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Happy Family
The Jarette Family consists of Conrad, Buck, Calvin and Beth. Currently they are very happy due to both of their sons having freinds, getting good grades, and being outstanding swimmers. This is Beth's ideal lifestyle, having everything perfect, which is the first point of her progression. -
Bucks Death
The boys of the family go on a boating trip and get in a boating accident. Buck falls off and drowns. -
Conrad trys to commit suicide
Conrad was slitting his wrists because he was depressed, mainly because of his brothers death and feeling he had to replace Buck when he couldnt. -
"It is necessary to posses a guiding principle" (pg 1)
Right at the start of the novel, Conrad portrayshimself as a lazy, unmotivated 17 year old who feels he has no self worth, especially after his older brothers death. -
"Are you happy" pg 8
Calvin ask's himself "Are you happy", and through his thoughts before and after of how Conrad is now a crummy student, doesnt like his sport that much, and how he has no friends, it can be assumed that he is not happy. This is the first point in Calvins growth of becomeing happy and having a good relationship with Calvin. -
"You feel okay" Calvin asks Conrad pg 11
Through conrad answering this question quickly and incorrectly (Conrad actually isnt doing that great) proves that Conrad and Calvin truely dont have a good relationship because they cant actually share how they feel with one another. -
Self vs society "do you need an extension" the teacher asks conrad pg 18
Self vs society in this instance is Conrad vs school. Conrad has to pick up his grades in school and the teacher is doing the opposite of what Conrad needs, she is not pushing him which sets a conflict on their opposing views (conrads wants to be pushed, and she doesnt want to push him in school). -
Conrad meets Jeanine pg 20
Jeanine and Conrad meet in school and they talk about how Jeanine stands infront of him in choir. -
"Doesnt matter, Doesnt matter I didnt really want to swim anyways" pg 22 Conrad
By Conrad saying this, it proves that he doesnt have a good relationship with his father because he doesnt have the courage to tell his dad that he doesnt like swimming. -
"Listen, I dont think we should plan to go away for Christmas this year" pg 27 Calvin to Beth
Beth, Calvin's wife wants to go to London for Christmas. Calvin and Conrad both disagree but beth still insists. this exhibts that she is selfish and also how there family relationship is considering they are always fighting. This marks the second point of the growth of Beth because it is starting to show how she is getting alitle mad and moving away from her desire of a perfect family. -
Conrad meets Berger pg 38
Dr.Berger is Conrads new psychiatrist. We meet Berger as discombobulated with papers everywhere due to him being mugged. -
Bucks Birthday
Not to much importance but just the fact that Conrad will/ can never forget thinking about buck and how Conrad has thoughts about how he could have saved buck leading to more depression. Once Conrad is able to forget about buck, Conrad will be able to be himself. -
Karen is intorduced to the Reader pg 52
Karen was a good friend of Conrad's in the hospital. They both were depressed and suicidal and without her, it could be said that Conrad would not of been as stable coming out of the hospital because they got through it togeather. -
"I want to tell you something, you drink too much at parties." pg 69
Along with many other instances, drinking has been a problem for Calvin. Recently he has been getting into more drinking due to him being depressed over his familys connection, his sons death, Conrads life, and his own happiness. -
Self Vs Society "You mean he's still having problems"Donald to Calvin pg 68
By Donald, a fellow lake forester and many other people all start questioning drunk Calvin if Conrad still has problems, it provest that society is opposing conrad and all of his works of trying to become stable again. mainly this is because they want him to have problems so they have something to gossip about which opposes conrad because he is trying to prove these people that he is happy and mentally stable. -
"Hey. It's only a stupid test." Conrad says to Suzanne pg 73
Through Conrad trying to help Suzanne and offering to teach her, shows that conrad is growing to be more stable and happer because once one can help others, it means they are well/stable enough. This is a point proving conrad is improving mainly in happines but also stability. -
Self Vs Society "a bright kid like you...with every thing going for him. I dont get it.why do you keep wanting to mess up your life" Salan to Conrad pg 83
Conrad now see's opposition from his swimming team and coach which in this case is the society. These guys think they know whats best for Conrad, and they keep ingraining the idea that swimming is the best thing that Con ever did because he did it with buck. But Conrad has to go against them and do what he wants to do, which is leaving the swim team -
"I dont think it'll mess up my life if i stop swimming" Conrad to salan pg 83
Conrad tells Salan that he doesnt want to swim anymore. This fits the progression of Conrad losing his idea of having to replace Buck. So by Conrad quiting swimming (which Buck did), it displays that he is starting to become himself. -
"[are you] intrested in going to going to the show tonight" Lazenby asks Conrad pg 83
Conrad declined further proving He is moving farther away from being the same as buck because he is dropping the friends that buck used to have. -
"why dont you come down tomorrow, and take a look at the car with me" Cal asks beth pg 91
Beth declined proving that she doesnt care about Conrad (doesnt even want to get him a present) showing she's regressing even more from a happy famiy to a sad family. also this proves that Conrad and Calvins relationship is growing because he is looking out for him by getting him a car displaying the progressing love and comfortablness growing. -
"It was rather embarrassing" Beth says to Con and Cal pg 109
At this point it is very evident that Beth has no sense of love towards Conrad due to her proving that she only is mad that Conrad didnt tell her that he quit swimming because it makes her look bad. Not that her son knew that she wouldnt care. This is also self vs society/ conrad vs family because Conrad has to be perfect so he doesnt mess up his families reputation when all he wants to do is keep thinks to himself and also pick his own friends, not just with bucks friends. -
"Laughter becomes obligingly maniacal" pg 142
this Laughter between Conrad and Calvin plus them having an open relationship talking about berger which displays that Calvins life/ relationship with Conrad is very good now (character progression). -
"Its alright, he soothes" Conrad to jeanine pg 200
First, this adds to the point that Conrad is helping others meaning he is mentally stable. Also this concludes Conrads character progression because at this point in the book he has lost all of bucks friends, found his own friends, has a good relationship with his dad, he happy, and finally himself -
"Because I cant stand the way you look at me" Beth to Calvin pg 252
This is Beth's response when Clavin asks Beth "why are you leaving" 252. so she basically divorced Calvin and left them concluding her Character progression going from a happy/ideal family to a sad family, to no family. -
" love you, man...I love you too" Calvin and Conrad pg 259
Finally, Conrad and Calvin have a great relationship after a long time of awquardness. This mainly occured because beth told Calvin what to fix (being able to criticize Conrad) and he fixed that and now they can joke around, get mad at each other, and still be really close, which finalizes Calvins character progression. Calvin went from a depressed kid, depressing life, terrible family relationship to the complete opposite.
