Word
Type of Speech
Meaning
Undermine
Verb
Noun
scintillating
Adjective
manhandled
Verb
deranged
Verb
borne
Adjective
discernible
Adjective
blearily
Adverb
remission
Noun
drabber
Adjective
Charter member
Noun
slurred
Verb
liquefaction
Noun
crass
Adjective
fascist
Noun
irrevocably
Adverb
fraying
Noun
jocular
Adjective
trifling
Adjective
prow
Noun
Surreptitiously
Adjective
Indignant
Adjective
Potpourri
Noun
Heinous
Adjective
Tourniquet
Noun
Prerogative
Noun
Setting
The story took place on a course of a year on August 1986 at Omaha, Nebraska.
Characters
Names
Description
Eleanor Douglas
She is one of the main protagonists of the story; Eleanor doesn't look like
anyone elseor dresses like anyone else for that matter, either. She's got
flaming red hair, tons of freckles, and a figure she compares to someone
who "ran a medieval pub"
He is one of the main protagonists of the story, Park is half-Korean and
half- American, he has jet-black hair and green eyes; Park's not into
sports, partying, girls, or the social scene at his school, and he's just
popular enough not to get teased, and just different enough not to belong.
He is one of the antagonists of the story; Steve looks like a grown up man
since the seventh grade, he is loud and obnoxious and usually the one
who starts the chanting and catcalling on the bus.
She is one of the antagonist of the story; female equivalent of Steve and
in fact dates him; Tina is the popular girl in school and is the source of a
lot of the bullying and catcalling Eleanor suffer from; she dated Park
during the sixth grade.
He is the main antagonist of the story; Richie is Eleanors beyond evil,
straight-up monster of a stepdad; he creates an environment of terror that
is so bad that even when he left the place, it could still be felt; he loved
destroying every ounce of happiness left of Eleanor.
She is Eleanors 9 year old sister with reddish hair; she fights like a street
person
He is Eleanors 12 year old sibling; he seems uneasy a lot of the time and
traumatized at other times
Eleanors 5 year old brother; Eleanor describes him as the craziest of
them all always has a hammer or a jackrabbit or something stuck in his
back pocket, and refuses to wear a shirt.
A 2 year old baby and Eleanors half brother;
Parks younger brother that is younger by three years; he resembles his
dads appearance and personality unlike Park; Hes big and strong and
three inches taller than Park.
Parks mom; is a beautician from Korea; she is tiny and very lovely that
Eleanor compared her to a doll
Parks dad; he is a stereotypical mans man; he is a huge and strong
Irish army veteran
Sabrina is Eleanors mom; she is described as a very beautiful woman
with sharp and defined structures; if Richie is the main villain of the
story, she is the main victim.
Park Sheridan
Steve Murphy
Tina
Richie
Maisie
Ben
Jeremiah
Little Richie
Josh Sheridan
Min-dae Mindy
Sheridan
Jamie Sheridan
Sabrina
Introduction
It is Eleanors first day of school. As she went inside the bus all eyes were on her,
including Park. Park was just sitting quietly that day to avoid any conversation (that might
lead to a fight) with Steve, or to have any noticeable actions that might catch his attention,
but it seems like everything is not working according to plan. Eleanor kept on walking
towards the back of the bus where the cool kids are because the other kids at the front wont
let her take the vacant seat beside them. Park was just so embarrassed for her, but he cant
give up the seat beside him because that will catch Steves attention and he doesnt want that.
Eventually, despite himself, he let her take the seat.
Rising Action
Days went by and the two wont utter a word to each other despite being seated next to
each other 2 hours everyday plus the hours in classes that they both have, until Park noticed
that Eleanor would read his comic books over his shoulder whenever he read it inside the
bus. It started with Park opening his comics widely, and flipping the pages slower than usual
just to let Eleanor read. Things escalated quickly and from friendship, it developed into
something more. They talked about their passions, their music, exchanged mix tapes, held
hands, and even kissed! But all of it should be kept a secret because once Richie find out
about this, he wont be very happy with it and will take the both of them away from each
other.
Climax
The love that they both had for each other became so intense at times they cant be
separated with each other. Both Park and Eleanor knew that first love does not always end
well, they both knew it wont last.
After coming home from a downtown road trip with Park, Eleanor discovered that Richie
had found her out, she even discovered that Richie is the one writing her sick notes in her
notebook and books. If Richie wont kick her out like he did before, he will definitely kill
Eleanor. Quickly, she went out of the window and ran for her life.
Denouement
Park cannot sleep that night, maybe it is his guts telling him that something is wrong with
Eleanor, and that it might be the last day they will be with each other. He found Eleanor
crying and bleeding and asked her what happened. Eleanor then explained to him everything
and that she must get out of Omaha because if not, Richie would kill her. Park hatched a plan
to help Eleanor get to safety with the help of his dad who let him borrow the family truck.
Park drove him out of Omaha to Eleanors uncle at St. Paul, hoping he will take in
Eleanor after she tells him everything.
Knowing it will be a very long time before they see each other again, Park tries
everything to slow down their travel to St. Paul just to cherish the remaining time with
Eleanor.
Ending
Park dropped off Eleanor, and because of what Eleanor begged him to do he quickly went
back, because he thought the sooner he can get back to Omaha, the sooner hell get to hear
from Eleanor, he thought wrong. It has been one year since he dropped off Eleanor at her
uncles house, and ever since hed been writing her letters and sending her gifts but none he
received in return. He continued writing her letters but stopped sending it to her. There will
be times he will go to Eleanors old house hoping that she will be there waiting for him. He
was extremely depressed and wants to forget her.
Eleanor and Park were both heartbroken, but they learned to cope.
One day Park was woken up by his dad, he just received a letter from Eleanor. It is a
postcard, and she had written him something, only three words long.
Political Change
Park told us that the reason why he cant be bullied by the students is because of his
fathers reputation. That means his father has a position in their place to have that power of
manipulation and influence other people. He also told us that newly moved in families are
treated differently or often treated as outsiders, and the reason why the townspeople cant do
that to his family even if his mom is from Korea is because his dads family owned a land on
that town many decades ago.
Social Change
There are two social issues mentioned in the story: bullying, and racism.
It is clear in the story once that Eleanor was introduced, that she is susceptible of
bullying. Girls would cat call her, kids wont give her a sit and instead laugh at her, his stepdad would even shout at her, and because of her involvement with Park, the cat-calling and
some of the bullying stopped.
The racism was also evident in the situation of Park wherein he was very worried of the
standards put on him just because he is Korean. Parks burden was dramatically lessened
when Eleanor helped him overcome it by telling him that being Korean, American, or being
of any race is not important because beneath our skin, we are all the same.
Psychological Change
There are many scenes in the story where psychological change happened but nothing is
more fitting than the change in Eleanors thinking.
In the story Eleanor was introduced as a fat, red head girl. Because of this some of the
people at her school would call her Big Red, fat, and many more nasty stuff. It is also
mentioned by Eleanor herself that she hated her body, her fats, and even wondered why she
didnt inherit the sharpness and thinness of her mom. This thinking remained in her head
even when Park came in her life. Because of how handsome and fit Park was, the thinking
worsen with the additional of, Am I appropriate to be with Park when he is so fit and I am so
fat? During the latter part of the book, it can be said that Park became the remedy. He loved
Eleanor for who she is and in turn made Eleanor love herself too.
Meaningful Passages/Lines
..Park, no, your parents will never let you.
So I wont ask.
But your dad will kill you.
No. he said. Hell ground me.
For life.
Do you think I even care about that right now? he held her face in his hands. Do you
think I care about anything but you?
I don't like you, Park," she said, sounding for a second like she actually meant it.
"I..." - her voice nearly disappeared - "think I live for you."
He closed his eyes and pressed his head back into his pillow.
"I don't think I even breathe when we're not together," she whispered. "Which means,
when I see you on Monday morning, it's been like sixty hours since I've taken a breath.
That's probably why I'm so crabby, and why I snap at you. All I do when we're apart is
think about you, and all I do when we're together is panic. Because every second feels so
important. And because I'm so out of control, I can't help myself. I'm not even mine
anymore, I'm yours, and what if you decide that you don't want me? How could you
want me like I want you?"
He was quiet. He wanted everything she'd just said to be the last thing he heard. He wanted
to fall asleep with 'I want you' in his ears.
Eleanor was right. She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed
to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something.
Comments:
Content
The content of the book is really awesome I cant think of words to describe how
good this book is! The story plot is not the stereotypical teen-fiction plot I have
read a thousand times, its actually refreshing. Reading this book is like the
combination of enjoying your tea in the morning and swimming in your own tears
and sorrows in the evening. This is one of the books that made me feel something!
Technique
Rowell did an awesome job on this book! She doesnt mess around and gets
straight to the point. She doesnt provide lengthy and flowery description here and
a lot of fancy language. The author speaks like a teenager in this book, letting her
writing style show the youth and personality of her characters. She stays close to
what her characters are thinking and feeling, and writes it in a direct, often funny
way.
Language
The author also used a lot of language in writing this story. Languages include
Parallelism, Rich Vocabulary, Alliteration, Contrasting, Metaphor, Intertexuality
and told it in a narrative kind of way. She also used the concept of cliff hanger and
flashback! Rowell really used the languages well and made the story interesting to
read and not boring.