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Book Meeting#2: 3/18/11 Hyein Won Shannon Rodenberg

Snack: Cookies (such a healthy morning snack!)


 * Dreamland Questions:**


 * 1) When Rogerson beat Caitlin, why did she feel sorry for him?
 * 2) Why do you think Cass who was always a perfect child ran away?
 * 3) What is Caitlin’s dreamland? What is difference and similarity between her sister’s dreamland and hers?
 * 4) What do Corinna’s bracelets, which Corinna left behind before she went and Caitlin put on her, symbolize?
 * 5) What would you do if your parents push you to reach what you do not want to do? Are you going to run away like Cass did?

1. Caitlin felt sorry for Rogerson because she knew he only acted this way because he was abused himself, he doens't know how to break the cycle of abuse, and therefore continues to abuse Caitlin. 2. I think Cass ran away, because she was tired of being the "perfect" child. She seemed to have more pressure on her shoulders than Caitlin did herself. 3. Caitlin's dreamland is in her mind; it's her life and her goals she wishes to follow... but sadly her mother pushes her towards her sisters path; to make up for one less "perfect" daughter; the daughter Caitlin never was. They both had high expectations of themselves, and Cass pushed herself for more, until her parents forced her that much more. Two weeks before she going to attend Yale, she ran away... giving up her dreamland. 4. They symbolize a lost friendship; the hopes they both over come their drug addiction and abuse to a better life. The story of one girl is held within the bracelet and now there will be another... 5. I wouldn't run away... I would put up with it for some time and then open my mouth. My parents know what i want to do with my life and strive to guide me in the right direction to achieve my goals in life.
 * Dreamland Answers:**


 * Meeting Summaries:**

- During this second meeting, we discussed a second book; Dreamland (by Sarah Dessen.) So far comparing the first two books, we see that the similarities of personal abuse and hatred still are present. We discussed about abuse and how difficult it is to break the cycle... The next meeting we plan to discuss a third book and Sarah Dessen over all. The mood and tone of this book is overall dark. There is tension throughout the book, and it is troubling.
 * Shannon's Summary:**

- Today we discussed Sarah Dessen’s another book, “Dreamland”. Like her other books, Dreamland shows teenaged girl’s struggle and effort to overcome her difficulties. This book was about a girl named Caitlin whose sister, once “perfect”, ran away to find her dreamland. By the effect of her sister, Caitlin comes to think seriously about her own dreamland and seems to fall into a dreamland when she meets Rogerson. However, Rogerson begins to abuse her and become dangerous. The overriding emotion of this book is insecure and compelling. Rogerson who abuses her but she loves and Cass who does not come back home and worries her parents make her feel like she is left alone in this world. Her parents who seem to care only about Cass push Caitlin to be like Cass who was perfect child unlike Caitlin. Even though this book conveys feeling of insecurity, it also contains hope, which Caitlin tries to find eventually by meeting her sister Cass again, escaping from Rogerson and finding her true “dreamland”.
 * Hyein's Summary:**