Thursday, June 16, 2011

After by Amy Efaw

 Go to author's website


124 comments:

  1. Yvette Pilkington
    Really good read. I loved the story line and the thoughts of the main character. I was amazed by what happens after you have committed an act that changes your life. "Why", is the question I had through out the book. Read this book with an open heart.

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  2. I was not happy with the ending of the book. I was pretty disappointed. At the end, I just asked "Why?", and "How Come?". There was too many unanswered questions in the end. The novel was very detailed until the very end. It was a good story but I think the book was unfinished. I think this is a Gateway because of the topic. The topic of teenage pregnancy alone is a very controversial topic in the United States. I think that is why this book got a lot of attention.
    -AB

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  3. The ending was ok if you're one of those people that like riddle endings. I believe hat the book was getting less detailed in the end because she didn't know what to say about herself as she learned more and more. I believe also it is a gateway book because of the topic like AB said.
    VM

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  4. Rebecca P.
    Mrs. Parks Hour 4

    In the book, Devon gets herself into a juvenile detention center after making a horrible decision that could probably affect the rest of her life. Being in this setting affected her thoughts, actions, and choices. Her thoughts are affected because she continues to think that she can get out of jail soon even though she is charged with attempt of murder and two other charges. It affects her actions because her attitude has changed and she starts to yell at people like her lawyer, which isn’t a good thing to do in her case. The juvenile detention center affects her choices because in order to get out of jail as soon as possible she has to eat breakfast with everyone, do chores, and go to school. In this environment, I would have a horrible time adapting and I would be very scared in all honesty because I would feel like a caged animal and I wouldn’t have my freedom and that is something I hope I never have to go through.

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  5. Crystal W.
    Mrs. Parks 4th hr

    Devon the main character in the story is in a juvenile detention center because she made a horrible decision that affects her mentally and emotionally. Being in a juvenile detention helps her face the true reality of the situation she put herself in. It also is helping her be more open and understanding about why she did what she did. If I was in the same situation she’s in I would be an emotion wreck. I wouldn’t be able to think about anything other than getting my freedom back again. Being locked in a cell all day not being able to do normal things that I do a regular will drive me crazy.

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  6. Kayla M.
    Sheller 1st hour

    The setting in the beginning of After has a minor effect on the main character, Devon, action. It is a rainy day and Devon is quite, sitting on the couch watching TV. Devon acts like she doesn't feel well but the real reason she isn't talking is because of her big thing she just did. When her mom comes home, Devon doesn't talk to her at all. My reaction to Devon’s environment would be confused because her mom always jumps from one guy to another and is never really home. Also there was a big accident that just happened in the alley behind Devon’s house.

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  7. Kelly W.
    Sheller 2nd
    I think that the choices and actions that Devon makes is effect by her age and family background. Devon is 15 and her mother works all the time, her father is out of the picture, and her mother never sees her except when Devon was ”home sick” then Devon didn't even acknowledge her mother existed because she was in she much pain the from the night before. She said it was just a bloody period. Devon was pregnant and her own mother that she lives with didn't notice that’s just sad I think. Devon didn't know what to do with a baby at 15 so she threw it away without even thinking. She gets juvenile detention for her actions. My reaction to being in a juvenile detention would be horrifying I would be scared out of my mind. If I was in there for doing that to a baby I would be mortified with myself just sick. I would feel mortified because it’s basically killing a baby, and we don’t even know how she got pregnant in the first place.

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    Replies
    1. Will S.
      Scheller 6th hour
      Kelly W. I totally agree to your statement and your thoughts. I would definitely be terrified if I were to do that to my own child. I mean killing a baby is just messed up. And also not telling your parents about your situation can lead to severe problems. Her reaction throughout that part of the book was just unacceptable and cruel. If I were to be in that position, I would probably take the baby to my parents, seek for help and probably put the baby in a nursery or childcare. She throwing the baby away in a trash can is just grievous and wrathful.

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  8. Amanda E.
    Mrs.Sheller 3rd
    The setting has a big effect on the character in my opinion. Devon’s mom is defiantly not always present and Devon’s probably on her own a lot of the time. They don’t have a lot of money, I assume, since they are living in a small apartment. She has to deal with her mom having many different boyfriends and although she has handled it extremely well, this kind of a setting has to effect her. I honestly would not be able to handle it as well as she does, living in a situation like hers. Her mom seems very absent minded and totally unaware of the circumstances of her own daughters situation in the first scene. Also, she is sent to a juvenile detention center, which will for sure have an effect on her later in the book.

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    Replies
    1. Madison R.
      Scheller 7th hour
      Amanda E, I agree with you that she probably is alone a majority of her time and that she probably felt she had noone to turn too. I was thinking that she didnt have alot of money either because of where they live. I think it is hard for her to deal with what she is going through alot of the time just because she does not have someone to help her through it like a mom should.

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  9. Madison H.
    Sheller 4th hour
    The setting of the book affects Devon’s thoughts, actions and choices in an extremely negative way. Devon has never done anything really wrong in her entire life but now she has made a life altering mistake which has put her into a juvenile detention center. Devon at first refuses to talk about or even accept what she did but after she begins to realize why she is there she becomes determined to gain her freedom again. If I was put in this setting and situation I would be extremely scared, confused, and horrified. I would also be scared of my previous actions leading up to the situation and question what I had done and why.

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  10. Taylor O.
    Scheller 3rd
    The setting of the book with Devon's mother not being around much and she is more self-dependent takes a huge place in the choices she makes. Devon is only 15 years old and a star soccer player, faced with the problem of having a child. I think because of her mother not being around much and Devon so used to being a straight A student, she didn't know how to handle the situation or go to anyone for help. The day her mother came home, Devon knew she had made a mistake and was terrified to tell her mother or police what had happened. My reaction to having to adapt to Devon’s environment would be to try to get in contact more with my parents and tell them what my situation was and hope they understand. I wouldn't hide it or try to take on the obstacle by myself because like Devon’s choices, I could end up hurting myself severely and lead to bigger problems. It makes me sick thinking about harming my own child like Devon did and putting it in the trash. I would never think I would get away with that decision.

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    Replies
    1. Kristen M.
      May 14
      Mrs. Scheller Hour 6
      Taylor O. I very much agree with you about how Devon’s mom not being around takes a huge place in her actions and choices. I would do the same thing and try to get help from other people rather than keeping it to myself. I also think that the decision she made to throw the baby away was sickening and I would never think of doing that even if I was put with her situation.

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    2. Will S.
      Scheller 6th hour
      Taylor O. I totally agree with your statement. I mean the way Devon reacted to her situation was just unthinkable. I mean I would be scared to tell my parents about the situation that I was in but I wouldn’t just stand there not telling anyone about it and not getting any help. You never know what could happen to you. You could be severely hurt or even a death. And the way she treated her baby and throwing her own child into a trash, that is just messed up. I would never ever do that to my child. I would probably kill myself if I were to do that.

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    3. Madison R.
      Scheller 6th hour
      Taylor O, I agree with you when you say that you would never think about hurting your child and that the only reason she did is because she was scared. She should have just owned up to her mistakes and talked to someone about her options and then acted from there. I think what she did was a little drastic considering all of the options she had to help her, no matter how scared she was. I think that she could have done something that was good for her and the baby that didn’t end up ruining her life either.

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  11. Sydney S
    Scheller 6

    The setting of this book effects Devon in very negative ways. Her mother is never around which gives her no one turn to with being pregnant. Due to her mom never being around she was very self-dependent and took the situation into her own hands. . At first she just sat there refusing to talk to anyone about it and refusing to accept what she had done to herself. Devon knew she had made a terrible mistake, but she was to scared to tell her mom. If I was in the situation I would be scared and confused of my future and accepting what I did in the past.

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    Replies
    1. Kayla M.
      Mrs.Scheller 1st hour
      Sydney S., if I was in Devon’s environment, I would react the same way. I would be scared of what people would think of me after it. I also want to know what the guy at “that night” she always talks about would react. I can’t wait to read on and find out more!

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  12. Will S.
    Scheller 6th hour
    Devon Davenport is the main character of the story, “After”. She is one of the most well-known soccer player on her soccer team. The setting affects mostly on the main characters actions and what she really thinks of her mom. Throughout the story, Devon strives to live with her mom. They live in a really small apartment and every day, they struggle to eat and live. Devon’s mom isn’t strong, independent, reliable and definitely not a teen mother. She has set some really strict rules and regulations that she follows in order to achieve her goal. If I were to be Devon during that time, I would definitely be furious and grievous because I can’t handle parents that are strict and vicious all the time. I rather leave the house and go find myself a new start.

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  13. Kristen M.
    Scheller 4th
    I think Devon being in the juvenile detention center really affects the setting. It affects Devon’s thoughts, actions, and choices in very negative ways. Before this accident, Devon was always happy and very polite to everyone, but being in this setting has changed it all. It affects her thoughts because all she can think about was that night. If I were in her situation I would extremely scared and wouldn't know what to do with myself. I would not be able to adapt to the environment because I can’t deal with being in small places and people telling me what to do at all times.

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    1. Kelly W
      Scheller 2nd
      To Kristen M.
      I agree with your statement because you’re right she hasn’t been in a juvenile detention center give her lots of time to think. She doesn’t even want to think about what she had done, it’s like in her mind she hadn’t even done it because she didn’t want to a teenage girl pregnant like her mother. I wonder if she even remembers who got her pregnant. I would be scared out of my mind too for doing on thing wrong in my whole life and I would especially want my mother to be there by my side too.

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  14. Madison R.
    Scheller 7th

    The setting of the story, which is told in the present tense and most of it taking place in a juvenile detention center, affected Devin in a lot of ways. She went from being the star soccer player to having to deal with a lot of things she shouldn't have had to at her age. She started thinking down on herself and thinking that she was a horrible person because of one choice she made. She tried to push the memory into the back of her head, pretending that it didn't happen even after she was in trouble. If I was in Devin’s place I think I would have been in the same mind set as her but I wouldn't have made the same choices as her. I would have accepted what I did wrong and done what I needed to do and put those other people’s interests before my own. She tends to not think about the other people that were also affected by this and doesn't want to accept the choice that she made and why it was wrong.

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    Replies
    1. Kayla M.
      Mrs.Scheller 1st hour

      Madison R., I would do the exact same thing as you if I was in Devon’s position. You were right about Devon, she doesn’t really think about the people that also got effect by her choice. I can’t believe what she did. That was a crazy thought! I would never do that.

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    2. Kristen M.
      May 14
      Mrs. Scheller Hour 6
      Madison R. I agree with you about how Devon started to think down about herself and thinking that she was a horrible person because of what she did. I also agree that I would be in the same mindset but I definitely would not have made the same choices as her. Devon really needs to accept what she did was real and very wrong of her.

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  15. Kayla M.
    Mrs.Scheller 1st hour
    I feel like Devon’s actions aren’t very good actions. Her mom is never home and her dad is out of the picture, so she doesn’t really have a person at home to talk to about what to do. I really disagree with her reason to put the baby in the trash can. First she wouldn’t tell her mom about everything. Also she didn’t want people to know about it so she didn’t tell anyone. While she was in juvenile detention, Devon kept on saying how it wasn’t her fault and wasn’t really doing anything to get out of juvenile detention, even though she wants to. I feel like Devon should’ve told her mom in the first place and get help instead of not telling anybody. If she had done that, she probably would’ve been in a better place than juvenile detention.

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  16. Kelly W.
    Scheller 2nd
    The way Devon is acting and behaving isn't acceptable to be in a situation like this one. I disagree with the actions and behaviors because she is involved with the government and she is acting like she doesn't have a clue what is going on an she isn't paying attention at first when people are talking to her. Her first lawyer has to keep saying sit up. Devon is also very scared because she hasn't been in this situation before and this is why she is acting this way. She is an outstanding student, never done anything wrong. She is acting very hostile to a lot of people she meets there which isn't a very good thing to do when you’re in jail an all you want to do is get out. I would suggest that she cleans up her act and deal with the fact that she is there and has done something wrong and that she should fix it.

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    Replies
    1. Sydneys
      Scheller 6th
      I completely agree with you because Devon did a terrible thing and they way she is acting is only making it worse for herself. Devon is not cooperating with anyone and she has a bad attitude with everyone she is meeting. I get that she is scared but she is not acting like she cares about this situation, which is not going to get her anywhere.

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  17. Taylor B.
    Mrs.Scheller 2nd hour
    Kelly W. I totally agree with you I would feel terrible for throwing something so innocent away. I feel if she would have told someone then she wouldn’t have been in the situation that she is in now. I also don’t understand how a star athlete or grade A student could keep the fact that she is pregnant a secret like wouldn’t she show or have symptoms. I know that she wasn’t thinking or wasn’t processing the fact that she has done something so horrible. I feel as if she has degraded herself to a lower human being but I also give her sympathy because she basically doesn’t have anyone there to teach or guide her.

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  18. Taylor O.
    Mrs. Scheller 3rd Hour
    I disagree with Devon’s behavior towards her lawyer, Dom. She is being very disobedient and doesn’t understand that Dom is only trying to benefit her in the long run. Devon is repeatedly disrespectful and I think she could definitely help herself by listening to what her lawyer has to say and be even more involved in her school and doing chores. I think Devon is acting this way because she is still in shock and all that is going through her mind is “why and how did I get here”. I suggest that because Devon is going to be in jail for a long time either way, she changes her attitude and tries to help herself by compromising with Dom and listening to what she has to say.

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    Replies
    1. Madison H.
      Scheller 3rd
      Taylor O., I completely agree with what you have said. The only way that Devon can help herself is by cooperating with her lawyer, her school and everyone working to help her. I also agree that she is still in shock but needs to change her attitude or she will go nowhere.

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    2. Sydney S
      Scheller 6th

      Taylor O. I completely agree because devon has been rude to Dom several times which is getting her absolutely no where. I would agree that she is still in shock from the situation, however she needs ro see he's just trying to help. If Devon wants to get out of going to jail she needs so cooperate with Dom, and start accepting what she did.

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  19. Taylor O.
    Mrs. Scheller 3rd Hour
    Kelly W. I completely agree because Devon is not taking things seriously at all. She definitely need to clean up her act and be more respectful to the adults she comes across because she could possibly be put in jail for life and doesn’t realize this at all. I think because she is a superstar athlete and great student, she feels higher than the rest of the girls there.

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  20. Madison H.
    Scheller 3rd
    I think the way Devon is acting in her situation is extremely unacceptable. She keeps saying that she wants to get out of the place but then she does nothing to help herself. For example, she acts as if she has no idea what she has done and the punishments for those actions. She also will not cooperate with her lawyer, which is not good when her lawyer is her only shot at freedom. She keeps shutting everything out and that will get her nowhere. I think that she needs to come to terms with what she has done, accept her punishment and start cooperating with the people trying to help her.

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    Replies
    1. Kayla M.
      Mrs.Scheller 1st hour
      Madison H., I agree with your statement. I also feel like Devon is shutting everyone out when everyone can help her. She isn’t very nice to Dom, even though Dom is her only way out… Like you said. I feel like Devon would never accept what she has done, even if she tries to accept it.

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  21. Ashley C.
    Scheller 3rd
    Devon’s setting at home plays a major role in how she reacts to certain situations. With Devon’s mom not being around, this creates her to be more self-dependent. Devon is a star athlete and straight A student with no disciplinary trouble. When the accident had happened of her becoming and facing that she has become pregnant, she took matters into her own hands. She was too scared to tell her mother because she didn’t know the consequences of the mistake she had made and this is the main reason why she got herself into the mess with the juvenile center. If I had to be put into Devon’s home situation, I don’t know if I could handle it. I am self-dependent, but to a point. It’s good to have a parent who cares and will go through all the hard times in your life and Devon doesn't have that.

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    1. Madison H.
      Scheller 3rd
      Ashley C., I agree with all of this comment. Devon’s home life is not ideal so I believe, like you said, that she is extremely self-dependent. I also agree that I probably couldn't handle the situation alone but in her case, she felt as if she had to. I also think that if she had a better relationship with her parents she would know the consequences of her actions and would be in a lot less trouble.

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  22. Ashley C.
    Scheller 3rd
    I disagree with Devon’s choice she made on the way she handled having the baby and what she did with it afterwards but putting it into the trash. Completely unacceptable. I can understand that maybe she wasn’t thinking and she didn’t know what else to do with it because she didn’t want to deal with the consequences. However, never should someone make an irrational choice like how she decided to take matters into her own hands. She was scared of what her mom and everyone else in her life would think of her having a child because it’s just something that wouldn’t be expected. I also don’t like how she keeps saying that she blanks out and can’t remember what had happened “That Night”. She knows what had happened and she needs to stop avoiding the problem and deal with it. I think she needs to own up to it and maybe that will get her out of the terrible situation faster.

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  23. Taylor O.
    Mrs. Scheller 3rd Hour
    Kayla M. I totally agree with you because Devon probably wouldn’t have been in this bad of a situation if she would’ve told her mother. Even though her mother isn’t there most of the time and she doesn’t have much guidance from her, Devon could have asked her mother about things when she had time. I feel like that situation with her mother plays a huge part in Devon’s actions with the baby and not being respectful in jail.

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    Replies
    1. Crystal W
      Mrs. Parks 4th hr
      Her whole entire life Devon was trying not be her mother. She wanted to be excatly opposite of her mother. That's most likely her reason that she didn't tell her mother

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  24. Rebecca P.
    Mrs. Parks 4rd Hour
    Ever since Devon has come to the juvenile detention center, her personality and actions has changed a lot. I guess all of the pressure that has been put on her in the past five days while being in the juvenile detention center has really changed her because she has become more crabby and has been yelling a lot, and she is not acting the same as she used to. She used to be sweet and quiet but that all went away when she realized that she is in big trouble. I think this is wrong because she shouldn’t be yelling at her lawyer or anyone else because it is her fault she is in this mess. I would suggest calming down and relax because being irritable about this situation isn’t helping anyone.

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    1. Crystal W
      Mrs Parks 4th hr
      I don't agree with you. The juvenile detention center did change Devon but the only reason why she was yelling was because she was emotional and in shock. She wasn't crabby she was overcoming a traumatic event in her life that made. Wouldn't you act the same way if you were put in jail and didn't know who you were anymore

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  25. Crystal WiIson
    Mrs. Parks 4th hour
    I disagree with Devon reactions when she had her baby. Her whole life she wanted to be different from her mother and not freak out, but when she had her baby she totally freaked out. I understand why she freaked out. The pain was excruciating, there was blood everywhere, and a new born baby on the floor. She was in shock, but throwing her baby in a dumpster was a horrible decision. If I was Devon instead on throwing my baby away I would have asked for support from my mother, or friends. She didn’t give her mom the chance to support her through this drastic change in her life.

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  26. Kristen M.
    May 14
    Mrs. Scheller Hour 6
    I disagree with how Devon is acting towards her lawyer Dom. Dom is just trying to help her out and make it better than what is going to happen with her. Devon isn’t cooperating with her or answering her questions, I don’t think she understands yet that cooperating will only help her. I think Devon is acting this way because she’s still in shock over what happened, she doesn’t want to believe that she is there and what she did is real. I think Devon should start answering Doms questions and tell her the full story, it will only help her.

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  27. Will S.
    Scheller 6th hour
    I totally disagree with Devon’s reaction whenever she got the baby. She was freaking out and was going all over the place. Devon couldn’t control of herself and she literally lost her mind. Like in the beginning of the story, she once said that she never wanted to be like her mom. Devon hated her mom’s strict rules and how she treated her. She said she wanted to be a successful young lady and never become like her mom. But during that time, when the baby was born, she was literally hallucinating herself and was going crazy all over the place. I mean I could understand her reaction during that time but she literally lost her mind. The way she acted was just... Ruthless.

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  28. Sydney s
    Mrs.Scheller 6th hour

    I completely disagree with Devons choices after having her baby. Devon was scared of what her mother and everyone would think and she made the rash decision to throw the baby in the trashcan. I understand that she was scared and didn't know what to do, but what she chose to do is totally unnacceptable. She claims that she can't rememebr what happened and it was in the moment, but she knows exactly what she did and she needs to own up to it rather then trying to run away from the problem.

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    Replies
    1. Amanda E.
      Scheller 3rd.
      Sydney S.
      I agree with you on the fact that she was scared of what her mother would think, but the choice she made was insanely unacceptable. I think it’s a little weird that she can’t remember what happened, but people’s mind do tend to forget traumatic events that happen to them.

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  29. Madison R
    Scheller 7th hour
    Devons very jumpy and i think it is because she is mostly in shock and doesnt know what is really going on around her. She is very disconnected and I think it has alot to do with the fact that she knows her choice was wrong and she doesnt want to own up to it. I disagree with the way she treats Dom because all she wants to do is help her and thats not fair to Dom. I think devon should be more open with the people around her because they are there to help her and the more she keeps it in the worst she will feel.

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    1. Kayla M.
      Mrs.Scheller 1st hour
      Madison R., I agree with your statement, I feel like Devon already knows that her decision was the wrong thing to do. I also agree with how she is treating Dom. I feel like Dom is the only person that can get Devon out of juvenile detention, but if Devon doesn’t act nice to her, she won’t have her freedom to leave.

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  30. Kelly W.
    Scheller 2nd
    To Taylor O.
    I agree with you statement, because like why would she not tell anyone. I also get her mom not being there too much didn't help and that she had realized what she had done was horrible and didn’t want to tell anyone. I mean just thing about it she didn’t know much about giving birth or anything like that and she did it by herself, but I mean she would have died if they didn't get to her in time. Maybe a couple more hours and she would have been dead. I also wonder what happened to her baby after they found it in the trash can.

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  31. Kayla M.
    Mrs.Scheller 1st hour
    I consider the most important conflict in After is “that night” Devon keeps on talking about. I feel like this is a important conflict because this whole entire thing about her getting pregnant and being in juvenile detention wouldn’t have happened if “that night” never happened. My reaction to this conflict was shocking kind of. Devon went from being really good at school and a star soccer player, to no one thinking of her being a good kid and being where she never thought she would be at in anytime of her life.

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    Replies
    1. Kelly W.
      Scheller 2nd
      To Kayla M. Scheller 1st
      Kayla I agree with your reaction, I would be shocked also. I think that “that night” that she is bringing up briefly is all centers around that whole book. I still really don’t get how her mother didn’t know. That irks me like seriously. And again you’re right what if that night never happened. Where would she be now?

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    2. Amanda E.
      Scheller 3rd.
      I agree that “That Night” is quite a big conflict in the story. It’s the whole reason she’s even in there and continues to cause her so much emotional pain. It affected her life a lot, so much that she might go to prison for the rest of her life.

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    3. Taylor B.
      Scheller 2nd
      Kayla M. I totally agree everything changed that night for her not only did she disappoint herself but she downgraded herself. I feel as if she did exactly what she promised herself she wasn’t going to be like which is like her mom. I feel like its bringing her more pain of the thought of being like her mother than the fact that she tossed her baby in a trash can. That was the turning point of her life

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  32. Kelly W.
    Scheller 2nd
    The most important conflict is that she is being tried as an adult because she dumped her baby in a trash can. I believe that this is important because of the fact she was trying to kill her baby. Also she is 15, it’s not like she was intentionally trying to kill the baby. Well Devon has quite explained what has happened between her and this boy. All I know is that she was pregnant and gave birth and that she didn’t tell anyone that she was, even her own mother didn’t know she was pregnant. This is important to then plot because her mom was a teenager when she gave birth too, also Devon doesn’t want to become like her mom. Her mom is always bringing in men to the house and I think that’s why Devon is a little messed up.


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  33. Amanda E.
    Scheller 3rd.
    The main conflict in the story is an internal conflict with the main character, Devon. Devon gave birth to a baby that she claims she didn’t even know she had and throws it away in the trash can. The next morning the police arrive and arrest her for her actions. My reaction when I first found out it was her who threw the baby away, I was just insanely surprised. I don’t know how someone can just throw their baby away, even if they don’t want it. Also, not to mention that she gave birth herself in her bathroom without anyone at all to help her.

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    1. Madison H.
      Mrs. Scheller 3rd
      Amanda E., I agree with your statement that Devon has a major internal conflict. I also believe that her choice to throw the baby away was because was terrified and didn’t feel as if she had another option. I also was extremely surprised that she could throw an innocent child away and give birth alone in her bathroom with no help at all.

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    2. Crysal W
      Mrs. Parks 4th hours
      I completly agree with you. She was in complete denial about her whole pregancy for 9 months. This proves that Devon had a huge internal conflict. I believe she that she threw her baby away because she was afraid that she was going to be like her mother. Her mother was also a teenage mother , and this made Devon even more denial

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    3. Sydney s
      Mrs.Scheller 6th

      I agree with this because I think it is completely shocking that someone could just throw a baby in the trashcan. She should have accepted the fact that she was pregnant instead of denying it and told someone. If she would have done that she could've had help in delivering the baby, and none of this would have ever happened.

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  34. Ashley C.
    Ms. Scheller 3rd hour
    The most important conflict and topic is the fact that Devon made the choice of putting her baby in the trash can after giving birth. This causes her to be trialed for either an adult or juvenile. This way she is tried two separate ways that can cause two separate outcomes. All of this came in a shock because everything in her life was perfect, besides her mom. Devon wants to be the complete opposite of her mom and she feels as if the action she made is reflecting on her mom’s character and something she would do. I don’t know exactly how I feel about the conflict, yet. I believe what she did was brutal and wrong, but it was compulsive and she was hopeless enough to just do something with the baby before anyone found out. Clearly, that wasn't the way to go.

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    1. Madison H.
      Mrs. Scheller 3rd
      Ashley C., I also believe completely that Devon’s decision was brutal and wrong, and that it was compulsive and that she was hopeless enough to get rid of her “problem” before anyone found out. I also believe that Devon fears this decision was something her mom would do and I believe that the is something she is very hurt to realize.

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    2. Will S.
      Scheller 6th
      Ashley C. I definitely agree with your thoughts. I just can’t believe how Devon just threw her baby away after her birth. I mean what kind of parent would ever do that? Her actions during that conflict were ruthless and vicious. She literally had no faith in herself and she just gave up instantly. She didn't even think what she was doing. She clearly lost her mind during that time.

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  35. Taylor O.
    Mrs. Scheller 3rd Hour
    What I would consider to be the most important conflict in the book is Devon, herself. She has struggled with living on her own without her mother in her life and struggled with the transition from a perfect student and star soccer player to juvenile detention center. I think this is important to the plot because Devon is slowly learning what it is like to be on her own in the world, and what it means to be respectful and responsible to everyone and hopefully getting out of jail. My reaction to the conflict would be to do everything I can to be more mature because Devon’s mom most likely won’t help her fight through hard times like these.

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    1. Ashley C.
      Ms. Scheller 3rd hour
      Taylor O., I agree that the whole conflict revolves around Devon, herself. But, I think Devon learned to be independent at a very young age due to her circumstance with her mom. Devon’s mom was never there to support her or to take care of her since the beginning. She would sit in her crib for hours waiting for her mom. This shows me that her mom won’t be there to help and support her at a time like this in Devon’s life.

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    2. Kristen M.
      Hour 6
      May 20, 2014
      Taylor O. I definitely agree with you. I think that she can’t handle that transition from being that perfect girl to a girl who is in juvenile detention. I also think that that is why it is important to the plot because she is learning things that she hasn’t before. Devons mom is more than likely not going to come back to help her or even to visit her, so its probably a good thing that’s she is learning these things.

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    3. Sydney s
      Mrs. Scheller 6th

      I agree with the idea that the conflict is Devon. Anyone whose parent is around in there life and a stable family would most likely not hide something like this from their parents and make the decision that Devon did. However her mom was never around which led to Devon not knowing what to do and feeling scared and alone.

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  36. Taylor O.
    Mrs. Scheller 3rd Hour
    Ashley C. I completely agree with your idea about the main conflict. Devon was wrong about throwing her baby in the trash out of hopelessness. Her mother does have a big part in the conflict because Devon was so set on the idea of not being like her mother and following in her tracks that she made a quick decision that obviously was wrong.

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  37. Madison H.
    Mrs. Scheller 3rd
    The most important conflict in the book is Devon’s choice to put her newborn baby into a trashcan minutes after its birth. Due to the seriousness of this action, she will either be tried as an adult or a juvenile based on what the judge sees as “fit”. Devon hid the entire pregnancy and attempted to hide the actual birth which is why the option to be tried as an adult is there. Devon doesn’t want to be anything like her mom but she feels this action is something her mother would do. My reaction to all of this is appalled and shocked. Devon didn’t even accept the fact that she had given birth, she immediately wanted to get rid of it and in my opinion she was not thinking straight and made a decision that she will regret for the rest of her life.

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    1. Ashley C.
      Ms. Scheller 3rd hour
      Madison H., I take the same view as you in her situation. I am shocked at what she has done but, if I was put into that situation, I don’t know what I would have done myself. Devon is in denial of what she has done but, she is beginning to open up more about it as time goes on. She starts to trust Dom and tell her information that she doesn't even want to admit to herself.

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    2. Will S.
      Scheller 6th
      Madison H. I totally agree with your perspective of her conflict. I was speechless when Devon just put her baby in a trash can right after her birth. If I were to be Devon in that position, I would definitely seek for help and tell my parents about it. What kind of person would ever do this? People that are mentally crazy would do this things, not ordinary people. It’s just ridiculous how she just threw her baby away without even thinking for a second.

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  38. Taylor O.
    Mrs. Scheller 3rd Hour
    Amanda E. I agree with your statement because it is an internal conflict that Devon is facing. I think she was so scared of the consequences and ending up like her mom that she told herself she wasn’t pregnant when obviously she was. By lying about everything, Devon has put herself in an even worse situation and now has to face court with all the evidence they have backing up that she is guilty.

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  39. Rebecca P.
    4th hour Mrs. Parks
    The conflict is between Devon and herself. She has this conflict with herself because while she was pregnant for the whole nine months, she refused to believe that she was pregnant. She continued to work out a lot, wear baggy clothes, and get sick often, but still refused to accept the fact that she was pregnant. This is important to the plot because it ties the whole book together, especially when she shares information with her lawyer. I was shocked and a little confused when she was refusing to believe that she was pregnant and what she did with her child. I reacted this way because usually people know when they are pregnant and own up to their mistakes but instead she hid it for the whole nine months.

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    1. Crystal W.
      Mrs. Parks 4th hour
      The main conflict in this book is between Devon and herself. She threw away her baby out of spite not to be like her mother. Her whole life she been trying to avoid gaining characteristics of her mom because to Devon her mom is defiantly not a role model. She did throw away her baby and that is a conflict but that’s not the main conflict. This is important to the plot because it causes difficulty between Devon and her situation. My reaction to this conflict was confusion. The book was shifting back and forth changing the conflict from Devon to her baby. The switching back and forth made it confusing to me .

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    2. Crystal W.
      Mrs. Parks 4th hour
      Rebecca P. I totally agree with you. she was in denial for the whole 9 months. She had an idea she was pregnant because he weight gain, fatigue , and morning sickness, but she still repeatly denied the fact that she was pregnant

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    3. Kristen M.
      Hour 6
      May 20, 2014
      Rebecca P. I totally agree with you. About how she has the conflict with herself. I honestly think that she definitely knew that she was pregnant but she didn’t want to ruin her perfect student and athlete look. I was also shocked when she was refusing what she actually did with her child. What I was also confused about was how her own mom or anyone around her didn't notice her stomach getting so big, because that’s definitely something you can’t miss, no matter how baggy of clothing you’re wearing.

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  40. Kristen M.
    Hour 6
    May 20, 2014
    What I think is the most important conflict in this book is Devon basically living on her own since she was a little girl. Her mom has been in countless relationships, which has definitely affected Devon in a bad way. Devon is also struggling with being the perfect student and athlete to being in a juvenile detention center, and possibly in jail for the rest of her life. I think that this is important to the plot because Devon is actually learning to live on her own and realizing what she has been going through. My reaction would be to just learn that I’m basically going to be on my own now because Devon’s mom probably is not going to be there for her.

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    1. Kristen I didn't say that was the conflict but I totally agree with that. I didn't think about till I saw your post and it really got me thinking. Her mom and how she treated Devon since she was a little girl affected Devon in a big way and that’s probably why Devon made the decision that she did.

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  41. Will S.
    Scheller 6th
    I think one of the biggest conflicts I the book is Devon. Whenever she was pregnant, she could not control herself. She believed herself that she was not pregnant and that she was an ordinary girl. However, she was pregnant. When her baby was born, she was panicking and she had no idea what to do. So she decided to throw the baby away in a trash can and she just walked away. She didn’t even give one thought about the baby. I felt very frustration and rage whenever I read this part of the conflict. I mean what kind of person would ever do such thing? I just can’t believe she would do these things. This was just wrong in so many levels and if I were to be Devon, I would seek for help and definitely tell my parents about it.

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    1. Will I agree with what you are saying. She acted like she didn't understand what she was doing because she was scared which is understandable but at the same time I understand why she felt that way. She was alone. I also think that its unreasonable the length she went to to get rid of something that was defenseless and depended on her for everything.

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  42. Sydney s
    Ms.Scheller 6th hour

    I think the main conflict in this story is Devon’s choice to throw her new born baby in the trashcan. She knew she must have been pregnant due to her weight gain and fatigue, but instead of accepting it she wore baggy clothes and denied it for nine months. I understand how scary the situation must have been for her, scared of what her mom and friends would think. However that doesn’t make what she did okay. This is important to the plot because what they decide to do with her case could mean her staying in the juvenile detention center. I don’t know how I feel about the conflict because I get she was scared, buts it’s still unacceptable.


    I

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    1. Sydney I totally agree with you. It was the main conflict when she threw away her baby, and that she handled it totally wrong she should of known she was pregnant and should od accepted it. And I also totally understand why she did it and that is was scary but she dealt with the problem poorly.

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    2. Sydney I completely agree that throwing her baby in the trash was completely the worst idea she could have had. She had many other options to choice from either including her family and friends or even just adoption. I also understand that what she went through scared her. She didn’t have anyone there to help her through it and just tell her it will be okay and sometimes that’s all people really need and she didn’t have that.

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  43. shannon m
    scheller 7th

    I think the main conflict would be when Devon made the poor choice to throw her new born baby in the trashcan and leave it there. I consider this a conflict because it was an internal conflict. It was internal because she denied being pregnant for a whole 9 months. I understand where she was coming from…. But freaking out to the point to throwing your baby away is horrible. It also kind of makes me mad. If I was in that situation I would come clean to my mom. The saying is you reap what you sew and her getting pregnant is what she had to reap because she had sex.

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    1. Kelly W.
      Scheller 2nd
      To Shannon M
      I agree with you that throwing your baby away is horrible and being pregnant a whole 9 months and not telling anyone or admitting it to her own self would be an internal conflict. I would do the same thing and come clean to my mom too because it would kill me alive to know I’m hiding something and I can’t tell anyone. Also it made me mad too I can’t believe she threw her own baby away, and Devon still doesn't admit to herself or others that she got pregnant and had sex and had a baby and threw it away.

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  44. Madison R.
    Scheller 7th
    I think one of the biggest conflicts in the book is Devon herself. She doesn’t let people in and it ends up making things worse than they need to be. She pushes away the people who care about her and it just proves how hard what she is going through really is because she is alone. When she made the choice of being alone in her pregnancy and birth it ended up hurting a lot more people than it needed to. I think this is important to the plot because it shows her inner struggle of finding her way on her own after doing something that she shouldn’t have. My reaction to her attitude is confusion. I don’t understand why she feels that she is alone when she should know that people care for her even if her mom isn’t there at home for her very much.

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    1. Kayla M.
      Mrs.Scheller 1st hour
      Madison R., I also feel really confused why Devon just pushes people out of her life. People do care about her but she thinks that they are just going to make fun of her (which they won’t). I feel like Devon needs to rethink about what she is doing about other people because like I said, there are people that want to help, she just doesn’t think so.

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    2. Amanda E.
      Scheller 3rd.
      Madison R.
      I totally agree with your thoughts on the main conflict. She has so many problems going on with her and it’s a lot for one teenager to handle. I mean she had so many problems with her mom, that she gave birth on her own and threw it away, just so her mom wouldn’t find out.

      .

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  45. Taylor B.
    Mrs.Scheller 2nd

    What I consider to be the “most conflict” in the book is when she finally decides to speak to Dom (her lawyer) about her life and everything that happened. In this part or portion of the book she begins to tell Dom about that night, her feelings, and more information that could help Dom get her off of the adult charge. Devin tells her how she meets the guy who got her pregnant and what happened after that night she had sex. I think this is important because I believe it brings more excitement to the story and it helps the readers understand more. I reacted in surprise because I thought that after she had sex the guy left and never contacted her or anything but it was the complete opposite. He tried calling Devin and everything but she never replied and the fact that he was from out of town and didn’t know that he had a child was even crazier to me because Devin never plans on telling him.

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    1. Kayla M.
      Mrs.Scheller 1st hour
      Taylor B., I agree with your statement. I also feel that a conflict in the book is when she told Dom about her life. I knew Devon didn’t want to but she knew it would probably the only thing to get out of the place. I was also really shocked when I heard everything about that night and when the boy tried to kept on talking the Devon after.

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  46. Taylor B.
    Scheller 2nd hour
    To Madison R.
    I definitely agree with you. I think that if Devin would have let people in that she would have never been dealing with the situation she is in. I also think that her mother not being there in the past and even in her current situation is making her attitude towards people worst because there are people who care now and I don’t think that she realizes that because she has been alone all of her life.

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  47. Kayla M.
    Mrs.Scheller 1st hour
    I feel like the theme of this book is that even when you did something wrong, always push through it. I find this theme meaningful because if Devon gave up like she did at the beginning of the book, she wouldn’t have had a chance to try to leave juvenile detention. One example from the text that proves that this is a theme is that Devon really didn’t want to tell Dom about her life because she never trusted anyone anymore, but Devon decided to. Another example is, Devon knew she did something wrong but to push through it by getting points to move up to Honor rating. That means that she never gave up to get out of juvenile detention.

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    1. Taylor B.
      Scheller 2nd
      Kayla M. I agree with you. I believe that Devin giving up was a horrible thing. Also the fact that she finally open up to people and except the fact that without those people Devin would never have a chance to redeem her name or even get out of her situation.

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    2. Kelly W.
      Scheller 2nd
      To Kayla 1st hour
      The theme you came up with also fits this book well because pushing through her situation would have been bad is she gave up. An your right when you said if she would have given up at the beginning of the book she would have had that chance that Dom gave her to leave. When Dom gave her the chance to get the honor status and Devon agreed that showed that she wanted to push through it. And when she told Dom about her life was a great example too because although she didn't want to she did because she felt obligated to tell her those thing since Dom helped her out and told her what she need to do to get out of that place.

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    3. Rebecca P.
      Mrs. Parks 4th hour
      Kayla M.,I completely agree with you. She continued to tell everyone, including her lawyer, that she didn’t think she was pregnant and she didn’t remember having the baby. Eventually, she had to tell Dom the truth and she ended up remembering everything. She realized that she was guilty at the end.

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    4. Crystal W
      Mrs. Parks 4th hr
      I disagree with you completly. She threw her baby away. Theres no pushing threw that. That was her decision. No one made her do that. She went to jail because that was inhuman. She can push threw jail, but that guilt will be there forever

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  48. Kelly W.
    Scheller 2nd
    The main theme of the story is believing in yourself and to accept help when someone helps, I think this is the main theme because when you in a situation like her you have to believe in yourself to make it better and not having to go through it alone. This theme supports the idea because when Devon is in juvenile dentition she had to believe in herself that she was good and not bad for doing what she thought was right and to accept that she had done wrong and to accept help from her lawyer Dom. Also she had to believe that she was going to try her hardest to get out of there such as doing chores and then she had to get along with the other girls to keep her on the honor status.

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    1. Taylor
      Scheller 2nd hour
      Kelly W. I agree with you. I felt as if Devin never really believed in herself and her making the decision that she did only made her self-confidence worst than it already was. I also think when she accept the fact that she had done wrong and knew somebody was by her side even while her mother was there then she finally started to believe

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  49. Taylor B.
    Scheller 2nd
    The theme of this book or the story is one mistake can cost you the rest of your life. The main idea that the author was trying to point out was that you have to think about things before you actually do them. If you don’t think about your choices or actions then you could hurt yourself or other people in the process. You could lose people the most close to you and jeopardize what you have worked so hard to accomplish. Devin has made a big mistake and it has cost her everything; her good name, her family, and her sanity. Devin not thinking at the moment made her throws her baby in trash. I feel this is meaningful because it shows people that if you aren't conscious about what you do then you could end up in a place or a situation you never imagine you’d be in. For example take Devin 15 years old a mother and a criminal who once use to be an A plus student and a star soccer player.

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    1. Kelly W.
      Scheller 2nd
      To Taylor B. 2nd
      I agree with the theme you picked out because that correct she made one mistake with one guy, and he doesn't even know what she had done. She had an excellent report from all on her teachers. Devon was the perfect A+ student soccer star and she got interviewed and placed in the newspaper for soccer. I don’t know about her mom but her mom has not even seen her since “that night” and I think it’s sad she made one mistake and her like and career too play soccer is over because on one mistake and not thinking about her actions before doing.

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    2. Amanda E.
      Scheller 3rd.
      Taylor B.
      I agree with your idea about the theme of the book. Devon was such a good student and kid and this one mistake cost her, her whole life. (I didn’t make it to the end yet) For the rest of her life she will be affected by this decision she made, simply out of fear.

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    3. Ashley C.
      Ms. Scheller 3rd
      I agree with the theme you found with this book. Devon didn’t think about the action she had made and that caused her to have the negative consequences she had. I like that she began to be more mature than she was when she got into the juvenile center. I’m glad she made the decision of pleading guilty after she was testified to not be guilty by the judge. She made the mistake and needs to be able to learn from it and deal with it.

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    4. Sydney S
      Mrs. Scheller 6th
      Taylor B
      I agree with the theme you chose for this book “one mistake can cost you the rest of your life”. This is exactly what happened to Devon. One day she was a soccer star, perfect grades and, the next day that was all gone. People need to realize that one simple mistake that they don’t think is a big deal can affect them in the long run.

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  50. Taylor Ousley
    3rd Hour Mrs. Scheller
    I think the theme of this book is that even if you don’t like the consequences of an action you made, you still have to pay the price and except that that is the right choice. This is meaningful to me because when Devon pleads guilty at the end of the book, she finally realizes what she has done wrong and that she made some very poor decisions. Also, when Devon opens up more with Dom and starts to tell her what happened throughout her whole experience and the pregnancy. Devon became more mature throughout the book and took responsibility for her wrong doings.

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    1. Madison H.
      Mrs. Scheller 3rd
      I completely agree with your theme. I agree that she finally accepted what she had done and decided to accept her consequences. I also agree that she has become extremely more mature and responsible throughout the book. I also agree that she was accepting what she had done when she started to open up to Dom and share her actions during the pregnancy and birth.

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  51. Amanda E.
    Mrs.Scheller 3rd
    The main theme to the book, After, is that for every wrong choice you make, there will be consequences, but sometimes you can fix them. I think that’s the main theme, because every choice she made, either about the whole incident or what she did inside the juvenile detention center, had consequences. When she threw her baby away to shut it up and get rid of it, she ended up getting arrested and sent to the detention center. When she saw Karma break the spork and keep it, Karma ended up hurt because she didn’t tell the staff. The whole story behind the theme is so meaningful, because she learned her lesson for the big mistakes she made.

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    1. Ashley C.
      Ms. Scheller 3rd
      I agree with your theme that you found with the book. Devon made harsh and wrong choices but through maturity and self-discipline you can try to make the choice a right. Devon also was respectable to Dom towards the end when she began to open up to her and that's why she ended up being not guilty until she tested herself to be guilty.

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  52. Ashley C.
    Ms. Scheller 3rd
    The theme for the book “After” is to do the right when you choose the wrong. The author was trying to show that when you decide to make a wrong decision, you need to be able to go with the consequences that you’re given. Making a life time decision is a big deal and you need to be able to think before you commit the crime. Devon didn’t think before she committed the crime of throwing her baby in the trash and now she had to face a judge deciding her fate. In the end, she pleads guilty. She didn’t have to do this, but like in soccer if you do something wrong you have to take the penalty. So, since she did something wrong she decided to take responsibility for her actions. While she is in prison she is trying to act as respectable as possible instead of being rude and dis-respectable like the other teenage girls. She decided to be friends with Dom, her lawyer, and not be distant to help show she can be a kid who can be respected back. I find all of this meaningful because even though she made a life changing mistake, she dealt with it like an adult and kept her maturity.

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    1. Madison H.
      Mrs. Scheller 3rd
      I strongly agree with your theme and all of your supporting facts. I also believe that she should have thought before she committed her crime but did not and in the end made the right decision to accept what she did and take the punishment. I also support your statement that her actions in prison was her way of accepting her punishment and that she dealt with her mistake in and adult and mature way.

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    2. Kristen M.
      May 23, 2014
      Hour 6
      Ashley C. , I agree with you about the theme you chose. The author was definitely trying to show that when you do something wrong, you need to be able to go with the consequences that are given to you. I also agree with about how Devon didn’t think before what she did. She definitely didn’t think about what the outcome would be, she just thought that everything would go back to normal for her. I also like how you made the reference towards the soccer penalty.

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    3. Will.S
      Mrs.Scheller 6th
      Ashley C, I totally agree with your statement and your thoughts about the theme of the story. Whenever Devon was pregnant, she had no idea what to do. She did not seek for help and she kept it as a secret. When the baby was born, she literally lost her mind and she threw the baby away in a trash can. She didn’t accept her punishment but by letting it go by.

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  53. Taylor Ousley
    3rd Hour Mrs. Scheller
    Taylor B. I completely agree with your theme because it is true that one simple mistake could ruin the rest of your life. I think Devon should have thought more on the whole situation and realized the jeopardy she’s putting on herself, her mother, her soccer career, and her whole future.

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  54. Taylor Ousley
    3rd Hour Mrs. Scheller
    Taylor B. I completely agree with your theme because it is true that one simple mistake could ruin the rest of your life. I think Devon should have thought more on the whole situation and realized the jeopardy she’s putting on herself, her mother, her soccer career, and her whole future.

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  55. Taylor Ousley
    3rd Hour Mrs. Scheller
    Ashley C. I agree with your theme of the book because Devon made a wrong decision, and when she was not able to change or make the situation any better for herself, she chose to do the right thing during court and pleaded guilty. Devon realized her mistake and thought about the baby for once.

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  56. Madison H.
    Mrs. Scheller 3rd
    In the book “After”, the main theme is “When you do something wrong, you must accept your punishment and do what is right.” I believe that this is the main theme because throughout the book Devon is struggling because of her decision to throw her newborn baby into a trashcan, but in the end she does what she sees to be the right thing. While in the juvenile detention center, Devon decides to accept the fact that she did something wrong and try to make the best of the situation she got herself into. Devon also in the end has the opportunity to have almost all of the charges against her dropped but decides to plead guilty to her charges because for a short moment when her baby was lying motionless in her bathroom sink, she had hoped it was no longer alive. She relates her decision to plead guilty to soccer in which she says, “In soccer when you commit a foul, you must take the penalty.” In Devon’s mind pleading guilty was the only way to “take the penalty”.

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    1. Rebecca P.
      Mrs. Parks 4th hour
      Madison H., I totally agree with what you are saying. All throughout the book, she kept denying everything that she had done; including thinking she was pregnant and remembering anything about having the baby. Eventually, after having so many different flashbacks, she pieced it all together that she was guilty, so she wanted to plead guilty.

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    2. Kristen M.
      May 23, 2014
      Hour 6
      Madison H. I definitely agree with your theme. I also like how you made the soccer reference. I think it was good that Devon finally decided to realize what she did, and to accept the consequences that are coming her way. I think that pleading guilty it will help her learn better that being not guilty and getting away with what she did.

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    3. Will.S
      Mrs. Scheller 6th
      Madison H, I totally agree with your perspective. Towards the end of the book, the way Devon acted and the way she behaved when she was pregnant, she was absolutely outrageous. She literally lost her mind during that time and she had no thoughts about the new born baby. She didn’t even forgive herself and she didn’t even felt bad what she have done.

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  57. Rebecca P.
    Mrs. Parks 4th hour
    The theme of this book is “when you make mistakes, you have to except the consequences.” It is important to the book because Devon makes a really stupid mistake that could affect the rest of her life and at the end of the book she finally realizes that she was guilty, and wanted to accept the punishments for whatever they may be. It is meaningful to me because sometimes I have trouble owning up to my mistakes but I just have to get over it and realize that I did something wrong. Devon kept refusing that she thought that she was pregnant and she also kept refusing that she remembered anything about throwing away the baby but throughout the book, she kept having little flashbacks, and at the end she pieced it all together and realized that she was guilty.

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    1. Crystal W
      Mrs. Parks 4th hr
      I completely agree with you Rebecca. Devon didn’t want accept the consequences of her sexual experience with Connor. Instead of accepting her pregnancy she was in denial for a whole 9 months. Then when she was arrested her reason for throwing her child was because she didn’t know she was pregnant, but the end of her book she did decide that she was guilty.

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  58. Crystal W.
    Mrs. Parks 4th hr
    The events in this novel help me to think the theme of this book would be “Bad things happen to good people all the time”. This universal theme connects to the book pertly. Devon was a straight A student, very talented soccer player, and a very hard worker. She was very different from other teenagers, but one event changed her life completely. She had sex, and got pregnant. She was so in denial she didn’t believe she was pregnant until she gave birth in her bathroom. She was so overwhelmed she threw her baby in a trash. Not because she didn’t love her, but because she didn’t want to have any part in motherhood. Devon was a great student and person, but that doesn’t stop bad things from happening to her. The importance of greatly needed in this world because so many situations like this happening more and more nowadays .

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    1. Sydney S
      Mrs. Scheller 6th
      Crystal w
      I completely agree that a theme of this book is “bad things happen to good people all the time”. Devon was a perfect student and an extremely hard worker. She didn’t do drugs, party, or any of the things that cause trouble in high school. She sounds like the last person you would expect to be in jail. However one big mistake caused her life to completely change. This proves that bad things can happen to even the best people.

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  59. Kristen M.
    May 23, 2014
    Hour 6
    I would say the theme of this book would be “Accept the consequences for the mistakes you make.” This theme is important to this book because Devon decides not to accept what she did and what happened. This means that she won’t accept the consequences that are coming her way. Devon did a very bad thing and she just keeps telling herself that she doesn’t remember, when I think that she just doesn’t want to remember what she did. But finally at the end Devon finally decides to accept the consequences for the mistake that she has made.

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    1. I totally agree with you Kristen I didn’t say that was the theme but you also fit really greatly with the book. When you mention that you don’t think she wants to remember I thought about and I agree with that also. At les tat the end she did come to terms with it though

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  60. Sydney S
    Mrs. Scheller 6th
    I think the theme of this book is “you have to take responsibility for your actions”. This applies to the book because Devon was not taking responsibility for what she did wrong at first. When Devon first was in the Detention center she was being rude and not cooperating. She thought she was better than all the other girls there, when in reality she had done something wrong just like the rest of them. Eventually Devon accepted what she did and tried to make the best out of the situation. I think this applies not only to the world but everyday life, because people make wrong decisions all the time and need to take responsibility for their actions rather than blaming others.

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  61. Shannon M.
    Sheller 7th
    I think the theme would be “take responsibility for your actions”. I think “take responsibly for your actions “is the theme because Devon the main character did not accept hers she thought she can just get away with throwing her baby in the trash can and leaving it for dead. Since she did that she ended up in the juvenile detention center. Even when they told her she did it she didn't accept it. Later on in the book she does and it makes her life go a little bit more smoothly. So the lesson taking responsibility in the first place will help things go easier for you.

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  62. Crystal w I agree with you 100%. I did say that was the theme but now that I think about bad thing happen to good people all the time is also a great theme for it because Devon was just a good person who made just one really bad mistake.

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