True confessions of a Hollywood Starlet (pg 216-260)

Summary



Mr. sappey knowing Claudia's secret ran the story in the from page news paper with the headine "Hollywood Starlet Hiding Out At Snider High". Mr. Sappey sold out Claudia's secret so he could make his movie of his dream that he had always wanted but never got the chance. The principal of Snider High called Claudia into his office and showed her the newspaper. Within 40 minutes Snider high hallways was filled with students waiting to see their own famous student Claudia. There was paparazzi outside the the school swarming everywhere like flies. While escaping from the pricipal's office with her Aunt Trudy claudia noticed the face of everyone who she had lied to and especially to Eli. Claudia was taken to Aunt Trudy's boyfriend's house and there became her new hideout until the search for her cooled down. Sam and Morgan's mother came by after they saw on the news what her daughter was going through in Indiana. After a lot of argument about whether Morgan should go back home with her mom mor stay in Indiana to complete her mission, Morgan finnally decided to stay because she was tired of being pushed around.

Quotation

" I mean it's one thing to pretend to be claudia Miller, going to High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, it's entirely another to play the same part as myself" ( Douglas 259).

Summary

I think that Claudia made the best decison she could have made by staying in fort Wayne to finish her education . I feel like being herself was the best choice she choose to make since the beginning of the the book. With her making decisons fro herself and being her own person shows that she has matured from being a little teen celebrity to being a woman. It really shows how much she has learned since coming to live in fort Wayne, Indiana where the whole story began.

True Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet (pg 163-215)

Summary

In Chicago Claudia and Marissa hit to town to relive some of their old memories together before Claudia went to rehab. In the club that they went to Claudia got recognized by the paparazzis and a lot of photos were taken of her, so Claudia got Marissa and they left. Claudia lost the truth of het Aunt Trudy becuase she skipped school to go to Chicago. The day she returned home to her Aunt Trudy in indiana was the day that she was grounded. On her first day returning to school there was an intervention held for her in the pricipla's office becuase of her grades. Every teacher has something negative to say about Claudia and her work in school so far, except for Ms. Janet. In Ms. Janet's office they had a conversation of Claudia being more involved in school becuase Ms. Janet risked her job for Claudia. A girl in Claudia's film class named Latanya interrogated Claudia about why she hasn't been in school lately. Latanya told Claudia that she Knew that she is really Morgan Carter the celebrity and Claudia did everything to deny it. Latanya had proof though becuase she brought a magazine with her in it in the club in Chicago. Claudia decided to get more involved after the talk with janet, so she joined her friend Emily's club and the first meeting was held at Aunt Trudy's house. Claudia tells Sam her manager about Latanya knowing who she is so Sam paid off Latanya not to talk. Debbie goes into Claudia bedroom and leaves saying that she got lost while looking for the bathroom. Debbie and Mr. Sappey know Claudia's secret.

Quotation

" it's no use. I'll never catch up. And no, I'm not exxagerating who would have
thought that missing a couple of days of school could put a girl this far behind?" (Douglas 196).

Reaction

I really feel like i can relate to this qoute. It says a lot of truth. When i missed School for like three days and came back I missed a month's worth of work. I also think that if she tried to get the work done she could succeed. But, I definitely think that schools need to lessen makeup work, becuase it's not some students fault that they missed school.

True confessions of a hollywood Starlet (pg. 110-162)

Summary

Claudia wanting to keep her secret a secret lied to everybody in order for her idetity not to be revealed. After Claudia went off on Eli fro taking photos of her she had to come up with a reason for what she did, so she fabricated a story. Claudia told eli that she is running away from her father, and she has to avoid photos of her being taken becuase he might find her with the pictures. After skipping school for a couple of days Claudia decided to go back to school becuase she didn't want to disappoint her aunt Trudy or Ms. Janet( her guidiance couselor). keeping up with her promise Claudia decided to give Debbie a makeover if she was going to become Eli's girlfriend, with the help of Emily. Claudia's mother decided to surprise her with her celebrity best friend Marissa, in order to cheer her up. Marissa was given a disguise so she would not be recognized by no one when she was out just like Claudia. Claudia, Marissa, Eli, Emily, and Debbie went to a festival that was going on in town that day, and things started going wrong. Marissa started bashing on Claudia's friends and the town that they live in.Debbie also starts getting mad because Eli wasn't paying attention to her or her new look, instead he was looking at claudia. the main thing that happened was that Marissa gave a clue of Claudia's identity to Debbie by telling her that Claudia's ex boyfriend was the famous Evan Walsh. Claudia's mother sent her a letter apologizing for her actions and for marrying her manager. claudia gets sucked into Marissa's persuasion which brought both of them to Chicago.

Quotation

" but I can't apologize for falling in love with Sam, because he is the second best thing that ever happened to me, right after you" (Douglas 155)

Reaction

The message that i can get from this qoute is that love conquers all. I agree with the quote because when you love someone, you just live in the moment. You don't worry about what is going to happen in the long run. I think that her mother did her for apologizing to claudia for for she did, because it shows that she cares about her daughter's feelings.

True confessions of a Hollywood Starlet (pg 53-110)

Summary

Claudia Miller started fitting into her new home of Indiana. The Whitmarsh twins Emily and Eli became Claudia's best-friends and shared secrets, but never about her being celebrity Morgan Carter. Claudia became really close to Emily and found out that she had a boyfriend at school who her parents or even twin brother doesn't know about. Claudia falling behind in school decided to get help from Emily since she was smart in every subject. When at the library for the tutoring session with the twins, Claudia started to notice that she might like Eli because he was diffent from other boys she had ever dated. Pressure began to come on Claudia due to being stressed from attending high school, and decided that she wanted to drop out but her aunt would not let her. A couple of days later Claudia gets invited to a sleepover by Debbie Ackerman ( girl that likes Eli) which was a tradition that has being going on for a long time. At the sleepover Claudia's secret is almost spilled because the movie that the girls were watching was a film that she starred in, but she was saved by Emily who said that Claudia and Morgan looked nothing alike. Claudia knowing that Debbie hated her because she liked the same boy that she likes decided to hook up Eli and Debbie together to clear the air. At Ms. Janet's office Claudia tells her about the nightmare that she was having and also told her that she was a drug addict and was raped by someone, but didn't mention the person's name because he was a celebrity and it would reveal her secret. Morgan finds out that her mother married her manager a couple of days later through a phone call and really goes into depression.

Quotation

"my hands started shaking, just a bit; all I could think about was how psycho I must have looked, tearing those pictures to shreds before bothering to ask why he'd taken them"(Douglas 111).

Reaction

This quote speaks to me in a sense because when I'm mad I don't think of the actions I'm going to make, I just make it. It sort of like I'm out of head and someone else has taken over and are controlling my mind and body. I have to agree with the actions that Claudia took because those photos if put in the wrong hands would reveal her secret. So, if I was in her position I would have probably done the same thing.

True Confessions Of A Hollywood Starlet (pg 1-52)

Summary

True Confessions Of A Hollywood Starlet is a fictional coming of age story written by Lola Douglas. The main character is a teen movie star named Morgan Carter whose mom sent her to live in Indiana after she checked out of rehab in order to get her life back on track. In Indiana Morgan is forced to go under a new identity, so she doesn't get noticed by anyone and also had to change her name to Claudia Miller. As her new identity Claudia lives with her supposedly aunt Trudy who is actually her mom's best friend. After getting a new look, Claudia starts her first day of high school which was totally different for her because she never really been to a real high school, but fake ones in movies. On her first day Claudia gets into an argument with her Film class teacher because they had different views on indie films, and films that actually make money. On her second day she made friends with the whitmarsh twins, and was happy that she wasn't being ostracized. Claudia recovering from being a drug addict had to attend an AA meeting every Thursday, and also had to see the guidance counselor at her new school, but she could not reveal who she was to her. Claudia survives the first week of week, and starts to figure out how her life went so wrong at only 16.

Quotation

" In the movies, girls get dressed up for the first day of school-sexy tank tops, miniskirts, kitten heels, designer backpacks with their initials embroidered on the front flap. this is not the case in lovely Fort Wayne, Indiana.."( Douglas 17).

Reaction

I have to agree with the author with the statement because high school i feel always are misinterpreted in movies. Teenage life in movies are almost always blown out of proportion because it doesn't represent the common person's life. As far as the first day of school goes, sometimes it is true that teens want to make a statement, but they don't dress as inappropriate as they do in the movies. i definitely have to agree with the quote.

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (pages 220-281)

Summary

Marguerite spends the summer with her dad and his new girlfriend Dolores in Southern California. Marguerite has trouble dealing with Dolores because Dolores is kind of a neat freak. Marguerite's dad takes her to Mexico which gets Dolores mad because he never took her to Mexico, making her think that he favors his children more than his wife to be. In Mexico, Marguerite's dad cheats on Dolores and gets drunk forcing Marguerite to drive his car in order for them to get home. Marguerite having never drove a day in her life, drives her dad's car towards home, with her drunk father sleeping in the back seat. when they arrived home dolores and marguerite dad has an argument and he walks out, then marguerite and dolores had an argument which turned into a fight and ended with Marguerite getting cut. when Marguerite;s father tells her she has to leave the house for a couple of days to go stay with some of his friends Marguerite decided to run away. After experiencing the harsh streets of california and enduring the hardship of having to live inside of a car, Marguerite knew it was time for her to go home, she she called her mother and she sent a ticket for her to return back to San Francisco. Marguerite's brother Bailey starts to have problems with their mother and moves out because he felt that he was a man and doesn't need no one telling him what to do. Marguerite gets a job as a conductor on the bus after several times of being turned down by trolley companies. Having being through a lot Marguerite starts to question her womanhood. She went through a phase thinking that she was either a lesbian or a hermaphrodite because she doesn't seem to have what other girls have. In order to prove to herself that she was straight she decided to have sex with a boy from her street which ended up with her getting pregnant at the age of sixteen. With her new son in her life she no longer felt empty or lonely, she now knew what it meant to be accepted and loved.

Quotation

" Without willing it, I had gone from being ignorant of being ignorant to being aware of being aware. and the worst part of my awareness was that i didn't know what i was aware of" (Angelou 264).

Reaction

In a weird way I can connect to the quote because sometimes act like I know something when I really don't because I don't want to seem stupid. And sometimes I know that something is going to happen, but when it does happen it cathces me off guard. With Marguerite feeling this way it shows that she was growing up and knew that what ever she wanted her life to be, that was what it would be.

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (pages 160-220)

Summary

The time finally came for Marguerite to graduate Lafayette County Training School, and every seem to be very excited. Momma made Marguerite a new dress for her graduation and also bought her a Mickey Mouse watch, along with the other gifts she received from people. On the day of the graduation, nothing seemed to be magical because the white speaker who came to the school had a message to deliver to the students. The speaker told all the graduates including Marguerite that they weren't going to amount to nothing because they were Negroes and that was all they were ever going to be. With the spirit of graduation gone, it was brought back by the valedictorian by singing the black national anthem, which assured everybody that things were going to be alright. Marguerite and Bailey ended up moving back to California to live with their mother in San Francisco, California after Bailey witnessed the cruel ways blacks were treated in the South. with leaving in California Marguerite was put into a white populated school because of her advanced knowledge. Marguerite came to love George Washington High School, because one particular teacher looked past the color of her skin. Marguerite's mother also remarried a man named Clidell whom Marguerite had a great relationship with. Marguerite learned from Clidell the things people do to get themselves to where they want to be.

Quotation

"The air of collective displacement, the impermanence of life in war time and the gauche personalities of the more recent arrivals tended to dissipate my own sense of not belonging" (Angelou 206).

Reaction

I am very fascinated with the way she describes how surrounding and how that surrounding ended up changing her mood of belonging. In a way I can relate to her her mood because when I first came to a America, I felt out of place. It wasn't my home, since I left my real home behind, but the more I took in my new environment, the more i got used to it and felt welcomed to it. To Marguerite the way San Francisco has changed makes her feel even more outcast and unwelcome than before.

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (pages 105-160)

Summary

Marguerite gets a job as a house maid for a white woman Mrs. Cullinan wants to quit because she starts to call her Mary. In order to get fired Marguerite decides to break Mrs. cullinan's best dishes which she knew was the pride of her family. Bailey gets in trouble for coming home way past his normal time due to being mesmerized at the movies with an actress that looks just like his mother and gets whipped by Uncle Willie. The annual revival were held and for the fisrt time Marguerite gets a leader on why the the whites show "charity". Which was a was for the preacher to express that whites gave to the blacks, but they only do it knowing that they are the masters. Marguerite makes a new friend named Louise which symbolized from her leaving adulthood and coming back to childhood. Bailey finally has his first love with a girl named Joyce, that turns out to be a girl just looking for the finer things in life which he couldn't provide. Marguerite is hit with the harsh reality of death after Mrs. Taylor a close friend to the family dies. At the funeral, Marguerite endured the sorrow of having to stare at a dead woman's body who she sort of grew close to up to her death.

Quotation

"Even if I have the tongue of men and of angels and have not charity, I am as nothing..."(Angelou 122).

Reaction

Reading this line from the book i felt like i just stumbled onto something that i never really thought about before. To me, the quote meant that it is one thing to be giving, but if you are a giving person and always brag about it, that is not right. It is nice to do something good, but don't let it go to your head because then you are comparing yourself to God, which is impossible. I really thought this was a interesting quote, because in so many ways it connects to the way things happened in the time of segregation and racism.

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (pages 55-105)

Summary

As Marguerite had predicted, her father did take her and her brother Bailey to St. Louis to live with their mother. With going to St. Louis, Bailey really grew close to his mother and made her a nickname. Marguerite on the other hand, had a hard time connecting to her because they looked nothing alike, which made her come to the conclusion that she was adopted. An unfortunate event happened to Marguerite when she was living with her mother in St. Louis. Marguerite was raped by her mother's boyfriend Mr. Freeman. In court Mr. Freeman was released that same day, but was killed a couple of days later by someone unknown. With no warning Marguerite and Bailey were sent by to Stamps, Arkansas because of Marguerite's condition after being raped. In Stamps, Marguerite meets a new friend Mrs. Flowers who introduced her to poetry, and would forever have a profound impact on her life.

Quotation

"Words mean more than what is down of paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with the shades of deeper meaning"(Angelou 95).

Reaction

This quote really got to me because I felt it was true and I could relate to it. When I write words , it doesn't really mean anything I say them aloud. It is kind of like the freedom of speech, if you have something to say, it is better to say them, rather than expressing yourself on paper.

To Kill A Mockingbird (pages 1-19)

Summary

"To kill A Mockingbird" is a story written by Harper lee about the finch family who lived in Maycomb County, Alabama in the 193o's. The finch family consists of Atticus, Jem Scout, and Calpurnia. Atticus is the father of Scout and Jem and no longer has a wife to help him raise the kids since she died when they were very little.Scout and Jem are brother and sister, with Jem being the oldest of them. Calpurnia is the caregiver for the Finch family and was considered family even though she was an African American woman. In the start of the story which is told by Scout, it began with Scout reminiscing about how Jem, her brother, broke his leg. In the summer Jem and Scout made a new friend by the name of Dill. All three of them began to grow a fascination for the Radley family, who was the neighbors that lived down the street. The Radleys' kept to themselves and some people in the town thought that it was wrong what they were doing. This new thrill that Dill, Jem, and Scout had for the Radley is going to result to something bigger than they expected.

Quotation

"But it was a time of vague optimism for some of the people: Maycomb County had recently been told it had nothing to fear but fear itself"( Lee 6).

Reaction

I was fascinated by the last line of the Quote. when I really put some thought into it i realized it was true on a personal level for me. I have nothing to fear but fear itself because me being afraid of something is not much, but failing at what i do can be really scary.

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (pages 1-55)

Summary

The book " I Know why The Caged Bird Sings" starts off with Marguerite the protagonist is at church and reminisces about how she and her brother Bailey ended up in Stamps, Arkansas in around the 1930's. when Marguerite was 3, and Bailey was 4 their parents sent them packing from California to Arkansas to live with their grandmother Annie Henderson or Momma as they called her. Momma also took care of her other son who was crippled ever since he was a child and was known by the name of uncle Willie. Momma owned a store in Stamps which was a town filled with racism and segregation being a part of the south. Momma was a very strong believer in religion and had both children and her son go to church every Sunday. In the beginning of the story Marguerite mentioned that her and her brother Bailey hated Reverend Taylor, reasons being that he only came to their house to eat and was disappointing when they were done eating before he got there. The discrimination in the book shows through the Caucasian females making fun of Momma or trying to arrest any Negroes that they thought has sexual relations with a white female. The father that both Marguerite and Bailey thought was dead shows up to Stamps and connects with his family.

Quote

" when I was a child I spake as a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things" (Angelou 34).

Reaction

When I read this line it immediately clicked to out topic of becoming of age. The quote speaks for itself because it is basically saying that there comes a time when we all have to grow up and act like the mature adults that we are. I actually agree with the quote because if it wasn't true we would act like children and no one would want to grow up.