Welcome FHS students! Please check your FHS gmail! We'll use this blog to talk about our summer readings. Sign into Google with your Fairview Schools login. Speak, Never Fall Down, and The Age of Miracles discussion questions are all on this page. Scroll down to find each novel's questions. Then, click on Comment link following the questions you wish to answer. Click on the page links on the left to access additional information.
Discussion Questions for All Novels
Saturday, June 15, 2013
The Age of Miracles 7: Julia and Seth
7. Why do you think Julia is so drawn to Seth? Why do you think he is drawn to her?
As readers, we first learn about Julia’s secret obsession at the bus stop when she heard a skateboard across the street and instantly knew it was Seth Moreno- the boy she secretly watched and longed to know, even though she had barely spoken a word to him. Later in the book, the slowing guided Seth and Julia together, and they developed a relationship in which they were inseparable. The initial aspect that Julia was drawn to in Seth was that she did not know much about him, even though they had gone to school together their whole lives. She stated several times that Seth was mysterious, and as human beings, we are drawn to things that are uncertain and unknown. That fact that Seth is not an open book enticed Julia into wanting to know him and find out what caused him to be so withdrawn and quiet. Although the readers do not get a peek into Seth’s innermost thoughts and feelings, I would imagine the reason he was drawn to Julia was very similar.
Once Seth and Julia started hanging out regularly, their attraction towards each other was more based on the fact that they had a lot in common.They were both very quiet, reserved people who generally kept to themselves; Julia had only one real friend, and if Seth had any friends at all, the reader did not know about them. They would both rather have the company of each other than a group of people. For example, when Seth and Julia were invited to a party, they decided to neglect the offer and spend the night watching movies at Seth’s house instead. Seth and Julia were both mature for their age; they did not care about superficial things like shopping or parties. Instead, they spent their time together helping dying birds and beached whales, preserving leaves of different trees for future generations, and keeping up with what was happening in the world. Another reason that Seth and Julia’s relationship worked so well was because communication was easy and they felt comfortable confiding their problems with each other. Without open and honest communication, a relationship would never work. After Julia sees her dad having an affair with Sylvia, she chose to divulge the information to Seth because she felt like he would understand since he had family issues, too.
One reason Julia loved to be around Seth was because she liked the way she felt with him; on page 192, Julia stated about Seth, “I like the way he walks: loose and unhurried, a boy who knew his way. I was the girl walking with him, so I walked that way, too.” Julia also liked the way that she acted like a girl with him- she grew out her bangs, started shaving her legs, and bought a real bra. Seth was also very supportive of Julia and helped her with her problems, first by standing up for her when she was bullied by Daryl at the bus stop, then by encouraging her to stand up to her dad for having an affair. Although Seth and Julia’s attraction for each other started out as just curiosity, once they got to know each other and found common interests, it was clear that it was a relationship meant to be.
Stephanie brings out the entire progression of Seth and Julia’s relationship. When I was reading her comment. I found that the progression Julia and Seth have together is how a healthy, real-life relationship works. First, Julia is just attracted to Seth physically. But once she and Seth get to know each other, they begin to truly care for each other’s well being. They both treat each other like their lifelong partner, and not just some sexual partner. I also like how Stephanie brings up how these two mature among the rest of the teenagers in California. Julia rejects the boy at Michaela’s house because he was only attracted to her superficially. If it had not been cut short by Seth’s illness, I believe that his and Julia’s relationship could’ve eventually transcended to marriage.
I like how Stephanie looks at all the aspects of Seth and Julia's relationship, from before the relationship began to when they had spent a lot of time together. It makes sense that having a lot in common helped the relationship. They were never "party people", and since they used that time watching movies together, that probably also strengthened the relationship from being around each other. I really like how Stephanie emphasized that Julia completely trusted Seth by telling him everything that worried her, like her father's affair.
I think that Julia was drawn to Seth because of his calm and refreshing personality. Julia’s life was full of craziness, and Seth was a way to escape it and be real with someone. I feel Seth knew that Julia was different, like him, he noticed how she is more of a thinker than a talker and was drawn to her by that.
As readers, we first learn about Julia’s secret obsession at the bus stop when she heard a skateboard across the street and instantly knew it was Seth Moreno- the boy she secretly watched and longed to know, even though she had barely spoken a word to him. Later in the book, the slowing guided Seth and Julia together, and they developed a relationship in which they were inseparable. The initial aspect that Julia was drawn to in Seth was that she did not know much about him, even though they had gone to school together their whole lives. She stated several times that Seth was mysterious, and as human beings, we are drawn to things that are uncertain and unknown. That fact that Seth is not an open book enticed Julia into wanting to know him and find out what caused him to be so withdrawn and quiet. Although the readers do not get a peek into Seth’s innermost thoughts and feelings, I would imagine the reason he was drawn to Julia was very similar.
ReplyDeleteOnce Seth and Julia started hanging out regularly, their attraction towards each other was more based on the fact that they had a lot in common.They were both very quiet, reserved people who generally kept to themselves; Julia had only one real friend, and if Seth had any friends at all, the reader did not know about them. They would both rather have the company of each other than a group of people. For example, when Seth and Julia were invited to a party, they decided to neglect the offer and spend the night watching movies at Seth’s house instead. Seth and Julia were both mature for their age; they did not care about superficial things like shopping or parties. Instead, they spent their time together helping dying birds and beached whales, preserving leaves of different trees for future generations, and keeping up with what was happening in the world. Another reason that Seth and Julia’s relationship worked so well was because communication was easy and they felt comfortable confiding their problems with each other. Without open and honest communication, a relationship would never work. After Julia sees her dad having an affair with Sylvia, she chose to divulge the information to Seth because she felt like he would understand since he had family issues, too.
One reason Julia loved to be around Seth was because she liked the way she felt with him; on page 192, Julia stated about Seth, “I like the way he walks: loose and unhurried, a boy who knew his way. I was the girl walking with him, so I walked that way, too.” Julia also liked the way that she acted like a girl with him- she grew out her bangs, started shaving her legs, and bought a real bra. Seth was also very supportive of Julia and helped her with her problems, first by standing up for her when she was bullied by Daryl at the bus stop, then by encouraging her to stand up to her dad for having an affair. Although Seth and Julia’s attraction for each other started out as just curiosity, once they got to know each other and found common interests, it was clear that it was a relationship meant to be.
Stephanie brings out the entire progression of Seth and Julia’s relationship. When I was reading her comment. I found that the progression Julia and Seth have together is how a healthy, real-life relationship works. First, Julia is just attracted to Seth physically. But once she and Seth get to know each other, they begin to truly care for each other’s well being. They both treat each other like their lifelong partner, and not just some sexual partner. I also like how Stephanie brings up how these two mature among the rest of the teenagers in California. Julia rejects the boy at Michaela’s house because he was only attracted to her superficially. If it had not been cut short by Seth’s illness, I believe that his and Julia’s relationship could’ve eventually transcended to marriage.
DeleteI like how Stephanie looks at all the aspects of Seth and Julia's relationship, from before the relationship began to when they had spent a lot of time together. It makes sense that having a lot in common helped the relationship. They were never "party people", and since they used that time watching movies together, that probably also strengthened the relationship from being around each other. I really like how Stephanie emphasized that Julia completely trusted Seth by telling him everything that worried her, like her father's affair.
ReplyDeleteI think that Julia was drawn to Seth because of his calm and refreshing personality. Julia’s life was full of craziness, and Seth was a way to escape it and be real with someone. I feel Seth knew that Julia was different, like him, he noticed how she is more of a thinker than a talker and was drawn to her by that.
ReplyDelete