each other and getting as close as they can (Crutcher 123). I think her acceptance of him not being ready boosted Louie’s confidence and showed him that it’s okay to say what you feel. Ever since the beginning of the book Louie did always talk his problems out whether it was with, Carter, his best friend, Dakota, the guy he worked for, or his dad. He talked his problems out with them and he concluded the same thing every time. Louie always stated, their a lot smarter than me. This statement always bugged me, because Louie never once realized that just because someone thought about a situation at a different angle then you doesn’t make them smarter than you. These are the ways that Louie would put himself down and all you wanted him to realize was that he was strong and smart and not a wussy. That’s why the day of the track meet was I was trilled that Louie got a little recognition for being the amazing person he is. Their meet was against Salmon River and Louie was running the two mile which he has gotten first place in every time he has ran it. Washington came waltzing over to him and said “I’m coming after you today man”(Crutcher 207). Which means Washington is running the two mile and all I was thinking was no he can’t, Washington can’t take away the one thing in Louie’s life that makes it have meaning. Washington keeps talking and he calls Louie his hero, because he can run the two mile and he needs to take Louie on. The one thing Washington wants to make clear is Louie shouldn’t get psyche out by him. He wants to run a good race and have Louie challenge him. In the end Louie beats Washington and he ends up getting fourth in regionals. Pretty good for a wussy
first blog
My overall thought of the book was it was terrific. The events were strong and really made you think. I don’t think I would have been able to do what Louie did at the football game. At the football game though Louie’s thoughts were triggered by feelings and though Louie might have not know every word he was saying I believe he meant every word. For even before the big game Louie was having trouble dealing with what Coach Lednecky was telling the boys. I would have to I mean if I was Louie I’d be thinking, I didn’t come here to play dirty. I joined football to play clean and fair the way it’s suppose to be. When Louie was first going to try to get back on the football team I thought okay he’s just wants to get on with his life that’s fine, but when the Coach started naming off what he want Louie to do I was proud of Louie’s response. Lednecky wanted Louie to do the following: apologize to the team in the meeting before the practice today, write an apology to the school that will be published in the school newspaper, run a timed mile every practice for two weeks, and he would have to start back on third string(Crutcher 90). Louie just said “Naw, I don’t think so. It’s not even worth it. Not even close.” Jasper, the principal just wants this to be taken care of so he asks Louie what does he think is a fair ruling. Louie then states his opinion “Well, first, I’m not willing to start back on third string. And I can’t see starting every practice with a timed mile. Maybe for track, but not football. Then I think Coach Lednecky should submit a written apology to Washington to the Daily Statesman down in Boise. And maybe during the meeting he scheduled for me today, he could apologize to the team for teaching us dirty football. And we could start the whole thing off by having him apologize to you right now for not telling the truth about what happened”(Crutcher 91). This comment made Jasper mad for he and Coach are close, but all I was thinking was you go Louie. One of the players one his team calls him a wussy, the cross between a wimp and another word that’s not appropriate for a school setting or any setting for that matter. Anyway Louie believes that he can be a wussy at most times in his life, which is not true, but at this point in his life he was no wussy and even he knew that. I was so proud that Louie didn’t care about football enough to do the things that Lednecky wanted him to do. Even well Coach was saying them I had a lump in my throat hoping Louie had enough guts and self-respect to realize when something wasn’t worth it. Later Louie goes for a drive and he wines up in Salmon River, the town that played them the day he stood up for Washington. Washington is the guy his team took out during their dirty playing. So while in Salmon River he decides to just stop and get a bite to eat. He walks into the restaurant and there sitting at a table is Washington. He’s fine laughing and joking with his buddies and that’s when Louie thinks was it really worth it. He started thinking I stood up for this guy now I’m off the football team and may have damage my reputation a little and him he’s only going to be out for a week, maybe a little more maybe a little less, but he will heal and when he does he’ll be right out playing on that field again just as good as before. It made what he did seem like nothing like it wasn’t important. Washington probably won’t even remember what he did. That thought hurt and the sad part is it may be true. Louie risked so much for a guy he didn’t know Louie will never step on that field again and Washington may be back on that field inn a week tops. It made you question Louie’s decision about saying anything in the first place even though it was the right thing to do. It was depressing thinking Louie did this tremendous thing and then thinking it might not even matter to the one he did it for. While leaving the restaurant he ran into a girl that used to attend his school. She ended up convincing Louie to stay and chat with her awhile. Later on in their conversation they started to talk about Washington and she asked if Louie would like to meet him for some reason Louie didn’t want to. This is one event that still puzzles me for you think he would want to meet him, but then I think about how Louie is worried that he did the wrong thing and that he made a mistake and I can see why he might not want to meet him. Looking back on all that happened with football from the Salmon River game to the scene in the restaurant I believe Louie made the right choice no matter who appreciates it.
Research on Racism
Racism is a problem that has plagued the earth for hundreds of years. Racism is a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others (dictionary.com). To put it plain and simple it’s one group of people hating another group of people based on race. This is no new ordeal people have been discriminating against each other for years. Racism occurs if when someone points out that they don’t like you, because of your skin color, language, customs, or even where you were born. There are certain groups that through history never wanted to accept people of a different race. One of those groups was called Nazis. The Nazis didn’t want to accept the Jewish people so they pretty much went around collecting the Jews and killing them. They had concentration camps were the kept the Jews. The Jews would hang out at these camps until they were most likely killed. The Nazis has constructed Gas chambers. They would fill these chambers with toxic gases and place the Jews in them. Which was a much simple and more productive way to kill a lot of people at a time if that’s what you were looking for? This racist act performed by the Nazis was part of World War II and lead to the death of Six million Jews. Another racist group that formed in our history was the KKK also known as the Ku Klux Klan. They were formed by the Confederate army Veterans after the civil war. The Ku Klux Klan felt that whites were the superior race and wanted everyone to know it. At first they focused on just blacks, but in the early 1990’s they directed there activity to any group that seemed un-American this included the Jews, immigrants, and Roman Catholics. Also, during this time the amount of members in the Klan grew. At this time in history there were two million Klan members across the country. The Ku Klux Klan was a very violent group. They would go around and drag people from their beds just to beat them. They burned houses, churches, and crosses. Also the Klan never got in trouble and that’s why they did it and that’s why the group is still around today. It’s a terrible thing, Racism; no one deserves to be treated that way. Our country is working hard trying to get the amount of Racism down to minimal to none. There are groups out there to help out, but you can help out to. While you can talk to people who are being racist, you could learn about how the different cultures blended together to get our country, educate people about different cultures and racism. One of the biggest reasons as to why people are racist is because they’re afraid and the more you know about something the less scary it seems. So make a difference in the world and accept those who are different than you. Racism hurts.
Evaluation
I think Chris Crutcher uses the six traits plus one to an advantage in his writing. First, I’ll start with his ideas and contents. He had a good central theme. His theme to me was that life will have bumps in the road, but you can always pick yourself up and get on with your life. Louie had bumps in his road. He quit the football team to stand up for what he believed in, the principal wouldn’t let him participate in other sport activities, and he lost his girlfriend and yet at the end of the book he was the best two mile runner in Trout and he was able to make me laugh. Also, Chris kept his topic focused on one thing and that was Louie’s life. He never once got of topic. I also believe that the author used his own life experiences and knowledge to write this novel. Next, I would like to talk about his organization. He starts off the book with Louie sometime in the future reminiscing on his past. Then we enter the story which goes in chronological order from there. He had his paces set pretty good I don’t think I ever once caught myself wishing this part was over or that, that part my never end. His conclusions though didn’t really keep me thinking he tied up the book really well. I just wonder will he ever get caught for vandalizing the plaque. Furthermore, Chris Crutcher has a good voice in the story, but at some places the writing seems far off in a cloud. Like the writer was in a daze. The story did want me to read more especially on page 135 when Louie says I mean she’s dead. You’re like what Becky can’t be dead what happen and the words just kept you hooked. The next trait is word choice he had good word choice. He did use slang and other words to liven up his writing. Like the word wussy was used all in the book. It was a word made up by the character, Boomer. “A wussy is a cross between a wimp and a word Boomer’s dad almost beat him senseless for using” (Crutcher 7). To follow, the next trait is sentence fluency which was obviously good for I flew through that book without stumbling over any sentences. He used never had any sentences too long or any too short. There were fragments in there for flair. It was a smooth sailing story. His Conventions were fine I didn’t come across and spelling or grammatical errors. Lastly, we have the trait of presentation. The photo I think helps me at least visualize the hit that occurred at the Salmon River game. The print was easy to read and never gave me a headache. All in all it was a wonderfully written book.
Background info.
Plot Summary:
In Running Loose by Chris Crutcher we start out with Louis Banks also known as Louie introducing us to his life. He is a senior in high school and on his town’s 8-man football team. This year Louie finally gets a starting position. He is excited about this only for a little until the day that Coach Lednecky starts to tell the boys that they need to take out the new Salmon River player, Washington. Not only was Lednecky telling the boys to play dirty he was also being racist. Lednecky wasn't being the only racist member of the football team; Boomer was the other racist teammate. Louie couldn't deal with the fight going on in his head so he talked his problems out with Carter, his best friend. Carter says not to worry about it. It's probably all just talk and for a while Louie does get his mind off "the game plan" for he has a girlfriend. Yes, Becky Sanders one of the most popular girls in school asks Louie Banks out. Now Louie doesn't understand why a girl like Becky would ever want to go out with a guy like him. Soon the big game against Salmon River comes and Washington, the star player is warming up. As the game progressed he started to relax about the dirty football comments said earlier before the game. Washington was so fast there was no why anyone on his team would be able to catch him. Then tragic strikes, Boomer hit Washington so hard I think the wind was knocked out of him. That's when Louie had his first of two outbursts. So Louie gets kicked of the field; and he doesn't come back at least while he's still at Trout. Now he just has Becky, but all good things do come to an end and I wish I could say that they broke up. Becky was in a car accident. There were kids on motorcycles on the rode; she swerved so she wouldn't hit them. She hit the bridge and landed in the water. Louie is heartbroken. Becky’s mom comes into town and has this big funeral for Becky and that’s when the second outburst happens. Louie doesn’t like what the priest is saying so he speaks his mind. After being pulled out of the church by Carter and Boomer Louie goes cuts down a tree. I think he would have done something much more destructive if Coach Madison hadn’t been around to help him through his emotions. Coach Madison got Louie on the track team running the two mile. At the race against Salmon River, Washington is there; he’s running the two mile as well. At first Louie’s shocked he doesn’t know what to do. He’s won the two mile every time Washington can’t take that away, but than Washington walks over to talk to Louie. He tells Louie not to be intimidated by him. Washington calls Louie his hero and he has to challenge his heroes. He wanted a good race. In the end Louie does beat Washington and goes on to regionals, but that’s where he stops.
Setting:
Louie lives in the small town of Trout in Idaho. Most of the scenes take place in the town either at the high school, Dakota’s bar, or his house. There were though scenes thrown in there that they only went to once like the cabin, Becky’s house or the restaurant in Salmon River. If we’re talking about time, it definitely took place through out the school year, starting with fall, then came snow, and last the snow at the end of the book was melted for spring. I think the Book may have taken place in either the very late 70’s or the 80’s. More likely the 80’s in my opinion.
Character Description:
Louis (Louie) Banks is an athletic senior in high school and the main character in the story Running Loose. He isn’t very confident in himself. He’s always putting himself down and he says he’s not good at stuff. He has a pessimistic attitude. Having such a negative attitude makes him seem uncaring, but at the same time sensitive. His has a grade point average is 2.46. As I said before he does have a sensitive side; he’s loves and cares for those who are close to him.
Becky Sanders is Louis’s girlfriend. She is also a cheerleader and Louie describes her as the type of girl who could have anyone she wants, for Becky is pretty, smart and funny. Becky is full of love and will listen to you if you need an ear.
Carter is Louie’s best friend. He is there to listen to Louie and point out what Louie may not see. He is a very relaxed, laid back character. Also, he may be the best football player on the trout team. Carter has this motto that to get through life you just need a good act.
Boomer is another player on the trout football team and he is definitely not one of Louie’s friends. Boomer is a bully, but he just can’t control his anger. His dad beats him for just the littlest of things. Not only a bully, Boomer often fabricates stories about getting with girls and is racist. He puts on the tough guy act.
Dakota is one of Louie’s bosses. Dakota owns a bar and is an enlighten thinker. Louie takes many of his problems to Dakota to hear what he thinks. Dakota enjoys a good argument and knows how to handle the people who always seem to be in your business.
Norm is Louie’s father and Louie’s other boss. Norm owns a garage and is on the school board. Like Dakota Norm is a good listener and wants to help Louie if he has a problem, but he also believes strongly in letting someone live their own life and fight their own battles.
Brenda is Louie’s overprotective mother. Well she’s not exactly over protective she just wants her son to make a good impression. She always makes sure he is wearing clean underwear.
Coach Lednecky is the racist coach that told his team to play dirty football. He only cares about winning and doesn’t really care who gets hurt along the way. He never changes his mind throughout the story either. It’s always his way or no way.
Jasper is close friends with Lednecky so he always takes his side. He tries to be a fair principal, but in the end he always goes back to what he originally hard thought. He’s a very close minded character.
Coach Madison doesn’t have much meaning in the beginning of the story. He’s just the coach that Louie sees always sitting on the side line. Then towards the end of the book he starts to care a lot about Louie’s well being. He is a very ambitious man. He wanted Louie to get on the track team.
Becky’s dad has a small part, but it has a big impact in Louie’s life. He is a kind man who wants to help Louie. The main thing he does for Louie is gets him on the track team.
Washington is the athlete from Salmon River, the one that Boomer takes out. Later Washington races Louie in track, but before the race Washington calls Louie his hero.
Out of all the characters in the book, I think only two actually changed and develop throughout the book, and those two are Louie and Boomer. Louie changed the most from the beginning of the book to the end of the book. The first life changing event for him was when he was at the football game where Boomer had taken Washington out. Louie had an outburst and was kicked off the field and later he quit football all together. Then, there was the cabin scene where Louie learned what an understanding, caring, and loving girl Becky really is. The last life changing advent for Louie was when Becky died and at the funeral he has another outburst. With his reputation up in the air and his emotions all over the place you’d think that getting his life back together might be a problem, but with the help and support of family and friends Louie’s life is back on track. The other character that changed a little is Boomer. Boomer usually bullies Louie and tells Louie outrageous stories, but during the funeral scene something in Boomer changes. When Louie freaks out at the funeral Boomer helps Carter get Louie out of the church. Once out of the church Boomer is telling Louie that it’s okay and everything is going to be alright. It was shocking I never saw the kind side of Boomer before. As for the other characters, I think they were just really fillers to help Louie through his changes.
In Running Loose by Chris Crutcher we start out with Louis Banks also known as Louie introducing us to his life. He is a senior in high school and on his town’s 8-man football team. This year Louie finally gets a starting position. He is excited about this only for a little until the day that Coach Lednecky starts to tell the boys that they need to take out the new Salmon River player, Washington. Not only was Lednecky telling the boys to play dirty he was also being racist. Lednecky wasn't being the only racist member of the football team; Boomer was the other racist teammate. Louie couldn't deal with the fight going on in his head so he talked his problems out with Carter, his best friend. Carter says not to worry about it. It's probably all just talk and for a while Louie does get his mind off "the game plan" for he has a girlfriend. Yes, Becky Sanders one of the most popular girls in school asks Louie Banks out. Now Louie doesn't understand why a girl like Becky would ever want to go out with a guy like him. Soon the big game against Salmon River comes and Washington, the star player is warming up. As the game progressed he started to relax about the dirty football comments said earlier before the game. Washington was so fast there was no why anyone on his team would be able to catch him. Then tragic strikes, Boomer hit Washington so hard I think the wind was knocked out of him. That's when Louie had his first of two outbursts. So Louie gets kicked of the field; and he doesn't come back at least while he's still at Trout. Now he just has Becky, but all good things do come to an end and I wish I could say that they broke up. Becky was in a car accident. There were kids on motorcycles on the rode; she swerved so she wouldn't hit them. She hit the bridge and landed in the water. Louie is heartbroken. Becky’s mom comes into town and has this big funeral for Becky and that’s when the second outburst happens. Louie doesn’t like what the priest is saying so he speaks his mind. After being pulled out of the church by Carter and Boomer Louie goes cuts down a tree. I think he would have done something much more destructive if Coach Madison hadn’t been around to help him through his emotions. Coach Madison got Louie on the track team running the two mile. At the race against Salmon River, Washington is there; he’s running the two mile as well. At first Louie’s shocked he doesn’t know what to do. He’s won the two mile every time Washington can’t take that away, but than Washington walks over to talk to Louie. He tells Louie not to be intimidated by him. Washington calls Louie his hero and he has to challenge his heroes. He wanted a good race. In the end Louie does beat Washington and goes on to regionals, but that’s where he stops.
Setting:
Louie lives in the small town of Trout in Idaho. Most of the scenes take place in the town either at the high school, Dakota’s bar, or his house. There were though scenes thrown in there that they only went to once like the cabin, Becky’s house or the restaurant in Salmon River. If we’re talking about time, it definitely took place through out the school year, starting with fall, then came snow, and last the snow at the end of the book was melted for spring. I think the Book may have taken place in either the very late 70’s or the 80’s. More likely the 80’s in my opinion.
Character Description:
Louis (Louie) Banks is an athletic senior in high school and the main character in the story Running Loose. He isn’t very confident in himself. He’s always putting himself down and he says he’s not good at stuff. He has a pessimistic attitude. Having such a negative attitude makes him seem uncaring, but at the same time sensitive. His has a grade point average is 2.46. As I said before he does have a sensitive side; he’s loves and cares for those who are close to him.
Becky Sanders is Louis’s girlfriend. She is also a cheerleader and Louie describes her as the type of girl who could have anyone she wants, for Becky is pretty, smart and funny. Becky is full of love and will listen to you if you need an ear.
Carter is Louie’s best friend. He is there to listen to Louie and point out what Louie may not see. He is a very relaxed, laid back character. Also, he may be the best football player on the trout team. Carter has this motto that to get through life you just need a good act.
Boomer is another player on the trout football team and he is definitely not one of Louie’s friends. Boomer is a bully, but he just can’t control his anger. His dad beats him for just the littlest of things. Not only a bully, Boomer often fabricates stories about getting with girls and is racist. He puts on the tough guy act.
Dakota is one of Louie’s bosses. Dakota owns a bar and is an enlighten thinker. Louie takes many of his problems to Dakota to hear what he thinks. Dakota enjoys a good argument and knows how to handle the people who always seem to be in your business.
Norm is Louie’s father and Louie’s other boss. Norm owns a garage and is on the school board. Like Dakota Norm is a good listener and wants to help Louie if he has a problem, but he also believes strongly in letting someone live their own life and fight their own battles.
Brenda is Louie’s overprotective mother. Well she’s not exactly over protective she just wants her son to make a good impression. She always makes sure he is wearing clean underwear.
Coach Lednecky is the racist coach that told his team to play dirty football. He only cares about winning and doesn’t really care who gets hurt along the way. He never changes his mind throughout the story either. It’s always his way or no way.
Jasper is close friends with Lednecky so he always takes his side. He tries to be a fair principal, but in the end he always goes back to what he originally hard thought. He’s a very close minded character.
Coach Madison doesn’t have much meaning in the beginning of the story. He’s just the coach that Louie sees always sitting on the side line. Then towards the end of the book he starts to care a lot about Louie’s well being. He is a very ambitious man. He wanted Louie to get on the track team.
Becky’s dad has a small part, but it has a big impact in Louie’s life. He is a kind man who wants to help Louie. The main thing he does for Louie is gets him on the track team.
Washington is the athlete from Salmon River, the one that Boomer takes out. Later Washington races Louie in track, but before the race Washington calls Louie his hero.
Out of all the characters in the book, I think only two actually changed and develop throughout the book, and those two are Louie and Boomer. Louie changed the most from the beginning of the book to the end of the book. The first life changing event for him was when he was at the football game where Boomer had taken Washington out. Louie had an outburst and was kicked off the field and later he quit football all together. Then, there was the cabin scene where Louie learned what an understanding, caring, and loving girl Becky really is. The last life changing advent for Louie was when Becky died and at the funeral he has another outburst. With his reputation up in the air and his emotions all over the place you’d think that getting his life back together might be a problem, but with the help and support of family and friends Louie’s life is back on track. The other character that changed a little is Boomer. Boomer usually bullies Louie and tells Louie outrageous stories, but during the funeral scene something in Boomer changes. When Louie freaks out at the funeral Boomer helps Carter get Louie out of the church. Once out of the church Boomer is telling Louie that it’s okay and everything is going to be alright. It was shocking I never saw the kind side of Boomer before. As for the other characters, I think they were just really fillers to help Louie through his changes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)