Annabel Greene, as she appears in the Back to School commercial for the local department store, creates the illusion she is living the 'perfect' life. Like her model sisters, the reality of her life is so different from the illusion created for the public. How has jealousy and suspicion led to Annabel's new reputation as the novel opens? Has Annabel always been an outsider, or is this a new role for her? Owen tells only the truth, while Annabel rarely tells her true feelings. Which character suffers more as the result of their flaws? Why is Sophie so successful with her manipulation of others? Start finding the connections to the Othello themes.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
Annabel Greene, as she appears in the Back to School commercial for the local department store, creates the illusion she is living the 'perfect' life. Like her model sisters, the reality of her life is so different from the illusion created for the public. How has jealousy and suspicion led to Annabel's new reputation as the novel opens? Has Annabel always been an outsider, or is this a new role for her? Owen tells only the truth, while Annabel rarely tells her true feelings. Which character suffers more as the result of their flaws? Why is Sophie so successful with her manipulation of others? Start finding the connections to the Othello themes.
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79 comments:
we often dont show people our true colors.
and this proves to keep us a place apart from others
Mind Barrier
in the darkness
i am alone
or i think
i am alone
i live in a shell
made of steel
and when they see
who i am
fear takes them away
and so
i am alone
in a shell
or so i think
they are there
beside me
in a bubble
or a shell
and when
i see them
for who they are
i wonder why
they hid
your human
and your mind
is your own
but when
i am alone
in the darkness
i think alone
and others thoughts
are silent
until they
cast away
their shell
and i see
with my eyes
what they truly
are
now i know
i accept you
why did the girl tell the other girl the she sleep with her men
Why is Sophie so unforgiving? What gives Sophie the right to push around Anna and other people she doesnt like? Why wont anyone stand up to Sophie and put an end to her bullying?
to answer your question shelby, i think Sophie is so unforgiving because she feels she has to be strong and not let her guard down, she herself is scared of being hurt.also it could be she wants to be on top and in charge and leaving room for forgivness wouldn't give her the whole being boss perception. people are affraid o stand up to Sophie because she is the kind of person that once you do something to make her upset or if she doesn't like you she will make your life very unhappy.
this book is ok but if there was more people important involved it would be even better
The book iS So far ok... I juSt don't really underStand it... becauSe it jumpS around alot... like firSt it talkS about Annabel'S family... then about Annabel'S modeling career... then about Annabel'S friendS and friendShip... then about Annabel'S life with her SiSterS and her family... now it looks like Owen...Annabel'S new beSt friend... likeS her more than a friend... becauSe he aSkS her to go placeS with him...like he inviteS her to breakfaSt...he inviteS her to go See him play live...he'S in a band...the book can be more intereSting if it had more thingS that happen becauSe nothing really happenS in the book it juSt talkS about the Same thingS over and over again!!! But i have a queStion...why doeSn't Annabel have any friendS??? Why doeS everyone believe Sophie inStead of Annabel???
In the story it talks about owen sister how old is owen sister? is she in the 7th grade?
I think Sophie is the way she is because maybe she's jeleouse of Annabel and maybe ,she wont's what Annabel has....like in chapter 6 sophie got on the defensive side and didnt ask any questions about their problem....so what im saying is that maybe she's (SOPHIE) really is maybe having a hard time owning up to the fact that maybe Annabel is better than her......
yes owens sister is in middle school it doesnt say if she is in seventh or eighth grade, but it is weird how owen is so much different from is sisters and mother. his sisters love pink and are in to "sell outs" and he is in to his own thing that not many poeple like.
why is sophie so scared of people?Is sophie and owen afraid of getting close? why doesn't sophie just tell her mom she doesn't want to do modeling any more?
as i continue to read i am starting to realize that the more annabel spends time with owen the more comfertable and open she becomes. These changes arent only with owen but with whitney annabels sister. they are starting to communicate and talk more. Annabel also seems like she is finally realizing that what happend to her at the party wasnt her fault, and that she should have spoke up to sophie.
For fernandez question she told her that beacuse she think she's the only person that can sleep with him plus Anna might be prettier than sophie so she might be threaten by Anna.
i think annabel is scared to get close to owen because at first she is scared of what peoiple will think. annabal also says she is bad with confrintation so she doesnt like to be apart of it and thats why she somewhat keeps to herself. and she doesnt want to tell her mother she doesnt want to model because she doesnt want her mom to be let down and go back into her depression state as she was when her mother died.
for shelby the reason why sophie feels that it's ok to push everyone around is cause they let her and she feels like she is the boss in the school and that she can take over. Pluse she feels that putting people down will make her big.
Earlier in the novel, there was a quote that was italicized which stated: "Shhh. Annabel, it's only me." Anyone have any input into what they think it means or what they feel about it? Any foreshadowning? Note that it's been repeated constantly and only when a certain character is mentioned.
Annabel and Owen finally kiss. was it fate? and why do you think annabel and owen, being so different, are attracted to eachother? will their relationship go any father? and if it does will they make it public?
the book getS more intereSting once you get into it... it tellS why Sophie doeSn't like annabel that much no more... i think that annabel and owen will go out and then eventually make it for the public to See how happy they are with eac other... the thing i don't get iS why Will CaSh tried to rape annabel inStead of juSt aSking her and then blame it on Sophie inStead of himSelf...
anna and whitney actuallt start to talk. they talk about why sophie and anna arent friends and how theraphy is going for whitney. they are becoming closer. so close whitney even shows up for annas fashion show, anna didnt think she would come. i think it really good that anna and whitney are starting to talk and whitney is finally opening up. i think it will help whitney to get over her eatting disorder and start to be a little more social.
why did anabel kiss owen?
Did Anna have sex with will? why did Owen and Anna go to the car wash? Did Anna enjoy the kiss that owen gave her?why was emily alone with will that night of the party? Do you think that sophie would take owen away from anna cause she doesn't want her with anyone? since emily isn't friends with sophie do you think she going to be friend with anna again?
think that this book is okay but I think that it need's more intrusting character's and more details and that maybe if she didnt just talk about owen all day it would be much better.....
why ananbel wants to now about her ninth b-day
For shelby question I believe that owen and anna will have good realtionship but the way it looks in chapter 15 it looks like they are kind of off on there relationship. but on the pluse side emily is starting to talk to anna after emily got rapped by Will. Emily said she knows how anna feel that night when she kind of got rapped by will and no one belived her even sophie wouldn't.
why isn't owen and anna together anymore? why does anna want to be alone? why doesn't anna just tell her mom she doesn't want to be a model anymore?
i think becuase she is comfuce in wat her real feeling are
as i was first reading this book i didnt really get why annabel was so uptight and secretive, especialy with owen since he opens himself up to her. then i realized it was something her whole family did, her mom with her depression, whitney with her anorexia, nobody was ever honest, they lived in a glass house and everything looked perfect. to keep up their perfect phasad the whole family lied. i think owen was exactly what annabel needed to open her eyes to the real world. similar to photography for kirsten and dr. moira for whitney.
In the book it seems that everyone is trying to be friend with Anna first it was emily about the whole will thing now it's clarke who wants her to talk about her and owen.and owen wanting to know what was wrong with anna. For anna it's a very wierd time for her.She is very surprised right now.
i think no one stands up to Sophie because she is so intimidating. Other people might fear that if they stand up to Sophie, that she might do something bad to them, like make up rumors.I think Sophie is angry with herself and mad about some of the choices in her life, that she blames it on everyone else.
Owen is always talking about his music and is also really sensitive about his music, why does Owen get so sensitive? like when Annabel says to him that she doesn't really like the music he likes, or when she covers her ears when he turns some of his music on.
Do you think Emily and Annabel will become friends and start talking again?
why does anabel has to go to court
in chapters 14 and 15 Annabel starts to realize that she had not changed. she might have become more open to owen but when the real problems and issues really started to happen again she closed up and froze. owen had said that this wasn't like her, but she had responded that he was wrong and that it was exactly like her.
For breanna's question as I read I discover that they do talk and for the first time anna is expressing they way she feels.and owen is expressing that he still loves her.So i'm pretty sure they will get back together.
So last night i finished the book. I really enjoyed it and it was interesting how the line Shh, Annabel. It's only me. was used again and the true meaning behind it. that all along it was really her inner self.
anna doesnt have to go to court,but emily asks her to tell her story of what happened between her and will. emily wants all the help so can get in her case against will. and she thinks anna could really help her out.
owen is so sensitive about is music because he feels that everyone need to give every kind of music a fair chance not just say you dont like it after the first song. but not everyone thinks like owen. owen thinks deeper into the meanings of music.
i agree with brean about how annabel realized she hadnt changed. i think all along she had wanted to, and finally the fear of losing owen forced her to open up. is the glass house a symbol of how much u think you know about their family? when the truth is the complete opposite? is that why whitney fainted in a room that could not be seen from tthe outside?
Annabel realizes that the voice she always hears is her own. she realizes that running away from the problem doesnt make it go away.she then finally choses to tell owen what had happend and take his advice. she chose to let people know the truth. with this step she has releved so much sress and pain from her
why doeS annabel have to go to court??? why doeS annabel expreSS all her feelingS to owen firSt and then to her family??? why doeS annabel have to got to court??? why did owen punch will caSh in the face??? doeS owen like annabel??? well after reading the entire book annabel finally realizeS that the voice that alwayS SayS "Shh annabel Shh itS juSt me annabel" iS really juSt hereSelf... annabel finally realizeS that She doeSn't need people to aSk her for an apology but that She needS people to liSten to her... juSt like the CD owen made he "JuSt LiSten" She finally expreSSeS her feelingS to her family after She talkS with owen and with the lady that emily talked to about the court... people finally Start to underStand annabel...
i think owen punches will cash to stand up for annabel because he really cares about her. i think owen can be a really angry person, like it said in the book he attends anger management classes so that can also explain punching him. i also think though that if anyone messes with one of owen's friends, or just someone he really cares about like annabel, he is going to do something about it.
Do you think owen will ever forgive anna? do you believe anna will ever let people know what happened 2 her?
I finished the book yesterday, but i didn't really like the ending.I thought that something huge would happen, like her and emily be close again, or even her and sophie would talk about the incident.I was kind of dissappointed.
i agree with nicole, but i wasn't really expecting clarke and her to be friends again either. i only realized they probably would was when i read the passage where they talked because of Rolly.
yea, i agree with nicole and jasmine i didnt really like the ending, it seemed too predictable, to perfect. so did owen really mean not to burn songs on the "just listen" cd?? do you think sophie is embarrassed about will being in jail or is still in denial and is just mad?
i think that the ending of the book was okay but there are many different ways it could have been better such as anna becoming friends with anyone again. or something huge happening between her and her sisters.
i think that the ending of the book was okay but there are many different ways it could have been better such as anna becoming friends with anyone again. or something huge happening between her and her sisters.
I think the ending was okay but could have been better because....i think more shoud have happend in the story like more action or other conflicts in stead of working on one thing.....
I think the ending was okay but could have been better because....i think more shoud have happend in the story like more action or other conflicts in stead of working on one thing.....
1:09 PM
i thought by the end of the book that annabel and sophie might start talking again or anything. but nothing happened between them.
to answer lita. i don't think he ment to give her the "just listen" cd blank. i think it was on accident because if you notice when she asks him about it and he listens to it, it says something like, oh this isn't working what's wrong with it why is it blank. you know?. and yeah i'm sure sophie was pretty embarrassed by the situation.
Rachel, I thought the same thing! I thought Sophie might realize the truth and they would all become friends again.
wat happend with will cash at cour?
why when the whole family was sitting down watching kirsten's video and annabel's dad asked her wut she remembered, she said she could only remember other peoples memories? when in the beginning of the book she had stated she felt like her sisters were taking away her attention on her birthday.
To answer Breann's question i think Annabel didnt want to hurt her sisters feelings or feel selfish about the way she felt.
i think annabel doesnt say anything because she feels like now everythign doesnt have to be about her. and that she wants to prove to herself that she has made a change.
why doesnt sophie try to regain her friendship with annabel or anyone else?
i think sohpie knows that she chased her friends away and didnt treat them well, i thinks that why, she might not be strong enough to say she was wrong.
I think Sophie might also be embarressed and ashamed of how she acted.
for dorishel i think owen will forgive ana if he loves her and ana will tell people wat happend to her
sophie doesnt want too try to mend any of her broken friendships because its just the way her personality is.she is a stubborn person and she always needs to get her way.
Why do you think Annabell was so scared to show how she really felt?
do you think annabel wanted to be friends with sophie again, or at least talk to her?
i think annabel was just a really shy person and didnt like to say how she really felt about things. she kept everything she felt inside.
i think annabel was afraid to show her emotions because she wanted to hide her past. just like her inner voice, she always tried to hide it and not let it come out. she felt as thought, if she let her emotions out, no one would understand.
hey in the book just listen what would be some imagery characteristics of Annabel?
to answer racheals question i think annabel thought about being friend wth sophie again but she was scared of what sophie and everyone else would think or say.
why does clarke suddenly care about annabels feelings? when in the past it seemed like clarke could really careless about annabel and anything that had to do with her
annabel doesnt nhave to go to court it was her choice to testify against will because she didnt feel she was the only one that was sexually assulted but him.
To answer Shelby's question I think Clarke cared all along. I think she was just mad because Annabell didn't try and talk to her about it.
i think clarke cared all alonghowever i think she thought annabell still didntlike her. because when they met at the club clarke asked anabell if she really thought the whole reason they didnt talk was because she was mad. it was annabel who left in the first place right?
annabel left clarke for sophie so i dont think clarke did anything wrong.
For like theme wise, I found a lot of illusion versus reality in it. Like for example the glass house was a major one, and all there is ever deeper ones such as what the wall where annabel and owen sit at represents and the iPod. something to think about.
i think that annabel just didnt wan to have any more conflicts with any one anymore. i mean i dont think her main focus was becoming Sophie's friend again but i also think that she would rather be her friend then her enemy.
the book waS really intereSting...
it StartS of boring and then getS more intereSting like in the laSt couple of chapterS...
well anywayS i dont get why owen had to punch william caSh in the face???
did he punch him becauSe he likeS annabel that much???
did he do it becauSe he juSt felt like he needed to do it???
do owen and annabel end up going out again???
do clarke and annabel become beSt of friendS again???
do clarke and owenS friend rolly end up going out or are they Still juSt talking???
well thiS book waS really good...
annable was living in a total illusion hile owen was just in reality, it's bad to live in one of the world, they both had to be balanced in between illusion and reality, because if they are just in illusion or just in reality that might affect them and make a lot of misunderstanding.
annabel doesnt want to tell her mom that she doesnt want to do modeling any more because she doesnt want to hurt her. annabels mom was going through hardships when her mom passed away. she is scared to tell her because she doesnt want to make her become stressed out and sick
as i look more into the imagery of the book, i see a lot of imagery in the portait of annabel and her family, like the description of her mother and how tiny she was. it could tie in with how breann said her mother was already sad with the loss of her mother, and with all of them there to protect her tiny self, it's like if they weren't there, she'd just wouldn't be able to go on in life.
I really think that Whitney's herb were a really big symbol. I thought that they were symbolizing Whitney's improvement. As Whitney was thriving the plants were thriving like her.
i think owen and annabel are attracted to each other because they each have wut each other are missing. Annabel has problems telling the truth and confronting problems, owen on the other hand hass problems with his anger. it relates to the saying, opposites attract.
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