This topic is currently marked as "dormant"—the last message is more than 90 days old. You can revive it by posting a reply. Home Groups Talk More Zeitgeist. In this short story, the protagonist character Angus Bethune wrestles with the image of normality in comparison to his abnormal life.
As an overweight child, Angus longs to be normal and complains about his name and image. Crutcher uses these picturesque ideas and images to characterize his characters and their surroundings in order to provide the reader with details in which he or she can relate. As the story develops, Angus continues to long for social acceptance and daydreams about dancing with Melissa Lefevre at the Senior Winter Ball. Because they have both been elected as the Senior Winter Ball King and Queen, Angus and Melissa will share a dance alone in front of their fellow classmates.
As the day approaches, Angus gains insightful advice from Granddad as well as enrolls in dance lessons for his big moment with Melissa. He believes that if he does everything right and normal then he will be able to escape the reality of us abnormal life and experience a dream-like moment with the girl of his dreams. Chris Crutcher presents this story in a way that most people can relate to some of the situations found in the high school setting.
This story was an easy read and created a familiar atmosphere that is relevant to most students. In the descriptions and different dialogue found in this story, the author creates the idea of the importance of image versus the reality of particular circumstances. Angus struggles with the occurrence of stereotypes and discusses how they affect the ways that people are perceived by others. The theme is a familiar idea and can be related to people of all ages that have experienced a variety of situations.
Chris Crutcher used an everyday thought and action to create a fun story that will allow students to understand that everyone has a story and struggles with something. Discuss the comparisons and contrasts and dwell on the idea that normal is relative, cultural, there is no such thing as normal. Discuss where they originate and how they are perceived by other students.
