Character Analysis

The two characters I chose to interview were Sioux Smith and Mabel because they are the two main characters of the book. Sioux doesn't care much for school even though she is an A plus student. She just wants to finish school so she can get out of the town and have a better life. She believes she has high school figured out and thinks about suicide a lot. She likes to smoke and hang out with her friend Sharon. She hangs out with the “people in black” when she is at high school. She has a very pessimistic view on high school and how she is above everyone else. She is fairly popular at her school, but doesn't make a big deal of being noticed. She also likes to change people's names into homonyms like hers was Sue, but she didn't like it and made it Sioux.

“But high school is just a primate zoo, a giant Barrel of Monkeys with intricately balanced chains all swinging independently of one another”

“People think it's morbid to talk about dying but, personally, I find it very liberating”, says Sioux.

“What more incentive do students need to cash in their chips”

Mabel is an old woman who is suffering from dementia because of a stroke she had. She has been left behind by her family and mistakes Sioux for her daughter Marie. She has a very laid back lifestyle and like to have fun and spends her money without a care. She has an interest in Shakespeare. She is very wise and helps Sioux with her problems at school and. She is also very religious and goes to church regularly and takes part in the choir

“Of course it's easier to just give up. But that's the coward's way. Life is what you make it.”

“The best thing to do is to pretend that nothing has happened. If you don’t give it a second thought, nobody else will either.”

“There’s always a glimmer of hope in the darkness if you look hard enough.”

Interview

Sioux's Questions

Why did you feel the need to help Mabel and stay with her even though you don't know her?

I felt the need to help Mabel because she is all alone and her family has abandoned her without any help. She is also a very interesting personally and insightful. She gives great advice on how to cope with some problems that I am having in high school and I feel a lot better when I am with her.

Do you like the place where you live?

No I don't this town is very boring and I am hoping to do good in my education so I can get out of here and start a new life in a better place like Toronto or New York.

What do you think about suicide?

I think it is a way to release yourself from all the stress of life and it actually a very creative way of dying. It is good to know that you have an option to end it all and just relax.

Mabel Questions

Do you feel angry at all that your family has not even bothered to contact you all these years you have been living by yourself?

Yes I do, but I still have my sweet daughter Marie, who loves me very much and would never do such a thing. I am sure that my family has a good reason for not calling me or keeping in touch.

Do you regret not going with the other man you had an affair with?

Yes I do because I wouldn't be living like this and I would have been much happier because I had my daughter Marie with him.

Do you feel angry that you aren't part of the church choir anymore?

Yes I think it was rude of the choir leader to kick me out because I couldn't keep up with the music. It wasn't fair because I had always been there since the start and never missed one practice.