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| Primary PowerPoint Presentation |
Response to Literature - Written Narrative to PowerPoint
Project
*Each section corresponds to the PowerPoint
slide of the same number*
Section 1: Title Page
Prepare to enter a world of laughter, heartache, lunatics, and self-discovery.
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech is a coming
of age story that makes readers of all ages ask the question, "In the
course of a lifetime, what does it really matter?"
Section 2: Book Summary
Walk Two Moons is a story within a story. The main character, Sal, is "trapped"
in the car with her zany, fun-loving grandparents on a trip across country.
To pass the time in the car, Sal tells her grandparents the story of her recent
move to a small town from the country, her bizarre and enlightening friendship
with a paranoid girl, and her exciting adventure when her new friend's mother
disappears.
Sal's purpose for sharing her story with her
grandparents is twofold. Not only does it help pass the anxious time in the
car, the retelling of the past months help Sal understand her own search for
her missing mother and the confused feelings associated with her personal
loss.
Section 3: Main Problem and Resolution
The main problem to be resolved in the book, Walk Two Moons, is the absence
of Sal's mother. In her race across country to "bring her mother back"
Sal must face her ultimate fear. On the road Sal begins the retelling of Phoebe's
story as a means to understanding the mixed-up feelings inside of her. She
entertains both her grandparents and readers alike with the antics of her
teenage friends in small town America. Through the retelling and a few mini-adventures
with her grandparents, Sal learns the hardest lesson of all: sometimes you
can't bring someone back through love alone. Sal does discover that life still
goes on. More importantly, she realizes that the people in her life she loves
most will never cease to loose their special place in her heart
Section 4: Character Analysis
Sal and Phoebe quickly become inseparable friends despite their opposite personalities.
Sal is a deep, quiet, reflective tomboy. Phoebe, on the other hand, is a drama
queen. She consistently exhibits her paranoid, shallow, know-it-all personality
throughout the story. Although Phoebe's character is snobby and disagreeable,
the reader can't help being drawn to her. One discovers that the major reason
for Phoebe's foul personality is a deep unhappiness within. It is perhaps
this sadness that serves as the bond between Sal and Phoebe. The reader witnesses
a great change come over Phoebe as she suffers panic and heartbreak once her
mother leaves. Sal, too, is living through her own painful experience for
much the same reason ... a missing mother in her life. The two friends are
at times comical because of their different approaches to life & their
headstrong ways. At other times, Sal and Phoebe help the story become wrought
with complexity as the two struggle to make sense of the uncontrollable events
in their lives. Without Phoebe's story, Sal would not be able to reflect on
her own situation and the life lessons learned from it.
Section 5: Real World Connection (title
slide)
Slide 6: Theme of Walk Two Moons
The underlying theme in Walk Two Moons is one of self-discovery. Sal
must face emotions that range from grief, to fear, to anxiety, to compassion,
to courage. She falls in love and witnesses death. Sal supports a friend in
need while protecting a broken heart. How could one fourteen year old girl
handle all of this? Sal must grow up fast and learn hard life lessons. By
the end of the book, our heroine is comfortable in her own skin & has
a peaceful heart.
Section 7: Relevance to Real World
The theme of self-discovery is timeless. It is personal challenge that countless
people have struggled against. It is as relevant today as it ever was. Most
teenagers face some aspect of self-discovery as they enter their middle school
years. We are growing up, asserting our individual beliefs, and standing up
for what we want. A lot of friends that are questioning themselves, their
friends, and even their parents. Self-discovery is about feeling confident
that your heart knows best. It is about facing the uncertainties that new
paths in your life lead you. It is hard to imagine that any person, whether
young or old, doesn't encounter at least some degree of self-discovery in
their life.
Section 8: Personal Recommendation (title
slide)
Section 9: High Points
High points in Walk Two Moons are many. Sal's country life in Bybanks
is happy and carefree. There she has the infamous "kissing tree".
Once Sal moves to Ohio she meets a fun and mellow dramatic cast of friends.
Sal and Ben realize they are soul mates. Sal and Phoebe embark on the adventure
of uncovering the identity of a lunatic. The girls visit to the police department
& discover a surprising connection between characters. There are Sal's
lovable grandparents and their mantra for everything,"Huzza - huzza!"
Sal's solo drive to "the spot" is so suspenseful that readers are
beside themselves. However, the happiest part of the book is the homecoming
of Mrs. Winterbottom.
Section 10: Low Points
Low points in Walk Two Moons include Sal's move from her beloved country
home. Once Sal and her dad settle into their new "cookie-cutter"
home, Sal must cope with her father's unexplained relationship with the awful
Mrs. Cadaver. Other aspects of the story that are hard are the sadness and
unrest that seems to be prevalent in both households. Both mothers eventually
leave their homes sending their families into the chaos of living without
pivotal members of the family. There is the tragic snake bite that devastates
the Hiddels. Of course, the lowest point is when the reader is hit with the
knowledge that Sal's mother isn't coming home.
Section 11: Personal Recommendation
I loved the book Walk Two Moons. This book was absolutely hysterical
at times. I loved the trouble that Sal's grandparents got in. One especially
funny part was when Grandma Hiddle danced in the center of the Native American
celebration.
The book was also incredibly sad. I really felt
Sal's loss as she coped with her mom's absence. The Winterbottom family was
another sad group. I felt sorry for their seemingly perfect life, when it
was so apparent that Mrs. Winterbottom was unhappy and felt unappreciated.
I broke my heart how she tried so hard to talk to her daughters and they,
in turn, didn't give her the time of day.
Of, course, the coolest thing about Walk Two
Moons is the countless surprises and twists in the plot. I thought is
was so clever how by the book's end all the loose ends were tied up. We knew
who the lunatic was. We knew who was really leaving the messages. We understood
the special relationship between Sal's dad and Mrs. Cadaver, and we discovered
the truth behind Sal's mom's absence.
Walk Two Moons is not a dull book in the slightest. Rather, it is engaging and moving. There were times when I laughed out loud and times that I cried. If you like books with complex storylines and unexpected endings, then I highly recommend this novel.