The MisfitsBy: James Howe

Author: James HoweHe was born August 2, 1946 in Oneida,

New York.Went to Boston University for College.Married Deborah, and than remarried

again after his first wife died. But shortly after divorced because he turned out to be gay.

He has one girl named Zoey. His first book he wrote was called “ The

Hospital Book”, in 1981. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Howe#Bibliography

ProtagonistThere is not really one protagonist. The group of Addie Carle, Bobby Goodspeed,

Joe Bunch, Collin Briggs, and Skeezie Tookis are the good guys because they are the ones who decide they should be the third party to run for class elections to stick up for all the less popular kids in their school who are always getting picked on, they call themselves the No-Name-Calling Party.

AntagonistAnd also for the antagonist there is not really

one specific bad guy.It’s all the popular bullies of their school who

label and make fun of all non popular kids

Favorite CharacterI chose Bobby Goodspeed.He kinda reminds me of myself cause he is

courageous and is not scared to stick up for himself, and does not care what others say about him.

He is a chubby kid who is always getting made fun of but he never takes it personal and just brushes it off his shoulders.

Very positive attitude

Least Favorite CharacterKind of the same as the antagonist I do not

really have a specific least favorite character because they do not really refer to the bully students by there names.

So just all the mean middle school jerks.Although I did not like Ms. Wyman, there

teacher, because she does not let them follow through in the beginning with their intentions to put an end to all the labeling and name calling.

ExpositionIntroduced to the gang. Bobby is called

names because of his weight, Skeezie is labeled a hooligan, Addie is the tall Geek, Joe is judged because he usually acts more like a girl than a boy. Colin is the popular one.

Addie decides not to stand during pledge of Allegiance because our country was not being fair to all the colored people at the time.

Ms. Wyman is very unhappy with that and takes her to principals office.

Rising ActionThey want to put together their own team for

class elections. They get together and make posters getting

ready for it and they get assigned positions in the election.

Ms. Wyman says that they can’t be in the elections, so they go to the principal and get Mr. Kylies permission to run for elections. They call themselves the no-name-calling party.

ClimaxThings start to change around school and

kids start to get a little nicer. Joe announces to the gang that he is gay, and

that he has a crush on Colin, the popular one. Bobby comes up with slogan “sticks and

stones may break our bones, but names will never break our spirits.”

They post posters all over walls.

Falling ActionBobby Gives his speech at the elections, Mr. Kiley, the principal is impressedTheir party does NOT win the elections sadly.

All the popular kids start to give respect to all the kids they were mean to.

ResolutionColin comes out of the closet and tells Joe

that he has a crush on him to and they hook up!!!

All the groupies find partners that they have crushes on, and they somewhat hook up, since they are only in middle school.

The school is a changed place and they end up having a No Name Calling Day in memory of there efforts.

SettingNot really a specific time or place.Described as just a small town in the

US.It was written in 2003.

ThemesPersonality Labeling Some examples of the countless labels we freely use to

‘describe’ others include fundamentalist, delusional, perfectionist, idealist, realist, extremist, terrorist, Catholic, Jew, Muslim, pessimist, pacifist, narcissistic, optimist, racist, liberal, homophobe, jerk, stupid, pro-life, pro-choice, two-bit punk, and

loud-mouth. (Gallozi)Social Status

 Simply a rank or position that one holds in a group. (Eder)

Survival Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory

however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival. (Churchill)

What I would rate “The Misfits”I would give the book a solid 8. I liked how it was very realistic and not very

exaggerated at all. Makes you realize how much bullying and

labeling really goes on out there, everyday is a challenge to some people.

I didn’t give it a ten because it really was not the best book I have ever read.

Social Issue

BULLYING

What is Bullying?!Punching, shoving, and other acts that hurt

people physicallySpreading bad rumors about peopleKeeping certain people out of a "group"Teasing people in a mean wayGetting certain people to "gang up" on others

A Poem written by a Special Ed student, who had been bullied. Its called “ I hate my life.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO6Chcs5Aw0

Who can it affect? It affects the victim, the spectators, and the

“Bullies” themselves. Bullies are basically just cowards inside. They try to prove they are fearless by picking on the others that seem to have no way of sticking up for themselves.

Which doesn’t seem very courageous to me.

How can the victim be affected by “Bullying”?School Failure because they no longer want

to go.Rejection of their peersRunning away from home, to get away from

their fears of being bullied.DepressionViolent acts of revenge.And the worst of them all, “Suicide” It hurts others more than people can even

imagine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wcx2qM5C4g&feature=related

One boy who was severely bullied till the point of suicide

What can we all do to stop bullying?First of all, Don’t become one of the ones

doing the bullying!! Nobody likes bullies, and it’s not cool to put others down to try and make yourself look cool, cause truth is, is that it don’t make you look cool.

If you see bullying happening, stick up for them.

Tell an adult about the situation.Be friends with the bullied. And just treat everyone as you would want to

be treated!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtFtbaKIYyg

Please

Stop

Bullying!!!!

Works Cited Page Churchill, Winston Survival quote

http://www.brainyquote.com/words/su/survival226792.html Eder, Donna, Youth and Society “The Effect of Middle School

Extra Curricular Activities on Adolescents' Popularity and Peer Status” http://yas.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/26/3/298

Gallozzi, Chuck, Labeling People “Avoiding the consumption of assumption”

http://www.personal-development.com/chuck/labels.htm

Wikipedia, James Howe, Biography and Bibliography http://www.personal-development.com/chuck/labels.htm

Youtube Videos, ABC News Story

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wcx2qM5C4g&feature=related

Hero in the Hallway http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LP6RbEzaOwI&feature=related

Poem http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO6Chcs5Aw0