BPThemes

__// THEMES //__
 * BELLE PRATER'S BOY **

Pick one of the Themes (listed below) in Belle Prater's Boy and write at least a 1 page essay on it.

Use evidence from the novel to help you!

Include Page Numbers & Evidence Based Terms! Remember to use Direct Quotes, discussions/viewpoints we've had in class, Paraphrasing, Research: Use any evidence you can to back up your answers!

Remember to double check your work with the rubric that was given to you in class!

** Abandonment -- How do Granny and Grandpa Ball deal with Belle's abandonment of them to live a "hillbilly" life? Why does she refuse to see them when they come to visit? ** ** Gypsy feels abandoned when her father dies; Woodrow suffers from his mother's disappearance. How are Gypsy's feelings different from Woodrow's? Describe the healing process that Gypsy and Woodrow go through. How do they help each other come to terms with their losses? **

** Appearances -- Appearances are involved in almost every conflict within the novel. Discuss how Belle Prater's and Amos Leemaster's lives could have been different if they hadn't placed so much importance on appearances. Love is fanatical about her daughter Gypsy's appearance. How does so much emphasis on appearance keep Gypsy from discovering her true self? Grandpa tells Gypsy: "It's what's in the heart that counts" (p. 114). How does this message influence Gypsy's growth as a character? What does Woodrow teach Gypsy about appearances? How does Blind Benny see beyond appearances? **

** Family and Relationships -- Family is extremely important to most people in Appalachia. What evidence is there that the Ball family is close? Describe Woodrow's relationship with his father. How is Grandpa Ball more of a father figure to Woodrow than his real father? What are Gypsy's feelings toward her stepfather Porter? What keeps her from allowing Porter to be a father to her? Describe Gypsy's mother, Love, and her sister Belle's relationship as children. How did their teenage years affect their relationship as adults? How is their relationship connected to Belle's disappearance? **

** Friendship -- Compare and contrast Gypsy's and Woodrow's lives. Discuss why Gypsy and Woodrow enjoy each other's company so much. Trace the development of their friendship from the beginning of the novel to the end. Which character gains the most from the friendship? How is Woodrow received at school? What makes him so popular among the other students? **