Bluefish: Week of 3/3/14

Pages: 100-150
Prompt: Make a collage that describes your book (in a nutshell) or includes images related to the story. Explain why you chose those images.

     I believe that this collage I have created really can describe my book, and truly does have meaning; it's like a visual interpretation of my whole book so far. So, I'm going to explain some of the reasons for these pictures that I have included.

The Bluefish cover and word- 
I added the Bluefish cover and word to just include an example of what the book I'm reading actually looks like. I also added it as a word representation. In the story, Travis (the main character) had been considered a bluefish, which basically is another term for someone who isn't very intelligent. Though, as the book goes on, you begin to see that Travis really isn't a Bluefish after all.

The word list-
I added the word list because in the story, Travis (the main character) doesn't really know how to read. So, his English teacher decides to teach him, by having him circle words in the book he is "reading" that he doesn't know, and then his teacher will make a list, and Travis will try to memorize and learn the words on the list. Though some of the words on the list might seem quite simple, they aren't very simple for Travis.

Small, Beat Down, House-
I added the small, beat down house because once Travis' parents died, his grandpa had to take care of him, and he didn't have enough money to pay the rent at the current house Travis and himself were living in, so they had to move into a smaller, run down, old house that they could afford. Though, Travis didn't like his new home at all.

The girl whispering, sssshhhh!-
I added the girl whispering sssshhhhh, because I feel this picture represents someone saying sssshhhh, about a secret; saying that they don't want anyone to know their thoughts or their life, keeping things on the down low. I added this because Travis has a huge secret, and though it was hard to detect that something was going wrong at first, people are starting to notice that something's going on with Travis.

The boy sitting crouched down-
I added this image to symbolize the loneliness and sadness that Travis feels. Travis lost both of his parents at a very young age, and he was stuck living with his Grandpa. He never particularly like his Grandfather, and couldn't trust him because of his problems with alcohol and smoking. Travis has no one to really comfort him when he missed his parents or had a rough day at school, because his Grandfather was the only one there, and his Grandfather hardly took care of Travis, so it was like he was not even there. Travis felt upset and alone all of time.

The word pile-
I added this image because Travis hardly speaks, and it's because he's very quiet, and reserved, but mostly because he's nervous something embarrassing or wrong will come out, and he doesn't want to risk the humiliation. All of the words represent everything Travis wishes that he could say, and that he is thinking.

The boy at the desk-
I added this image because the boy in the picture looks frustrated because he is having a hard time in school. Travis is the same. Because Travis doesn't exactly apply himself, he has a very difficult time in school. He doesn't process information as fast and easily as other children, making learning very hard for him, and causing him to get frustrated during school.

Burning out cigarette-
I added this image because Travis' grandfather smokes, and because it's burning out, it represents the want that Travis has for his grandfather to quit smoking. Travis is always coming home from school, or waking up to a smokey house because of his grandfather's cigarettes, and he wished his grandfather cared less about smoking, and more about his health, and the happiness and well being of Travis.

Dog-
I added this image because Travis once had a dog named Rosco, who seemed to be Travis' only friend after his parents passed away; the only "person" he had. Though one day Rosco went "missing" which Travis later found out was not true. Travis' grandfather had actually run over Rosco, and this information only made Travis' relationship with his grandfather grow even farther apart. Travis was upset that his grandfather had killed basically his best and only friend, and would do anything to get the dog back.

Dictionary Definition of Stupid-
I added this image because for such a long time, Travis, and many of the people that he encountered on a day to day basis, considered Travis stupid. Travis always was putting himself down, and every time something bad would happen, Travis would remind himself of how "stupid" he was. Though, people eventually began to see and realize that Travis really wasn't stupid, and eventually, Travis realized that too!