People in his school call him this because he says stuff without thinking properly which gets him into trouble. But its never gotten him in trouble until the day matt is accused of threatening to blow up rocky river high school. May 14, 2002 the book i read for my english class is big mouth and ugly girl by joyce carol oates. Big mouth and ugly girl by joyce carol oates, 9780007145737, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
Courtney was a senior, almost as tall as ugly girl but lacking ugly girls upper body strength and shrewd, lateral movements in the game. Theme refers to the message that the author wants to send to society. Using the resources provided in class, select four images in a magazine that reflect the plot, setting, themes, or characters in the novel, big mouth and ugly girl. This book really had me on the fence, trying to figure out if i liked it or not. Oates weaves controlled, elegant writing with her storytelling magic in a sweet story that includes a bit of kafka, a little david and lisa, and even some nicholas sparks. Through out the book she become friends with matt donaghy a popular class clown. Not really, but in the age of terrorism and zero tolerance, the adult authorities mistakenly take it seriously.
Big mouth ugly girl, written by joyce carol oates, is an excellent book for high school students to read. They came for him during fifth period, which was matts study period, in room 220 of rocky river high school, westchester county. Ugly girl is ursula, a loner and star of the girls basketball team who doesnt feel at home in her skin. You have to really understand her and know how to talk to her to recieve answers on how she feels. Or any of the four or five girls with whom hed have said he was good friends. Goodreads members who liked big mouth and ugly girl also liked. It was an ordinary january afternoon, a thursday, when they came for matt donaghy. Id thought for sure they would want me to speak up for the truth. It was a thursday in january during the middle of 5th period study hall when there was a knock on the door. Big mouth ugly girl summary essay 717 words bartleby. From that, we follow big mouth and ugly girl s surprising relationship that sprouts from this disturbing scene and how it effects families and other members of the community. Apr 24, 2009 discuss how and when they both use this statement throughout the book. In postcolumbine america, matt donoghy has been pulled out of class by police due to accusations of making remarks that he will blow up the school.
It is very interesting to read, because it handles with problems that some teenagers have in their puberty and how they are solved. She is one of the best athletes at rocky river high but she doesnt has many friends, because she is not a tipical girly girl. Big mouth ugly girl stacey flynn hadnt emailed or called matt, either. Dont think i havent been feeling bad about it, too. Innocent matt is suspended, the false accusation takes on. He says he want to blow up the school and massacre many students and teachers, but it was only a joke. Apr 16, 2008 novel by joyce carol oates my english novel study project.
After matts parents sued the school, matt was constantly threatened and harassed by kids from his school but mostly, trevor cassity. Sep 14, 2004 matt donaghy has always been a big mouth. The man with the glasses and a small fixed smile introduced himself and his companion to matt as detectives with the rocky river police department and asked matt to. Big mouth and ugly girl by joyce carol oates in chm, djvu, rtf download e book. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. When a classmate he barely knows tries to help, an unlikely friendship forms between them. But for big mouth and ugly girl the adventure of love just began with a kiss. Books similar to big mouth and ugly girl goodreads. Ursula riggs ugly girl in the beginning of the book ursula was known as ugly girl and the girl who only liked sports and winning, she was a shy girl who hope never to be noticed in the halls. The book i read for my english class is big mouth and ugly girl by joyce carol oates.
In this book, body image, motivation, depression, and justice are examples of prevalent themes. By monday morning hed stopped expecting to hear from them, and hed stopped he told himself feeling bad about it. Hilary swank and chad lowe did a great job of adding depth to the characters particularly hilarys portrayal of a gawky, teenaged girl irritated with her parents and disenfranchised at school until she turns things around by taking the moral. Oates, joyce carol big mouth ugly girl summary publish. Do you think matt and ursula see themselves as big mouth and ugly girl at the end of the novel. Big mouth and ugly girl character analysis of matthew.
Discuss how and when they both use this statement throughout the book. Joyce carol oates booklist joyce carol oates message board. Ursula and matt become friends through chatting with one another about the misunderstanding of the bomb threat and. Big mouth and ugly girl character analysis of matthew donaghy.
Courtney was a senior, almost as tall as ugly girl but lacking ugly girl s upper body strength and shrewd, lateral movements in the game. In the concluding pages of the book matts family drops the lawsuit, making matts life a lot more manageable and easy, and ends with matt and ursula walking through the rocky river nature reserve, and stop to sit down and end up kissing to end the book. This particular edition is in a audio cassette format. Matt is abandoned by his friends after being suspended from school and ursula doesnt get along with her mother. In addition to many prizewinning and bestselling novels, including we were the mulvaneys, a book of american big. Ursula was a girl who needed to be unwrapped to understand how she feels because on the outside she does not show her true emotions. Big mouth and ugly girl is a foray into teen fiction by prolific adult writer joyce carol oates. Sign up for bookperkdaily bookish finds, fantastic deals, giveaways, and more. Ugly girl liked a good fight she was morally certain she should win. A loner with fierce, staring eyes, ursula has no time for petty high school stuff like friends and dating or at least thats what she tells herself ursula is content with minding her own business.
May 14, 2002 big mouth and ugly girl is a foray into teen fiction by prolific adult writer joyce carol oates. Big mouth and ugly girl by joyce carol oates goodreads. They become friends and help each other throughout the book. Big mouth and ugly girl book summary and study guide. Title oates, joyce carol big mouth ugly girl summary author alexander sim author year 2005 pages 5 catalog number v109110 isbn book 9783656500094.
She plays basketball well, but is also made fun of a lot for many reasons. Big mouth is matt who is accused of threatening to blow up his high school. In one situation, matt was walking home when trevor cassity and a couple of his friends basically jumped him, leaving him on the cold, icy ground in the middle of. I eyed the crude typeface of the title, and glanced dubiously at the jacket pictures depicting a big mouth and an ugly girl. Big mouth and ugly girl quotes by joyce carol oates. Ugly girl is the person who is telling the story, so that chapter is told by a firstpersonnarrator. A loner with fierce, staring eyes, ursula has no time for petty high school stuff like friends and dating or at least thats what she tells herself ursula is content with. I did not say those things, and i did not plan those things. Big mouth and ugly girl by joyce carol oates 4,592 ratings, 3. It was published in 2002 by harpercollins this article about a young adult novel of the 2000s is a stub. Nov 29, 2015 big mouth and ugly girl by joyce carol oates in chm, djvu, rtf download e book.
Some maybe think that as the book ends now this is the end. Ursula is a misunderstood all star female high school athlete. Ursulas dad is the ceo of a big company and doesnt take an interest in ursulas life whatsoever. Read unlimited books and audiobooks on the web, ipad, iphone and android. Big mouth and ugly girl is about a boy and girl who have to go through many obstacles in there life and create a unique friendship. Id told my mom what id heard in the cafeteria, and shed told dad. In the book big mouth ugly girl by joyce carol oates, the two main characters are ursula riggs and matt donaghy. Matt, youd asked me weeks ago what i thought about the lawsuit. Sixteenyearold matts big mouth has got him trouble.
At the risk of sounding cliche, i did judge this book by the cover. Because ugly girl played so well until now, it looks as if shes coasting, or hanging back. Ursula and matt become friends after he is accused of making a bomb threat at their surburban high school. This symbol represents the theme of big mouth, ugly girl. My most reliable startingout forward, after myself. Matt donaghy, a high school junior, is accused of threatening to blow up his school after two students overhear him talking. I also think that this book has a very strong message, saying that you have to be yourself and with a strong will and a lot of self esteem you will perfect in your. Find books like big mouth and ugly girl from the worlds largest community of readers. Ursula riggs, our main protagonist is a taller high school student, more on the unattractive side who just happens to be a top student at her school, rocky river high school. What do we mean when we say a story wasnt written for. Innocent matt is suspended, the false accusation takes on a life of. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. Nov 05, 2009 in chapter 2 you get to know another important character, named ugly girl ursula riggs. Sixteenyearold matt is accused of threatening to blow up his high school.
Matt is the one of the main characters and his nickname is big mouth. If you are looking for a book club, book discussion, or book talk ya title, consider this for your next pick. Its kinda like a movie about the book by joyce carol oates. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.
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