Lose Now, Pay Later

Read p.95 aloud. 1. What is this part of the narrative called?

2. What have you learned about the setting? Who are the characters? What might the problem be? Make notes on your graphic organizer. Continue to add notes as we read.

Pause to read the prompt on p.96. Continue reading until the prompt on p.97. 3. What sequence of smaller events can we break this section of the story into?

4. What examples of tension or a problem can you find in this part of the narrative?

Read page 98, including the prompt: 5. What do you learn about the setting? Add it to your graphic organizer.

6. What clues help you make inferences about when the story takes place?

Continue to read until the prompt on p.101: 7. What events take place that are part of the rising action?

8. How does Deb feel about the slimmer before and after she tries it?

9. What are people told is the reason for the pinpricks?

10. What events create tension in this section? Continue to read, pausing to discuss the prompt on p.102. Finish reading the story: 11. What do you suspect that Deb doesn’t at the end of the story?

12. Is the ending a surprise?

After reading: 13. How effectively does the author, Carol Farley, use the narrative elements and form? How would you change the story if you could?

14. At what point in the story did you realize that there was going to be a surprise ending? What inferences did you make that helped you determine that?

15. In narrative, perspective—or point of view—is provided by the narrator. How would this story be different if Trevor were narrating instead of Deb?

Discussion questions:  Explain the three traps that Deb falls for and how you might have acted in her situation.

 To what extent are Deb and Trinja blind to her real addiction to body image? How widespread among teens is concern over body image?

 How were Deb and Trinja, and other people, manipulated? What point might the author be making about people and the way they respond to advertising and fads?

 Brainstorm what might happen in a sequel to the story—what happens to Deb, Trinja, and Trevor?