Amber

Setting:

Destiny did a great job in leading the conversation. One of her questions were 

"Why did the author decide to place the story in this place?" As we discussed the setting, we thought it was the perfect place for the book to take place. The town (Seqouyah, Oklahoma) is a small town where everybody knows everybody. Like my group said, it only has the necessities in it, a grocery store, a walmart, a library etc. I think it is the perfect place because the town wasn't doing very good financially. They didn't have beautiful homes or really nice cars. The town was in a way, like Novalee. She didn't have much money to start off with but as the book went on she began to get money and built her own home. Everyone was friendly and i think that is how Novalee survived through her pregnancy and turned her whole life around completely.

Date: June 06


Characters:

I led this conversation. A few of my questions were: Who was the main character? Is she/he static or dynamic? Who are the secondary characters, and how did they effect Novalee? We see Novalee as the only main character. She is there from start to finish. We think Novalee is dynamic since she changes throughout the book. But as the book progresses, you realize how much secondary characters mean to the book. The most important secondary character in my eyes is Sister Husband. She was like a mother to Novalee since her real mother had never really been there. She took Novalee into her small home and bought gifts for her and Americus. Then there is Moses Whitecotton, who taught her the importance of a strong name, "See, the name you pick out is gonna be with your baby when nothing else is. When nobody is. 'Cause you ain't always gonna be there" (pg22). He also taught her photography, which she became very good at after a while. Lexie, who is Novalee's best friend was basically there for Novalee whenever she needed someone to talk to and confide in. And there is sweet Forney Hull, who had Novalee's heart from the very start. He was not only book smart but he was also caring for his alcoholic sister Mary Elizabeth but still made time to see Novalee and little Americus. There is also Novalee's ex-boyfriend, Willy Jack. He was the one who dropped her off at Wal-mart and just left her there while they were supposed to be going to L.A. He wrote a song while he was in prison which became a famous song but his friend screwed him over and said it was her son's song. The second youngest character is Benny Goodluck. He gave her a Buckeye tree and was also in the photo she took that won her an award. The youngest character, and the one that means the most to Novalee, is her baby Americus Nation. Personally, i think the thought of providing her baby with the necessities, was what kept her going throughout the book. 

Date: June 7th  


Conflict

Kristen led this conversation and as we were talking about the conflict, we came to realize that there is one main conflict and many side ones. The main conflict is between Novalee and the enviroment. She got ditched in a town she had never been at and she had to learn all through town. She had to figure out how to get food and the necessities while she was pregnant. Other side ones were Love and Friendship (between her and Forney Hull) and Novalee versus herself. She had to overcome her fear of sevens (7th day: she wouldn't let Americus leave the house, 7th month: Americus gets kidnapped and baptized) and she had to deal with Sister Husband dying (Died from a tornado that ripped apart the trailer.)

Date: June 09th

Theme

The main theme that we choose was 'Home is where your history begins'. Although it took awhile for Novalee to find her right home, after she got settled in, she knew she was finally home. Another minor theme could be 'Never Give Up'. Novalle faced many challenges in the book (sevens, deaths) but she never gave up and she came out having a nice life.
Date: June 09th



Questions and Prompts
Reading this book has taught me a lot. One thing it has taught is that we often think the little things that happen to us are the worst things in the world. For example, when I sprained my ankle, i thought it was the worst thing that could have ever possibly happen to me at that time. But now seeing what Novalee had to face, changes my whole look on 'bad situations'. Now when something bad happens to me, I'm going to think "There is probably someone out there in the world that is having a worst day then me". It has also taught me that even doing the littlest thing to someone, can change their whole day around. When Moses and Sister spoke to Novalee at the Wal-mart, it brightened her day immensely. It has made me want to help people who need it most, not only in my community but also the world. The tone in the book seems depressing or sad, but as you read farther into the book, it begins to get more excited and the tone changes to happy. I think that the book is saying that if you never give up, you will have the ending you had always dreamed of.