Gayle Forman's If I Stay

Mia is the central character of this story. She is kind, musically gifted, and quiet. She cares a lot about her family and friends and also, she possesses a deep love for her cello. Mia

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Like almost every other 3rd grader in my elementary school, when the enrichment program came to talk about joining the orchestra and band, I was fascinated. I admired the kids, not much older than me, who could play their instruments flawlessly and effortlessly. Immediately I knew that orchestra was for me, and I rushed home with a paper in hand begging my mom to let me take lessons at my school. Originally, I wanted to play the cello and pleaded with my mom to let me play one; I loved the deep, rich sounds of the strings. Instead, my mom convinced me to play the violin, a less expensive instrument and much easier to carry around than a cello.

When I was in fifth grade, I was caught between two worlds, playing a woodwind or string instrument. If I played a woodwind instrument I would have to blow in it to make music, but string instruments are played with a bow to make music. After much thought, I decided that the violin was the best instrument for me, because it has a beautiful, unique sound, plus the possibilities are never-ending. I could receive a compliment from a teacher, or even get accepted to the symphony.

I don’t remember if it was my choice or my parents, but in 5th grade when we were given the choice to be in band, I was very anxious to start. We got to meet with Mrs. Jones and try a few different instruments before making a decision. My top three choices were percussion, trombone, and clarinet (only because my sister had played it). I tried the clarinet first and thought it was alright, but not my favorite. I tried the trombone next, and while it was difficult, I really wanted to keep trying. I also tried percussion- she just had me keep a beat on my leg- and I thought percussion may be difficult for me, but I still wanted to do it. In the end, Mrs. Jones decided I would be best fit for the clarinet, mostly because I could use my sisters and not have to buy a new instrument. I was happy with the choice, mostly because I was excited to be playing anything!

What is a paragraph or passage in the first two that stood out to you? Why did that particular passage grab your attention?

The outcome of someone's choice can not only affect them, but others too. This is why your choices are critical to your everyday life. Paul Fisher, the main character in the book, Tangerine, by Edward Bloor finds out how important others choices are because of his family’s move for his Dad’s job. Mrs. Fisher, Paul’s mother made choices that not only had an impact on her, but on Paul, too. The choices she made ultimately influenced Paul because, it changed his social life, made him more cautious, and strengthened relationships with others.

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She is making an impact on his conscious and his pride is

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I later took up band in seventh grade to get a sense of what music is. Intentionally, I wanted to play the alto-sax and hopefully learn to make great music with it, but it would cost me, so I chose a clarinet. The clarinet had an interesting sound similar to a sax and it was nice to know that I sounded better than Squidward Tentacles. The flute was another instrument that caught my eye, it looked like a recorder but looks and sounds relatively refined. But, I could never get the embouchure right to get that sweet flute sound, instead it sounded like blowing air into a tube, looking back, I probably wasn’t ready to play it

This is shown by the way he talks to her and how he acts around her.

What if the world that one knows comes to an end? What if one day one wakes up and everything one once knew suddenly changes? “What and if two words as nonthreatening as words come But put them together side-by-side and they have the power to haunt you for the rest of your life: ‘What if?'...”(Friedman, Letters To Juliette 2006). “What” and “if” are two words that haunt Mia as she has an out-of-body experience after a terrible car accident. Published in 2009, “If I Stay” is a young adult novel written by Gayle Forman. The story follows as the 17-year-old music talented, Mia Hall experience a car accident that killed her whole family. In a coma, Mia has decision to make that would determine her fate. She has to choose whether she fights for