Within the opening paragraph, the narrator tells us that 'one person had the power to change so many lives'. Is Young Stewart referring to Rob or Simon? Simon Glass is definitely an outsider at the beginning of the book. Is it his choice? Or does Simon allow Rob and the others to exploit him because he wants to change his reputation? How much is Simon in control of the manipulation? How do Young's flaws control his participation in Simon's rebirth? How is Young able to suppress his jealousy and suspicions about Simon and Young's girlfriend, Ronna? Why does Young suffer the most in the end? Why were all of the boys unable to see the reality of Simon's manipulation of them? Start blogging about this book. As you get into it, you may want to check out the discussion guides at the author's website. Start connecting with the themes in Othello.
57 comments:
DeeJHenry7
In the novel, "Shattering Glass" how did rob manipulates Young,Coop,Simon, and Bob?? and why did these characters let Rob to exploit and manipulates them??
Rob manipulates Young, Coop, Simon, and Bob by telling them what to do, however , he doesn't say directly for them to do it for him, instead, he uses Simon as an excuse.
DeeJHenry7
Rob manipulates Simon but Simon doesnt really follow Rob. For example, when Rob ask Simon not to eat the cake and Simon follows but instead he eats the chocolate.
Why do people pick on simon so much, they go to a high school in the middle of texas and there should be someone else they could pick on instead of Simon. So i guess all im asking is, what is the characteristic about Simon Glass that makes everyone pick on him?
The characteristics that Simon has that let other people pick on him is that he is an outsider from the rest. For example when Rob, Young, Coop, Bob, and Simon go out to buy clothes for him they already know what he's gonna get which is all these preppy clothes that most of the kids there probbrly already wear. So to be less of an outsider you have to be like everyone else. Simon isn't like everyone else so he gets picked on by the person who looks like the everyone else the most which was Lance.
Trinidadahenry2
I just started reading this book. So far I found some symbols and diction you guys can use this for your lit circles if you guys need to.
Shattering Glass by Gail Giles is a very suspenseful and disturbing look at what it takes to be popular. In Chapter one, it starts off by saying “I guess, really, we each hated him for a different reason, but we didn’t realize it until the day we killed him.” It gets right to the point and then starts to describe Simon Glass and what made him “uncool”. Simon Glass was the picture perfect image of a textbook geek.
In around the middle of the book all the guys are at Simon's house and he shows them his computer setup and other stuff. He also shows them how his parents rarely pay attention to him so what do you think his parents unableness to be around for him has to do with his personality and ability to always be an outsider?
In response to: blanchardmhenry2
-I think that simon is looking for attention from other people because his parents aren't there for him, to appreciate the things that he knows how to do. So i think his parents unableness to be around for him has unlmited him to the posibilities that one High school teen can do.
DeeJHenry7
At the end Simon reveals that he knows all Rob's plan; then, why does Simon still play the game??
Ambra M Henry
"Shattering Glass" is a very interesting book. It starts out looking like any other teen book, loser becomes popular and gets the girl of his dreams, but it takes an unexpected turn. It talks about how and why a senior in Highschool is killed by people who seemed to be his friends. Simon was originally an outsider. He was so by choice or by being unpopular. Rob makes him a deal. He said he could make him popular, but Simon didn't trust Rob the way everyone else does. All throughout the story Simon rebels against Rob's authority. This ticks Rob off because he isn't used to having people question his authority. Everyone just does what he asks. Example is Rob asks Young to "dump" Ronna so Simon can ask her out. If I was Young I would've ended playing Rob's game right then and there. Now in response to DeeJHenry7: Simon never really plays the game, or at least not by the same rules as everyone else. He sometimes follows what he's told to do and then sometimes he doesn't. He does his own thing. Then at the end, in the equipment room simon like goes off on everyone. He goes berserk on everyone but Coop. Rob and Bob can't take hearing the truth be told about themselves so they beat Simon to death. I think it's pretty messed up that Rob and Bob are the ones who killed Simon, yet Young is the only one who serves jail time. Why do you think that after the experiences of the boys, Young decides to serve jail time while Bob is doing community service and Rob has fled the country? And do you think that Coop had protected Simon because he felt that was right? or because his loyalty had changed from Rob to Simon?
In response to DeeJHenry7
Simon still plays the game because he did want to become popular but at the same time he didn't want to be some social experiment to these boys and so to be safe he probberly did this ahead of time to make sure what he was getting into and what he can use in his defense. When he saw Young and the rest he knew Rob was just puppeteering them but Everyone got mad at simon because he had a spine he did whatever he wanted to do but Young, Bob, and Coop did whatever Rob told them to do.
garciaehenry2
In response to: blanchardmhenry2
his parents not being able to be around affect him because it seems to make him a person who doesnt really care about life. he has no friends to start off with so he basically just wakes up, goes to school, not caring at all. if his parents were their i think he'd be more active at school because he had someone to push him
DeeJHenry7
Do u guys know a symbol that reveals manipulation and exploitation because im kind of confused what symbol to use?
in "shattering glass" how is it that simon does not seem to be fully controlled by rob but young is?
whooops..... i wrote that last one.
garciaehenry2
i agree with:
chingbhenry
out of all the people in such a big place why is he thee only one that gets picked on. trhier has to be more then one wierdo at the school.
thats just what i think. wouldnt u think that their should be more then one kid to be picked on??
Rob fully controls Young simply because Young feels bad for Rob. Rob defended Young and helped him through his problems and all Young wanted to do was be a good friend. Simon isn't controlled as much because he's so caught up in making new friends and maintaining his new reputation.
AmbraMhenry3
For some clarification, because I know the quotes at the beginning of each chapter skip around and can be a little confusing. Rob was a knew kid at school, who became the top dog of the school. He has control issues because as a preteen his father mulested him. This is the theme that pulls Rob and Young together. At summer camp Young was mulested by a camp consular. Rob finds this out from Young's writing and talks to Young about it. Young confides in Rob and Rob makes him feel better about what happened, tells him that he didn't do anything wrong, he isn't the bad guy. After Rob does this for Young, Young feels devoted to Rob, almost as if Young owes Rob something for his help. When Rob asks him favors he does them because he feels he can never repay Rob for helping him.
KattenhornJHenry7
Why do coop,Bob, and Young follow rob if they all have good lives without him. I mean coop is going to be a football star if he gets a good grade but young helps him. Young is samrter then anyone in the group and gets ronna. Why do they need Rob? Why do they need a leader? How does Rob effect any of their lives? Siom should be they only one who follows because he wants to be like Rob!!!
KattenhornJHenry7
Young ment simon had the power to change many lives. To further express how young felt about simon i will give a couple of examples. When simon helped coop get his grade so he could become a football star. When simon went on the computer and saw all of that stuff about rob it changed everyones perspective aboout Rob. Also when simon became a big shot it changed robs life because he killed simon and hurt bob badly.
DeeJHenry7
Answer to Jake's question: I think that Coop wont be a good football player if he doesnt have good grades. Young is smart but he is scared of his dad. Rob help Coop by saying that he needs to study and Rob help Young by saying he needs to stay in creative writing and write more stuff.
To also answer Jakes question Young see's Rob as a father figure and he wants to gain his approval by doing anything he asks him.
Can anyone explain to me why at the end of the book Young says that he did all of it and it was all of his fault. He didn't even hurt him but i know he wanted to hurt him but still doesn't explain why he would throw away his future.
KattenhornJHenry7
This is to Renzo's answer to my blog. I think Renzo is wrong because why would they dig up all of that stuff about rob if they see him as a father figure. They know he isn't normal and now instead of Simon being the outcast or outsider, I think Rob is becoming it. Also to further spread my argument into your minds why does Young spend time with simon without asking Rob for his approval? If Young thinks Rob is a father figure then why doesn't he treat him like a true friend instead of doing things behind Rob's back. Knowing that Rob won't like it!!!
KattenhornJHenry7
Why does Rob want to hide his true idenity? Why does he keep his old past behind him? Was he abused? Or was he an outsider at his old school?
garciaehenry2
in responce to:KattenhornJHenry7
if i was him i dont think i would be able to just let everyone know how my father abused me. it isnt easy for everyone to just be poen to people, theirs probably things you keep from your friends.
somethings are just better unsaid and unknown.
garciaehenry2
in responce to: KattenhornJHenry7
sup jake... Basically, everyone needs a leader. Without one you have no direction in which way to go, if you didnt have a leader you would probably have to man up and lead the group which is a hard thing to do. they need someone who is strong and responsible enough to be a leader, and thats Rob.
DeeJHenry7
in responce to: garciaehenry2
It depends though. Young, Coop, and Bob shares everything with Rob but why does Rob keep his secrets to himself? I think Rob should tell his friends what happened to him for them to understand his situation
garciaehenry2
In the end of the book why does everyone end up hating eachother? They all seemed to be such good friends, but then it just falls apart.
DeeJHenry7
Question: In the end of the book why does everyone end up hating eachother? They all seemed to be such good friends, but then it just falls apart.
Answer to garciaehenry2 question: They dont really hate each other. Their friendship just fall apart because of the crime that they did.
Does anyone have tragic flaw quotes for Chapt 21-28?
If there was a continuation of the book (Shattering Glass II), What do you think it will be about?
EX. >Young's jail experience...
>Rob's Escape...
>Coop's Life after...
in the book im reading "Shattering Glass" everyone picks on Simon so much beacsue he is the school loser that everyone hated. I think its the fact that Simon used to let people pick on him until he figures out he doesnt need to, he realizes he could actually fight back.
PignaticHenry3
in the book im reading "Shattering Glass" everyone picks on Simon so much beacsue he is the school loser that everyone hated. I think its the fact that Simon used to let people pick on him until he figures out he doesnt need to, he realizes he could actually fight back.
Question: In the end of the book why does everyone end up hating eachother? They all seemed to be such good friends, but then it just falls apart.
The thing is that they were never really all good friends. Mostly they tried to avoid telling Rob they were going to hang out and some wanted nothing to do with him. There were some acceptions though like Coop who was actually Simon's friend and tried defending him and didn't hurt him. Young wouldn't have been there for Rob unless he wanted felt the need to repay him.
Question: In the end of the book why does everyone end up hating eachother? They all seemed to be such good friends, but then it just falls apart.
I think it's cause they just want to be " cool" and part of the clique so they saw that Rob was becoming popular so they just ended up clinging on to him. They needed a leader and they were just the followers that clinged to every word he said.
DeeJHenry7
I dont think they hated each other. they have no choice but to run because if they just sit there and do nothing they might end up like Young.
KattenhornJHenry7
Near the end why does Rob still become king or whatever at the dance. Why doesn't Simon become king what happened. It isn't really explained in the book at all. All it says is that people are shocked and no one does anything about it????
KattenhornJHenry7
Why do Rob and Young hit Bob at the end? Why don't they leave him out or do they know they are already going to jail? Why does Bob help Simon or try to? Why does Young get dragged into this mad frenzy of violence. Couldn't anyone see this coming at all???
Question: "Near the end why does Rob still become king or whatever at the dance. Why doesn't Simon become king what happened. It isn't really explained in the book at all. All it says is that people are shocked and no one does anything about it?????
It says in the book that Simon hacked in the computer system again and any voted to him went directly to rob here's the qoute " Alright right, Rob. Stop this s***. i'll tell you what I did. I built an override into the school's computer, the same way i did to change Young's schedule. Any vote that went to me for Class Favorite was transferred to you." (209-210)
Question:"Why do Rob and Young hit Bob at the end? Why don't they leave him out or do they know they are already going to jail? Why does Bob help Simon or try to? Why does Young get dragged into this mad frenzy of violence. Couldn't anyone see this coming at all???"
First of all i think your getting confused Young wasn't even fighting he was just watching. Bob was the one attacking Simon and Coop was the one trying to protect Simon and got hurt. Coop tried to help Simon because he was actully his friend because he did alot for him pretty much make his future with the ACT score he got. I don't think they were trying to hurt Coop i think they did it by accident. I think Young didn't see it coming because he was the one probberly going to kill him he didn't think the group was going to do it.
At the beginning of each chapter, there is a police report (or whatever) where some character in the book is interviewed after the killing of Simon Glass. At the end of the book it says that Rob and Bobster were the ones that actually hit and killed Simon. Young. "I was too weak to strike and too filled with hate to stop the blows." -Young(215) But in the police reports it said Young was in jail too. Why wound Young be in jain if he didn't even kill Simon?
DeeJHenry7
Question by sean : At the beginning of each chapter, there is a police report (or whatever) where some character in the book is interviewed after the killing of Simon Glass. At the end of the book it says that Rob and Bobster were the ones that actually hit and killed Simon. Young. "I was too weak to strike and too filled with hate to stop the blows." -Young(215) But in the police reports it said Young was in jail too. Why wound Young be in jain if he didn't even kill Simon?
Answer: Eventhough Young didnt do anything, He is still part of the crime. Young is in jail because all of his friends try to run away but Young didnt confess. Young tries to cover up for his friends.
AmbraMHenry3
I think that DeeJHenry7 is wrong because, yes Young was there for the murder of Simon, but he didnt partake in the killing of him. Young feels responsible for the killing because he wanted to hit Simon with the bat he had, but he didn't. In one of the quotes at the beginning of the chapters it says that Young could've gotten out of prison with just a lot of community service, but he confessed. He confessed because he felt guilty about what happened to Simon and felt he would feel better if he served jail time. One of the quotes is from his Dad "My son is the only one who took responsiblity for Simon's death, but he didn't swing a single blow", or something to that effect.
AmbraMHenry3
I have one question: Why did Bob get community service for actually participating in the killing, while Young gets jail time for being a bystander? How messed up is that?
DeeJHenry7
I think AmbraMHenry3 is wrong because Young didnt do nothing. Yes it is true that Young wanted to hit Simon in the head but he didnt do it. But then Young proves that he's a true friend because he didnt "snitch" on Rob and them.
I think Bob just serve alot of community service because he was traumatize about what happen to him.
mirandaphenry3
in the YA novel shattering glass by gail giles simon was the kid that got picked on, but what the other kids did'nt know is that he was very smart and very manipulative he used rob's idea to get in all heads.
I think DeeJHenry7 is wrong and I agree what AmbraMHenry3. I think I get it now. Young is in jail beaucse he WAS a part of the crime. Just because he didnt hit Simon doesn't mean that he's innocent. I think the reason he's in jail is because he did nothing to stop Rob and Bobster from killing Simon.
DeeJHenry7
In response to Gargaritanos7: If he tries to stop Rob from killing Simon he would end up dying too.
AmbraMHenry3
In response to DeeJHenry7: If Young had actually tried to intervene he would not have ended up dead. He may have been seriously enjured like Coop, who was somewhat disfigured after. If Young had stepped in Rob and Bobster would've both stopped. They were only attacking because Simon was either telling the harsh truth (like he told Bobster) or insulted them (like when he called Rob a f@**07). If Young had stepped in the two would have stopped because they didn't want to hurt Young or Coop because they were their friends. Between Young and Coop there wouldn't be enough of Simon exposed for Rob or Bobster to get a clear hit.
Question : " I have one question: Why did Bob get community service for actually participating in the killing, while Young gets jail time for being a bystander? How messed up is that?"
Answer: It's cause Young took all the blame for everything and the other friends let him do it. In his mind Young wanted to kill Simon more than the others wanted to kill them i think in his mind he was disappointed in himself for thinking what he did and how he got manipulated to do give the best thing he had in his life, Ronna.
The author leaves a lot of room for speculation of why Young went to jail ,but we can only assume its because he was an accomplice to the murder. Being an accomplice can definitely give you jail time and I think thats the only way we can guess why those things happen.
Why do you think everyone suddely stopped hitting Simon and stood like they were in some kind of trance? Why do you think they just let the police arrest them insted of run and most likely get away with it?
AmbraMHenry3
I think the boys suddenly stopped hitting Simon and just stood there was because they were in shock over what they just did. They couldn't believe that they just killed Simon. They stopped because they had worked out all of their anger and rage.
What role do you think Lance played in the book or on the other characters actions? The autho mentions his name a lot in the beginning but he sort of fades away in the end.
Lance is a character just like Rob, only he doesnt manipulate others like Rob did. he was the "coolest" guy at school until Rob came. the author uses Lance to show how Rob can just come in and control a whole school.
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What made young want to be friends with Rob?
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