Crutcher, Chris. Running Loose. New York: HarperCollins Children’s Books, 1983.
"About Child Abuse." Tennyson Center for Children Home Page. Online. Internet. 2006. Available: http://www.childabuse.org/about%20child%20abuse.html
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Character Summary and Development.
Louie Banks: Louie was on the football team until he quit because he Coach was racist. He couldn't take it and then his girlfriend died in an accident. Louie and Coach Madison went up against the principle and Coach Lednecky to get Louie on the track team. Louie is the protagonist in the story.
Becky Sanders: Becky was Louies girlfriend until she died in an accident. She was the glue holding Louie's life together after he quit the football team. She was a cheerleader and was very sweet.
Coach Madison: Coach Madison was the good coach that wasn't racist. He went up against Principle Madison and Coach Lednecky with Louie to get him on the track team. He gave GREAT advice to Louie when he needed it.
Principle Jasper: Principle Jasper was a butt head. He was mean and did everything Coach Lednecky told him to do. He was trying to make Louie's life horrible, or more horrible than it already was. When he put up the plaque for Becky, he put his name on it which made Louie go over the edge.
Coach Lednecky: Coach Lednecky was the coach that told the team to take out Washington, the black kind on Salmon River. He would've been the principle if Jasper wasn't. Everyone would do anything he said. He was the antagonist in the story.
Becky Sander's Dad: Becky's dad was always there for Louie when Becky died. He even called into the school to suggest Louie for track. He was very, very, very nice.
Norm: Norm is Louie's dad in Running Loose, he never judged Louie and was always behind him with everything he did.
Dakota: Dakota was there whenever Louie needed advice. He was a great help. He taught Louie with the checkers.
Carter: Carter is Louie's best friend and was always there for him when he needed him. He helped out Louie before football tryouts to get him in shape.
Boomer: Boomer was the bully to Louie, until the church part when Boomer and Carter carried Louie out. He started being nice to Louie at the end of the story.
Becky Sanders: Becky was Louies girlfriend until she died in an accident. She was the glue holding Louie's life together after he quit the football team. She was a cheerleader and was very sweet.
Coach Madison: Coach Madison was the good coach that wasn't racist. He went up against Principle Madison and Coach Lednecky with Louie to get him on the track team. He gave GREAT advice to Louie when he needed it.
Principle Jasper: Principle Jasper was a butt head. He was mean and did everything Coach Lednecky told him to do. He was trying to make Louie's life horrible, or more horrible than it already was. When he put up the plaque for Becky, he put his name on it which made Louie go over the edge.
Coach Lednecky: Coach Lednecky was the coach that told the team to take out Washington, the black kind on Salmon River. He would've been the principle if Jasper wasn't. Everyone would do anything he said. He was the antagonist in the story.
Becky Sander's Dad: Becky's dad was always there for Louie when Becky died. He even called into the school to suggest Louie for track. He was very, very, very nice.
Norm: Norm is Louie's dad in Running Loose, he never judged Louie and was always behind him with everything he did.
Dakota: Dakota was there whenever Louie needed advice. He was a great help. He taught Louie with the checkers.
Carter: Carter is Louie's best friend and was always there for him when he needed him. He helped out Louie before football tryouts to get him in shape.
Boomer: Boomer was the bully to Louie, until the church part when Boomer and Carter carried Louie out. He started being nice to Louie at the end of the story.
Six Traits of Writing +1
I think that Chris Crutcher's writing was pretty good. There were some rough patches in his writing though. Trait 1 (Ideas and Content) was very well devoloped. He was very focused on the idea of racism during the story. Also, he showed that he knew a lot about racism because throughout the story it was metioned and he explained Louie quitting the team with it. Trati 2 (Organization) was shown very well in the story. Chris Crutcher had all of his events in order for the story to make sense. All the way from Louie quitting the football team, to winning the 2 mile run against Washington in the end. It was very good how he had all of his events the way they were, they worked well with the story. For the trait 3 (Voice), he could've connected with the reader a little bit more. For me, he didn't really speak out to me that much, it was there, it just wasn't that strong. Crutcher needs to connect with the reader a little bit more. Trait 4 (Word Choice), he used word choice very well, except it was too strong on some parts. For example; "D*$& it, Louie!" Dakota screamed at Louie during the death scene. I didn't think that was necessary because Dakota could've just calmed him down and asked him nicely to not go down to the river. Trait 5 (Sentence Fluency), Chris Crutcher showed this very well on some parts and no so good on other parts. Some of the parts were just too slow and they didn't speed up for pages. Other parts, it went just fine. For trait 6 (Conventions) Running Loose was very well convented. I really don't have much to say about this trait. Last, trait 7 (Presentation) I think that he could've made a more appealing cover that wasn't so dull. That would just attract more readers. Those are my evaluations on the six traits +1.
Plot Summary
Louie was on the football team and had a great girlfriend, until everything started going downhill. Louie and his best friend Carter worked out every day to get onto the first string for Trout Football. When the tryouts came, Louie was beating Boomer, the fastest and most competitive guy, until the last fifteen yards or so. He picked up his speed and beat Louie. Louie still felt good about himself though. Carter told him that he was doing well. At the end of practice, Louie had made it as a running back. Before the first game against Salmon Trout, Coach Lednecky heard that they had a new player. The new players name was Washington. He was black and the best quarterback that they have ever had. Coach Lednecky came up with a plan that Louie wasn’t comfortable with. On the big game day, Boomer took out Washington and Louie freaked out. He ended up quitting the football team. Becky asked if he wanted her to quit the cheerleading squad to support him. He told her no. Louie just blew up after that. Becky died trying to ditch a motorcycle and then went off of the bridge. At the funeral he blew up inside of the church. Which was in front of almost the whole entire town. Louie couldn't take any more of the crap that was going on around the school. That's when Coach Madison stepped in. He told Louie that he didn't want to be on a team when there was racism. That he was a coach, but he didn't want to coach if they were going to do it like this. That's when they came up with the plan. Coach Madison and Louie were going to get Louie onto the track team. Madison and Louie went up against Principle Jasper and Coach Lednecky. Madison and Louie convinced Lednecky and Jasper to let Louie be on the track team, but with a little more guidance and rules. In the last track meet, Louie had to run against Washington. Washington said it was an honor for him to be running against Louie and that he was his role model. Louie won, but just by a little, he was still proud of himself. Louie and Washington become friends and all ends well.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Setting
Running Loose is taken place in Trout, Idaho. The setting works with the plot line because when Becky got in her car crash, the bridge worked out well. Another part that the setting worked out well was the tree and the cabin. Louie spent most of his time with Becky in these places. Trout, Idaho worked out very well in Running Loose.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Thoughts about parts in the book.
I thought that Running Loose was a pretty good book. Chris Crutcher could’ve made it better in some parts. He was really slow in some parts and in others he was just too fast. Otherwise it was a good book. I didn’t think that I was going to like it very much because it wasn’t in the genre of books that I usually read. But, I was impressed with how good it was for not being in that genre.
A part that I would change in the book is where Becky dies. It plays good with the story line and it’s a twist, but I didn’t think it really fit with what was going on. I didn’t think that he needed to make her die. All of the football drama would’ve pretty much brought out the whole tantrum Louie throws anyways. It was kind of depressing for Becky to die. Becky was a good character and I think that she could’ve helped Louie through everything if she wouldn’t have died. (I know that she had no choice, but the author did!)
A part that I thought was too fast was where Louie calls Boomer out to the referee on his play against Washington. I think that Chris Crutcher could’ve explained a little more about that. For example; he could’ve elaborated a little more on what Louie was saying to the referee. Crutcher could’ve said:
‘I walked right up to the coach, threw my helmet on the ground, and looked at him like he missed a meteor crashing down on the Earth.
“What are you doing? Why didn’t you call that?” I yelled in his face.
“Call what?” He asked, but I knew that he saw the play. Everyone saw that play.
“The play that Boomer made against Washington! Everyone saw it! You couldn’t have missed it, for goodness sakes you’re the referee! Do something!” I yelled.
Arney Todd motioned for Lednecky to come over.
“He’s not going to do anything, he’s the one who planned it!”
“What is it, Arney?” Coach Lednecky asked.
“Banks here is saying that Boomer made an illegal play against Washington. Is that true?” Arney Todd asked Lednecky.
“No, I didn’t see it. Maybe you need to sit out the rest of the game, Banks.” Lednecky turned to me giving me a warning look.
“I don’t need to sit out the rest of the game. You told us to take out Washington so we could win the game. Don’t act like I’m the only one who heard it.” I yelled in Lednecky’s face.
“Banks, I never said anything about taking out Washington. Nobody did anything wrong here.” He turned to Arney. “I’ll make sure he gets a real talking to, okay?”
“You better or that boy will be trouble.” Arney warned.
“I’m not no trouble.” I told Arney, I still had a temper. “Lednecky called the play and now he’s denying it. I can’t play on a team like this.”
“Don’t say another word or you’ll be off this team. You hear me, Banks?”
“I wouldn’t stay on this team even if you paid me.” I said and walked away from the both of them.
Carter yelled after me, but I turned to him and just shook my head.
I walked out to the truck and tore off the streamers and threw the cooler out of the back. Becky came walking up to me and tried to calm me but there was no use. She asked if she wanted me to come with her, but I said that I should just be alone for awhile. Then, I drove off.’
That’s what I think Chris Crutcher should’ve written for that part. That’s all I have to say about his writing.
A part that I would change in the book is where Becky dies. It plays good with the story line and it’s a twist, but I didn’t think it really fit with what was going on. I didn’t think that he needed to make her die. All of the football drama would’ve pretty much brought out the whole tantrum Louie throws anyways. It was kind of depressing for Becky to die. Becky was a good character and I think that she could’ve helped Louie through everything if she wouldn’t have died. (I know that she had no choice, but the author did!)
A part that I thought was too fast was where Louie calls Boomer out to the referee on his play against Washington. I think that Chris Crutcher could’ve explained a little more about that. For example; he could’ve elaborated a little more on what Louie was saying to the referee. Crutcher could’ve said:
‘I walked right up to the coach, threw my helmet on the ground, and looked at him like he missed a meteor crashing down on the Earth.
“What are you doing? Why didn’t you call that?” I yelled in his face.
“Call what?” He asked, but I knew that he saw the play. Everyone saw that play.
“The play that Boomer made against Washington! Everyone saw it! You couldn’t have missed it, for goodness sakes you’re the referee! Do something!” I yelled.
Arney Todd motioned for Lednecky to come over.
“He’s not going to do anything, he’s the one who planned it!”
“What is it, Arney?” Coach Lednecky asked.
“Banks here is saying that Boomer made an illegal play against Washington. Is that true?” Arney Todd asked Lednecky.
“No, I didn’t see it. Maybe you need to sit out the rest of the game, Banks.” Lednecky turned to me giving me a warning look.
“I don’t need to sit out the rest of the game. You told us to take out Washington so we could win the game. Don’t act like I’m the only one who heard it.” I yelled in Lednecky’s face.
“Banks, I never said anything about taking out Washington. Nobody did anything wrong here.” He turned to Arney. “I’ll make sure he gets a real talking to, okay?”
“You better or that boy will be trouble.” Arney warned.
“I’m not no trouble.” I told Arney, I still had a temper. “Lednecky called the play and now he’s denying it. I can’t play on a team like this.”
“Don’t say another word or you’ll be off this team. You hear me, Banks?”
“I wouldn’t stay on this team even if you paid me.” I said and walked away from the both of them.
Carter yelled after me, but I turned to him and just shook my head.
I walked out to the truck and tore off the streamers and threw the cooler out of the back. Becky came walking up to me and tried to calm me but there was no use. She asked if she wanted me to come with her, but I said that I should just be alone for awhile. Then, I drove off.’
That’s what I think Chris Crutcher should’ve written for that part. That’s all I have to say about his writing.
My thoughts about some of the characters.
Coach Lednecky: I think Coach Lednecky shouldn’t be the coach of Trout High School Football. I think this because the school shouldn’t have a football coach that is racist. Coaches are usually looked up on by students, role models. Nobody wants to have a role model that is racist.
Principal Jasper: Jasper goes along with anything Coach Lednecky says because they’re school is big on sports. They’ve both paired up to keep Louie Banks off of any extracurricular activities in the school. When Coach Madison tries to convince them to let Louie go out for track, I think he kind of panics. He wants to hold his ground on what he said with the conference with Louie’s parents. “Louie cannot go out for any extracurricular activities.” Was what he said in Running Loose.
Coach Madison: Coach Madison is one of the good guys in Running Loose. He tries to help out Louie after everything that happens with him and football. Madison wants to get Louie to join track. They go up against Lednecky and Jasper because Coach Madison doesn’t want anything to do with sports if they’re going to play it the way Lednecky did during the game against Salmon River. Madison loved sports but he wasn’t going to play that way.
Louie Banks: Louie is the main character and narrator in Running Loose. I think Louie is very brave for what he has done throughout the story. He stood up to the referee who was referring for Trout’s game against Salmon River. He wasn’t going to stand for what Lednecky got Boomer to do. I think he was also brave at Becky’s funeral. He blamed God for everything that was happening in his life and he got all of his thoughts out about the church. Louie has been one of my favorite characters throughout the book. I mean, I guess usually the main characters are the favorites but out of all the good characters in this book, I like him the best. Another reason I thought Louie was brave was when he went up against Lednecky and Jasper with Madison. He wasn’t going to give up. They won against Lednecky and Jasper. When they put up a plaque in memory of Becky, Jasper had signed the bottom. Louie wouldn’t have that so he went down there with a sledge hammer. I thought that was funny, but not the right thing to do, but still funny.
Becky Sanders: Becky had to do with a lot of the stuff going on in Running Loose. I thought Becky was a really big part in this book because Louie made a fit when she died. Especially at her funeral. She taught Louie a lot too. For example, she said ‘if they ever break up to take it and put it in a box and remember the good things.’ Becky was a great person in this book. When her and Louie were at her cabin, she didn’t push him to do anything and that was one of the things that Louie remember through all of his tough time. I think Becky was one of the best characters Chris Crutcher could’ve made for this book. She plays well with the story line.
Principal Jasper: Jasper goes along with anything Coach Lednecky says because they’re school is big on sports. They’ve both paired up to keep Louie Banks off of any extracurricular activities in the school. When Coach Madison tries to convince them to let Louie go out for track, I think he kind of panics. He wants to hold his ground on what he said with the conference with Louie’s parents. “Louie cannot go out for any extracurricular activities.” Was what he said in Running Loose.
Coach Madison: Coach Madison is one of the good guys in Running Loose. He tries to help out Louie after everything that happens with him and football. Madison wants to get Louie to join track. They go up against Lednecky and Jasper because Coach Madison doesn’t want anything to do with sports if they’re going to play it the way Lednecky did during the game against Salmon River. Madison loved sports but he wasn’t going to play that way.
Louie Banks: Louie is the main character and narrator in Running Loose. I think Louie is very brave for what he has done throughout the story. He stood up to the referee who was referring for Trout’s game against Salmon River. He wasn’t going to stand for what Lednecky got Boomer to do. I think he was also brave at Becky’s funeral. He blamed God for everything that was happening in his life and he got all of his thoughts out about the church. Louie has been one of my favorite characters throughout the book. I mean, I guess usually the main characters are the favorites but out of all the good characters in this book, I like him the best. Another reason I thought Louie was brave was when he went up against Lednecky and Jasper with Madison. He wasn’t going to give up. They won against Lednecky and Jasper. When they put up a plaque in memory of Becky, Jasper had signed the bottom. Louie wouldn’t have that so he went down there with a sledge hammer. I thought that was funny, but not the right thing to do, but still funny.
Becky Sanders: Becky had to do with a lot of the stuff going on in Running Loose. I thought Becky was a really big part in this book because Louie made a fit when she died. Especially at her funeral. She taught Louie a lot too. For example, she said ‘if they ever break up to take it and put it in a box and remember the good things.’ Becky was a great person in this book. When her and Louie were at her cabin, she didn’t push him to do anything and that was one of the things that Louie remember through all of his tough time. I think Becky was one of the best characters Chris Crutcher could’ve made for this book. She plays well with the story line.
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