The+Girl+Who+Fell+from+the+Sky

by Heidi W. Durrow

Discussion Time: 2W, Friday January 14, 7:55-9:25

Group Members: Shannon H Ben W Julia H Hannah P Emily C Sam V Nissa F*

=__**Agenda**__=

__Rachel__ - protagonist, suffers with being alone, the only one who survived the fall //What is Rachel afraid of?// //Does she want to fit in, or is she proud of who she is?// //Do you think she understands what happened with her family?// //If so, do you think she forgives her mother?//
 * __List of Characters/Question about Characters__**

__Jesse__ - works with her in Oregon, become romantically involved //Did you find the scene with Rachel and Jesse at night to be surprising?// //How do you think Jesse influences Rachel?// //What does Jesse think about Rachel?// //Does he mean anything by the subtle 'black' comments he makes to her?//

__Mor__ - Rachel's Mother //What was her reasoning for doing what she did?// //Do you think she would have been happy with how Rachel's life has turned out?//

"__Brick__" //Why did he leave his home?// //Why is he so hesitant to tell Rachel what he knows when he sees her again?// //Is he brave?//

__Aunt Loretta__ - Rachel's Aunt who dies partway through the novel //What is it about her that makes her such an idol to Rachel?//

__Drew__ //How does Drew influence Rachel?// //Is Drew like a father figure to her?//

__Laronne__

__Lakisha__ - Drew's daughter //Does Rachel respect Lakisha?// //What does Rachel learn about herself from Lakisha?//

__**Setting/Questions about the Setting**__ Chicago. //What is Rachel's connection with Chicago? Do you think she would want to go back? Does she remember it by fond memories?// 1982, Portland Oregon //Does Rachel feel comfortable hear? How does she feel about living in a black community? Does she feel safe? Does she feel like an outsider?//

__**Themes/Motifs and Questions about Themes and Motifs**__ -Birds. //What do the birds symbolize for Brick throughout the novel? How does this resemble his view on life?// -Ethnicity. //What role does ethnicity play throughout this book? Do the characters identify themselves based on identity? If so, is this a good thing?// -Pride. //How is pride connected to ethnicity?// -Grief. //How does Rachel deal with her grief? Is she open about it? Does she understand what really happened? Is there a stage in which she is in denial?// -Identity. //How does Rachel identify herself? How is this similar to how Brick identifies himself?// -Importance of family. //Does Rachel recognize the importance of family that her mother cherished?// -Social Justice

__**Style of Writing/Questions about Style of Writing**__ Heidi w. Durrow's style of writing seems very personal. This novel is interesting in that it is a bit of mystery until the last few chapters. Durrow's technique makes this a "page-turner." In addition, she has obvious recurring themes throughout, and is very focused on getting across motifs of race, culture, and values. //What do you think Heidi W. Durrow's goal was in writing this book?// //How do you think her background influenced this book?// //With which character do you think she can most relate with?//

**__Personal Opinion Questions About the book in General:__**
1) What did you think of the beginning of the book? 2) Did you believe that the family falling off the roof was an act of murder in the beginning of the book? 3) How do you think Rachel's life would have changed if her father had stayed in her life? Would she still have identity problems? 4) How much impact do you think she had when she fell off the roof? 5) If the incident didn't happen back in Chicago how do you think her life would be? 6) When Rachel went to go take some money from her grandma, but put it back after reading letters from her dad, why do you think she put it back? 7) Why do you think Rachel was the only one to survive the accident and no one else did? 8) How do you think Rachel felt when she had to watch her mom, little sister, and brother jump off the roof and die? 9) When Drew said Rachel is like a daughter to me how do you think she felt at that moment? 10) When Brick was getting questioned by the police how do you think he had felt? 11) When Rachel visited Aunt Loretta in the hospital do you think it was different then what she expected? 12) When Rachel asked if she could go see Aunt Loretta's grave on her birthday and grandma said no how do you think she felt? 13) When Aunt Loretta had died how much do you think changed in Rachel's life? 14) What kind of person do you think Lakeisha is? 15) Do you think it was different for Rachel to live with her grandma after Aunt Loretta moved out? 16) When Rachel says you found me to brick what do you think was going through his mind?

__**More Personal Opinion Questions About the Characters:**__
1) What do you think of the grandma through out the book? do you think she has a motherly figure? 2) What role do you think aunt Loretta plays in the book? 3) What do you think was going through Jamie's mind when he visited the shrine? 4) How do you think Jamie felt when the shrine burnt down the day after he visited it?

__**Significant Passages**__ " But i think if only Robbie had been a bird, if only we had been a family that could fly" -pg 264

" I hope you find your mom I say. Me too he finally says.....Don't worry you will you found me"

"My mom's from Denmark."

"I wasn't supposed to have a future," I say. "It doesn't matter what I do. This is my life. It's my life to throw away."

"Day _. Too tired to turn the page. I cannot do it again. They're mine. If people can't see it - How can I keep them safe? In my mind is Charles all the time. All over again. He was so small. He hides in any of the places so good. He hides and we never found him. I should have took him that night - with me - he would still be alive. If I had taken Charles, he would be with me now. I will take the kids with me this time. They will go where I go." pg. 246

"The pigeon man waves when we open the door. He shows us where he's making the new roost. Robbie's going to help. He says "p-p-p-please." It's windy up on the roof. Robbie asks if we can go back inside. He knows we can't go yet. Mor rocks Ariel in her arms, and Robbie and I sit real close. Mor's hair is messy, blown into her face, and tangled too. When she speaks, you can see the space for the tooth she lost in the fight with Doug. This is the third day this week Mor's brought us up here. But today she tells us stories that we haven't heard before. Mor says there are things she can't protect us from. And she makes us all stand, and we walk closer to the edge." pg. 259

"But when Mor pushed Robbie off the roof, he didn't make a sound––he just looked at me adn reached ou this hand. I didn't see him fall––it was as if he had surrendered to the air." (238)

**__Heidui W. Durrow's Website:__**
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 * __Other Websites:__**
 * __[|book review]__**
 * __[|book review]__**

**__Interviews with Heidi W. Durrow__**
[|Interview 1]
 * __[|Interview 2]__**
 * __[|YouTube Video Interview]__**
 * __[|NPR interview]__**