Friendswood Reading Log Questions

Daniela Alavanja

Professor Yung

English 1101

28 January 2017

Friendswood Reading Log Questions

1. Who is Willa Lambert?  Describe her relationship with her parents.  Write about her “visions.”  Based upon the evidence that’s been presented in the novel, what’s the origin of these visions?

Willa Lamberts is a geeky teenager in Friendswood High School. Willa seems very sweet and innocent. She describes herself as a writer. In one of Willa’s chapters we get a glimpse at Willa’s relationship with her mom. It seems as if her mom questions everything about Willa and puts her down. “Lately, her mother acted like there was something different, something wrong and out of place in Willa, as if her mouth held some ugly and mean expression that meant no one else would ever love her” (Steinke 62). We also find out Willa gets these “visions”. She sees things no one else does. “Yesterday, in the tree outside her window, Willa saw a small, round, gray woman, reaching up her arms as if to be held or to praise” (Steinke 57). It is assumed that the poetry Willa writes might be tipping her brain causing her visions. 

2. Who is Dex?  Describe his relationship with his mother.  Describe his relationship with his sister.  Based upon the evidence that’s been presented in the novel, discuss Dex’s relationship with his friends, footballs players.

Dex is also a teen that attends Friendswood High. He is a very good hearted kid, who has a crush on Willa. Dex seems to “look after” his mother. It looks like Dex is the parent in the house. Dex’s dad left his mom for an unknown reason. Dex has a sister named Layla that he seems distant with. Layla is a cheerleader, and she doesn’t seem to allow Dex into her life. Dex makes a comment to his mom saying, “What makes you think she’ll let me look after her” (Steinke 39). Dex seems to be scared to show his true self to his friends. For example, he is afraid of telling them he likes Willa because they think she is a weird. 

3. Who is Hal?  What does he do for a living?  How would you describe his career?  Talk about Hal’s relationship with Darlene, with Cully.

Hall is Cully’s father who works as a real estate agent; he seems be going downhill in his career. He seems to be dealing with crazy customers, making it hard to make a sale. However, Hal is now relying on Avery a long time friend of his. Avery is planing on building properties in the town, which Hal hopes to list. Hal is extremely proud of his son Cully, he states that he feels closest to him when he is on the bleachers watching him play. We are informed that Hal had an affair with a women named Dawn, which nearly almost killed him. I feel that he truly does love his wife and son, and the affair made him realize just how much he loved them. 

4. Who is Lee?  What significant tragedy happens in her life?  Discuss how this event affects her.  Thus far how is Lee perceived by community members?

Lee Knowles is an environmental activist after the death of her daughter Jess. Jess died from a blood disease right after everyone ran out of Rosemont. Due to the death of her daughter, and chemicals in the community Lee is always investigating. The community member look at Lee as a nut! Avery states, “She actually paid a shitload of money for a study of the ground soil. Just to stop me from doing anything out there. What kind of cup of crazy is that (Steinke 49)? Hal also thinks Lee is getting in the way of something good, and more job opportunities. 

6. Make the connections between Friendswood and one of the significant environmental calamities that’s occurring now: Standing Rock, Flint, Michigan, and East Chicago, Indiana.  Be sure to include when the event happened, why it happened, and how the environmental calamity effected the community. (If you aren’t familiar with these events, please research them.)

While reading Friendswood and seeing the environmental issues in the town it reminded me of an event going on now: Standing Rock. Standing Rock is a Indian Reservation in North and South Dakota. Sioux Native Americans are protesting to try to halt the construction of a new oil pipeline. The Sioux Tribe is complaining that the pipeline will affect its drinking-water supply and sacred sites. In Friendswood, there is a pollution site where chemicals were dumped in the land and into the water. Lee is now protesting that site being built on because she thinks the chemical dump is responsible for her daughters death. 

7. Discuss the role of protection and the EPA.  Is this governmental agency fulfilling its role as it relates to the community members of Friendswood?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an agency of the Federal government which is responsible for protecting the human health and the environment by enforcing regulations passed by Congress. In regards to Friendswood, I do not think EPA fulfilled its role. I believe they should have done something about the chemical dumping. Also, I believe that the death of Jess should be deeply investigated, and building of property on the site should be restricted. 

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Works Cited

"Our Mission and What We Do." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 21 Jan. 2017. Web. 29 Jan. 2017.

Steinke, Rene. Friendswood. New York, NY: Riverhead, 2014. Print.

"What Is Standing Rock and Why Are 1.4m 'checking In' There?" BBC News. BBC, 02 Nov. 2016. Web. 29 Jan. 2017.