Before I Die is a novel written by Jenny Downham. This novel is about a sixteen year-old girl named Tessa who has had a terminal case of Leukemia for four years. Tessa lives with her father and little brother Cal. She has a hard time with the fact that she is going to die and doesn't attend school. She develops a list of things she wants to do before she dies. Her friend Zoey helps her accomplish it, the first thing on her list is to have sex, which she does after Zoey forces her to a night at a club and after to a guys house. The next thing on her list was to have a day where she had to say "yes" to everything. As she looks out her window she realizes that her neighbour had a fire going and she decided she wanted to burn all her childhood memories. After going out she introduces herself and meets Adam. Adam helps her accomplish the next thing on her list which was to try drugs. The book also allows us to learn about her hospital visits and about how little she sees her mom.
The initial problem that Tessa goes through is being able to go beyond her comfort level and begin to do the things on her list. She hides this list from her dad because she knows that most of the things on the list will make her dad upset. The author keeps me interested in the book because she gives a lot of detail.Just as I think Tessa is no longer going to continue doing the things on her list, she's out of her bed and accomplishing the next thing.
The initial problem that Tessa goes through is being able to go beyond her comfort level and begin to do the things on her list. She hides this list from her dad because she knows that most of the things on the list will make her dad upset. The author keeps me interested in the book because she gives a lot of detail.Just as I think Tessa is no longer going to continue doing the things on her list, she's out of her bed and accomplishing the next thing.
Q: Do you think that having the list of things she wants to do before she dies, is stopping her from fighting to survive?
No I do not feel that having a list is stopping her from her fight to survive but I do feel that the things on her list will get her in some sort of trouble. If I was in Tessa shoes I would do the same thing and live life like it was my last.
ReplyDeleteI do feel that her list is stopping her from fighting to surive, because she is way to focused on completing every thing on her list that she kind of forgets that she needs to survive and fight Leukemia.
ReplyDeleteNo i tink its keeping her busy,and keeping her mind off of the negative in her life.Yes its is sometimes putting her in harm,when she should be resting,but its better to live you life when you know your going to dye.
ReplyDeleteA positve and happy life just might be giving her more time.
Yes--I think she's more focussed on the list. It seems like that's all she cares about, because she's accepted that her end is near. Maybe that's actually a good thing though? (the fact that she's not in denial about her death). Maybe the fact that she's getting into trouble makes her feel more alive!
ReplyDeletei do because then she isn't focusing on what really matters. if she was focused on surviving, then she could do all those things without fear.
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