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This time, I chose to be a discussion director. My job is to write a list of questions about a certain part of the book, then anwer the questions in detail. Reading through the pages of the eleven chapters we were supposed to read, I found many interesting topics and came up these questions:
1. Chapter 11, pages 48 and 49
"At that point the only crime Stargirl could have been accused of would be corniness. But she didn't stop there." (Spinelli 48)
"She did not limit herself to basketball games. She cheered anyone, anything, anytime." (Spinelli 49)
How do you feel about Stargirl's decision to not care about other people's opinions but carry on instead, doing what she loves the most?
In my opinion, I think it's an incredibly brave decision. Not everyone is capable of being themselves, knowing they're being judged, but still doing what they love and not letting unimportant faces get in their way. If you like it, do it. We regret the things we haven't done but wanted to more than the things we did and looked funny, because at least we gained a great memory. It's on you to decide wether you're gonna care about it or not, or if you're capable or incapable because of anxiety or shyness. Honestly, do what you love and love what you do no matter the opinions coming from all around you. It's okay to be judged, not everyone will like you, but if they do, be sure for them to like you for who you really are. So go out there and be yourself. Even though Stargirl isn't a real human being, I can say that I'm really proud of her,
2. Chapter 11, page 50
What comes to mind when reading this quote?
"People who have never saw you before are smiling at you and slapping your back and pumping your hand, and suddenly it seems like the whole world is calling your name, and you;re feeling so good you pretty much just float on home from school." (Spinelli 50)
Before this quote, she said that sometimes she walks through the school lobby and people trash her with comments and peculiar stares and she feels like dying, but then she thinks about all the ones who love her bubbly spirit and personality! I thought of how even though Stargirl knows there are a lot of haters out there, she focuses on the lovers. The people who she has never seen before and who have never seen her are cheering for her and smiling at her! It's important to focus on the people you love, and forget about the ones who don't like you, and you don't like. Also, I thought of how victorious she must have felt at that moment. She seemed extremely happy!
3. Chapter 11 , pages 52 and 54
"Bad things did not stick to her, correction: her bad things didn't stick to her, Our bad things stuck very much to her. If we were hurt, if we were unhappy or otherwise victimised by life, she seemed to know about it, and to care, as soon as we did. But bad things falling on her -- unkind words, nasty stares, foot blisters -- she seemed unaware of" (Spinelli 52)
How do you think this can affect Stargirl and do you remember/can you guess what happened right after the writer stated this?
I think that this trait can do her both good and bad. The thing is, it could happen that her overwhelming kindness gets used against her, she seems like an easy target. It's great to be kind, but not to the point where the main goal isn't to please yourself anymore, but to please others regardless of how many times you've been broken down into little pieces. I think Stargirl feels horrible, even worthless at times when others around her judge her. She simply chooses not to show it. That's okay too but i I were to give her any advice, I'd say to not play nice and not affected every time. For little things, it's fine, she can shake it off. But if it's a big deal, maybe she should worry about herself and try to solve the problem by thalking to the person who offended or hurt her. It' important to find a balance to showing affection, and showing none will certainly not get her anywhere.
Right after this, there was a basketball game going on between their school team and Red Rocks. Red Rocks were losing by more than seventy points and at the very end, Stargirl decided to get out of the gym feeling like it only makes things worse for the losing team if she kept on cheering. Everyone assumed she was going to the restroom, but she wasn't. She felt sorry. The rest of the cheerleaders told the basketball players what happened after they went out of the changing rooms and they decided to pull a trick on Stargirl. "They told Stargirl that someone had forgotten something in the gym, and would she please go get it."(Spinelli 54) Little did she know, she was left alone in the gym while the rest of the cheerleading team went back home on a two-hour ride along with the basketball players. "A Red Rock custodian drove her home that night. The next day in school, the cheerleaders told her it was all a big misunderstanding and pretended they were sorry. Stargirl believed them."
4. Chapter 13, pages 62 and 63
Do you know what was Stargirl's original name?
Stargirls original name was Susan, though she kept on changing it when she didn't feel like the name fit her personality anymore.
This is the conversation between Stargirl and one of the judges on their school TV show "Hot Seat":
"What was wrong with the name your parents gave you?"
"Nothing. It was a good name"
"What was it?"
"Susan."
"So why did you drop it?"
"Because I didn't feel like Susan anymore."
So you just threw out Susan and named yourself Stargirl?"
"No."
(Spinelli 62)
"No?"
"Pocket Mouse"
"What?"
"I named myself Pocket Mouse. Then Mudpie. Then Hullygully. Then Stargirl."
"So...you change your name whenever you get tired of it?"
Whenever it doesn't fit anymore, I'm not my name."
(Spinelli 63)
Thank you for your time! I hope you enjoyed reading this and maybe even reflected on yourself a bit!
:)
