numbers

1. On your group's wiki page, describe the main characters in your text. What makes them interesting? What is their story or background? Why are you drawn to them? Conversely, are there any characters that you just cannot stand? Why not? (A) 2. Person B should share and discuss their selected quotations, using Save The Last Word techniques. 3. Person C should share his/her questions with the group, as well as post the questions on the group's wiki page 4. Person D should post the meeting summary on the group's wiki page after class.

Person A:
 * Jem:** When she looks at people in the eye she can see numbers. The numbers represent the date that you will die. She has been seeing this since she was born. She doesn't really have any friends. She also has no family. Her mother has just recently passed of a drug overdose.


 * Spider**: Jem's only friend. It is clear to the character that he has a small crush on her. He is into smoking cigarettes and going to parties that involve drinking, drugs, and smoking. When Jem looked at Spider, she saw that he only had a few more weeks left to live.


 * Val:** Spider's grandmother. She also sees numbers just like Jem. She has a lot in common with Jem and her "spritutal vibes" can tell that Jem has the same power. However Jem denies it to Val, afraid that something bad will happen.


 * Karen:** She is Jem's foster mother. She has recently moved in due to the death of her mother. Jem doesn't really have a close connection with Karen and is not home very often.


 * Mr. Mcnulty:** Jem's teacher. He often does many assignments that the class doesn't agree with. Many problems happen in his classroom.

I am drawn to Jem and Val because their power is very unique and different than any character in any book I have ever read.

Person B: 1. "There are places where kids like me go. Sad kids, bad kids, bored kids, and lonely kids, kids that are different." -This quote is the first line in the story. It shows Jem's personality and how she looks at herself.

2. "Your aura, Jem, is the energy you carry with you. It radiates 'round you, all different colors. And the aura tells you more about that person than anything else. Everyone's got one, but not everyone can see them. Just us lucky ones." - This is when Val admits that she can tell Jem has the same power. She tells Jem and at first Jem is creeped out and confused as to how she can tell.

3. "I'd got about ten feet in when I started to panic, wedged between a guy with his T-shirt completely soaked in his own sweat and his girlfriend, all hairspray and perfume. I didn't see how I could get much farther forward, and the gap behind me had closed up. The was no air and the noise was so loud it was like it was actually inside my head, trying to burst through my ears and eyes and nose. I was feeling light-headed, and as the strength started to go from my legs, I realized I didn't actually need them; my body was held up by all those around me." - This is when Jem goes to a party with Spider. She is surrounded by drinking and drugs. Jem does not take part in these things and feels very uncomfortable. Reading this, makes me wonder if Jem will change throughout the story.

Person C:

1. Do you think Jem will find away to save Spider from dying due to his short time life expectancy?

2. Do you think Jem will eventually tell Val the truth about seeing numbers?

3. Will Jem and Spider end up being together?

WEEK TWO LANGUAGE:

A) Num8ers is not to hard of a read, the language is used in different ways. It falls under a conversational read. There are different topics you need to understand. The reader need to understand the way they are describing the events in this story. This book would fall under high school grade levels, possibly for juniors and seniors. There is foul language included in this book. All long with the topic of drugs. A terriosits attack occured in this story and i feel readers in high school and above would have a better understanding of this topics.

B) QUOTES " ' I need you to listen. We've got to get out of here. Please, please, get me out of here, Spider. Come on.' i grabbed his other hand and pulled until, finally he started to move. I broke into a run, kind of dragging him along, and then, at last, he was running, too."

" so you know what we saw that day: a sudden explosion, debris flying everywhere, a plume of smoke going up, one Ferris wheel pod completey destroyed, others damaged and distorted in the blast. All around us people had stopped in their tracks and turned to face the Eye. We heard all the screaming carrying across the water."

" Police are still appealing for two youths seen running from the scene minutes before the explosion to come forward, and are set to release security camera photos at a press conference later this morning."

C) QUESTIONS

1.) Do you think Jem and Spider will get the blame if they are caught on by the police?

2.) Do you think they will find a place to stay or ever go back to their home town?

3.) Will Jem tell Spider his death is days away or will she keep in and wait for it to come? Do you think they are going to die together?

WEEK THREE MOOD AND TONE

A.) Num8ers is a very suspenseful book. There is also a questionable romance occurring through out the book as well. Jem and Spider are the two outcast and spider is the only one Jen has allowed herself to develop a relationship. She has kept herself from having relationships with others because the death dates that shows up when she looks into others eyes. The book keeps you think after Jem and Spider are on the wanted list. They are on the run jumping from place to place and stealing cars, avoiding being seen. Being on the run together makes their relationship grow, but Jem is scared of her feeling since Spiders death is only days away. As you keep reading further into the book more events are happening that keep you wondering what is going to happen next, making you not want to put the book down. There are also parts that occur in the beginning of the book and are brought up again as you keep reading. In the beginning of the book Spider hide the fact he was dealing drugs to get money from Jem. It was mentioned a couple of times after that as well. When they were getting ready to run away Spider went to pick something up and you later find out it is the money he owes to the dealer. Then further in the book Spider and Jem notice someone they called Tattoo Face following them. He was a man who came to get the money from him. This is the first time they ran into someone and he threatens Jem with a knife to her throat

B.) QUOTES

" I can't Jem. This is our future. You and me. This is a hotel room and a big double bed. It's a pint or two in the pub, and fish and chips on the pier. How can we have that, how can we have all that, without any money?"

" There are the first pictures of the two young delinquents seen running away from the London Eye minutes before Tuesday's terrorists bob exploded"

" The guy behind the counter was reading a newspaper as I went 'round choosing. You could tell he was watching me"

" Tattoo Face tightened his grip on me. I could hardly breathe. To be honest, I'd been so surprised when he'd grabbed me that I'd hung there like a doll; now I struggled in his arms, until he dug the blade farther into my neck."

"If Tattoo Face was going to die, it would have happened; Spider would've knifed him, or he would have split his head open on the rail when they were wrestling, or the train would've hit him. I was certain I's seen his number, certain it was today."

C.) QUESTIONS

1.) Do you think anyone in town who saw them is going to realize they are the two people from the news and will they tell the police where they saw them?

2.) Will the police know that Jem and Spider are in the area after they showed up to the fight with Tattoo Face?

3.) Is it possible that Jem is going to tell Spider his death date after she heard him express his feeling for her?

4.) Do you think Spider's Nan was killed after the Tattoo Face visited her or do you think she will remain until the date Jem saw after looking at her? Do you think the dates can change since Tattoo Face lived?

5.) Do you think Spider will make it back safe and will Jem be okay when hes gone?

WEEK THREE THEMES/IMAGES

A.THEME Num8ers is an interesting read that holds different themes. One of the main themes in this book is survival Jem and Spider are on the run sleeping in the woods in the freezing cold doing there best to get shelter. They go to stores quickly to get food and supplies needed for their journey. Jem has always been under others supervision in a foster home having to following the rules set. In the Beginning of Spider and her escape, Spider was leading the way, saying what needs to be done and how to do it. Jem was used to following others rules, but then Spider get arrested and she is one her own. She runs into a girl Brittney who gives her some help, but she then realizes her leader is no longer there and she needs to do it herself. She uses the little strength she has and keeps going trying to reach the place spider and her talked about. She has finally realized she can become her own leader. Relationships is another theme encluded as well. Jem has had a rough life with no father and a drug addict mother who past away when she was 6. After her mother death she realized what the number meant and kept her self away from others. She was the outcast in school and spent most of her time alone. Then she started to from a friendship and soon a relationship with Spider because she could no longer hold back her emotions.

B.) QUOTES

" Got one of them; the other won't be far away" "Not often you catch a terrorist, is it" " Do you think he is? A terrorist? Kid like that?"

" The whole town's talking about you. The whole country is. There's all sorts of rumors about you on the Internet, pictures, too sighting. Britain's Most Wanted, that's what you are."

" I've put some things in. Your clothes and a bit of food, some water. I've got a blanket here, too, but it won't fit inside. I'll time it on with some string."

" It's a place we talked about, Spider and me. Even though he's locked up at the moment, I'm going to keep heading there.I'm going to do it on my own, and I think, I believe, he'll meet me there. Somehow, he'll make it."

C.) QUESTIONS

1.) How do you think Spider got caught by the police? What do you think they did with him? Do you think he told them anything or stayed quiet?

2.) Why do you think Brittney helped Jem so much and do you think because Ray the police dog picked up her scent, it will help them find her easier?