Literary Analysis #2

In the novel, That Summer, by Sarah Dessen, a fifteen year old girl named Haven has a lot on her hands and too much to handle. From her parent’s divorce, to her dad’s wedding with Lorna Queen, her sister’s wedding around the corner, along with all of that she is almost six feet tall and still growing. Haven faces many problems but her life takes a turn for the better when she comes face to face with her sister’s old boyfriend and begins to talk to him once again and become friends with him. She starts to realize much about her life and the changes that have been made since he was last in her life. Along with Sumner returning to her life her best friend has gone completely boy crazy in the time period of one summer in 4-H camp where she falls in love with a boy and keeps a long distance relationship with him.

1.       The theme of this story is an old spark can ignite to something big in the future. Sumner was in her past and brought her and everyone around him much joy and happiness and upon his return he does the exact same thing.

2.       I chose this book because it seemed interesting. I had just read a Sarah Dessen book and loved it so decided to read another. Haven’s look on life caught my attention and made me want to keep reading it to see how different things would impact her life.

3.       I indeed found the book realistic because the events that take place in Haven’s life are very much possible and can occur to anyone. I was able to connect to Haven’s older sister Ashley from Haven’s view because we are both short and small and have about the same attitude and personality towards certain things.

4.       The author’s tone is joy, drama, and happiness.

-joy is shown in page 93, “Traveling with Sumner next to me, the mall was like an undiscovered country. He’d always had a way of making even the ordinary seem fun…” –this shows joy because it talks about how one boy was able to make something as ordinary is riding in a golf cart to work in a mall seem like a lot more.

-drama is displayed on page 131, “Now she was at war with her parents, angry at the world in general, and more than a little paranoid.” –Haven’s best friend Casey has gone completely crazy since she has returned from 4-H camp and has changed for the worse rather than the better.

-happiness is shown in page 162, “when my parents were still in love and Sumner held us all together, laughing, until the day Ashley sent him away without even thinking of what would happen once he was gone.” –Sumner always had a way of making her and her family happy and once he left they fell apart.

Characterization

1.       Direct characterization- Haven and Ashley, the author flat out describes them.

Indirect characterization- Gwendolyn and Sumner, you learn more about them the father into the book you get.

2.       No, the author’s syntax stays the same throughout the entire novel.

3.       The protagonist is dynamic and round, the more time she spends with Sumner the more her personality and attitude changes towards certain things and people.

4.       After reading this book I feel like if I have met Haven and Sumner and spent a day with them and gotten to know them along with seeing them change as people.

Enduring Memory

While reading this story I became familiar with the idea of people being able to be change very easily. I came to the realization that although things seem like they can never change and get better or worse, one little thing can completely change that. Nothing is concrete everything can change without you having a say in it. Even though you might be upset about it you must just deal with it and move on with your life along with adjusting to it. I also learned that as easily as people leave your life they can come back and jump back in.