Edward Bloor's novel Tangerine, is about a seventh grader Paul. In the book Paul has to make many choices. Paul is legally blind, he has an abusive brother, and he is overlooked by his parents. However, he is not the only one that had to make big choices. Paul’s mom, Mrs. Fisher, also had to make many decisions that affected her son. Paul was affected positively but also negatively by his mom's choices. First, Ms.Fisher chose to “lose” Paul's IEP. Therefore, Paul now has a fresh start. For example, when Ms. Fisher and Paul were in the car mom says, “ Your IEP form disappeared somewhere between Lake Windsor and here, it's the kind of thing we should probably never mention again.” This affected Paul by now he can play soccer and he has a fresh start in his school life. In conclusion, this is a good choice for Paul because now he has a new start. …show more content…
For example, mom and paul were having a in conversation the car and she says, “has Erik done anything i need to know about.” The reason she asked was because they had just met with the guidance counselor. But maybe the reason she didn't ask any more from Paul because she knows that Erik could have done something wrong. Overall, mom knew Erik is bad but she didn't want to know so that effects Paul because he knows Erik killed Luis. Lastly, Ms. Fisher chose to not tell Paul about his blindness. For instance when Paul asked his parents what happened she responded, “ You were five years old Paul. There was only so much you could understand. All you could understand was that something bad happened.” Ms.Fisher thought that she was protecting Paul but in reality he got really mad because they didn't tell him that Erik was the reason. All in all, if mom had just told Paul about his eyes because she didn't want him to hate Erik but now he hates his whole
In the beginning, Paul is mostly a ‘momma’s boy’, for example, on page 25, when Paul fisher’s mom introduces him to the school, she says, “We are hoping to see exactly where Paul will be going next week. He has problems
First, Paul’s mother made a choice, to tell the Lake Windsor Downs Middle principal that Paul had an IEP so she could get tour of the school. Since she did that it had prevented Paul from being able to play soccer at Lake Windsor Downs. This changed Paul because it made him decide to go to Tangerine Middle after the sinkhole so he could play soccer again instead of staying at Lake Windsor
“I came across a bot that said ERIK’S TROPHIES. I felt surge of anger”. This quote shows how much Paul hates his brother so early in the beginning. Paul also doesn't like how his father pays little to no attention to paul and mostly to Erik because of football. “I remembered that game back in Houston. Erik was on the front page of the sports
Many characters made careless choices in the book that affected Paul but Eric made the most. In the book Tangerine, Eric’s choices and the consequences of his choices affected the development of Paul in three ways. When Eric hit Tino and when Paul figured out that Eric was the reason he was blind. Paul is a boy who just moved from Texas to Florida. He moves to a place called Lake Windsor Downs. He goes to school at Lake Windsor Downs Middle School, but there was a tragedy at that school so he moved to Tangerine Middle School. He goes out for the Tangerine soccer team and makes it. Then horrible things start happening.
First, a choice made by Paul is when he gave his statement to the police about what he witnessed. He stated, “I saw him do it. I saw Arthur Bauer sneak up on Luiz Cruz like a coward and hit him on the side of the head. Luiz didn’t even see it coming.” This choice helped him develop because he felt as though ever since he met Luiz that he was special and meant something to him, so he needed to tell what actually happened at the high school. The decision was made because Paul belatedly found his voice and was going to speak up for once. The choice plays a major role in the Fisher family considering what will most likely
Mr. Fisher states that he can "make [his] own hours" in order to focus on Erik's "football practice every day" and this gets Paul thinking about how this was all his dad talked about, wondering “how long did it take [him] to get to his favorite topic, the Erik Fisher Football Dream”. Paul's internal dialogue about the comment gives the reader a glimpse into Paul's reaction to his father's lack of concern for him. since that was all he was really focused on. He goes on to keep talking about how “Erik will get the exposure he needs in the press” which gets him stuck on the topic (pg 11). Paul starts to ignore what he is saying since he knows that he will only talk about the older
Erik is the most perfect child, you could ever have, but Paul sees something else. He sees the truth, that the whole community is oblivious about. On page 168, it states “I’ve been always afraid of Erik.” Paul sees this frightening predator ready to devouring him. According to page 113, Erik and Arthur have been teasing Joey about his brother’s death. Paul was angered by it, however he just ignored their comment. This reveals that although they may have survived the sinkhole, Paul has no interest on arguing with Erik because he still fears his own
“ I went downstairs, handed the disk to mom and dad, and said ‘Here’s the whole truth. Here’s what really happened ’” (Bloor 302). In the beginning of the book, Paul was afraid of speaking up to his parents about his brother Erik. When he realizes what his brother and his friend have done to other people he told the police officers and his parents what his brother really did. “The penalty for this and for any other Level Four Infraction is expulsion” (Bloor 294). Towards the end of the book, Paul jumped on a coach's back to stop them from helping his brother. He wanted his brother to be punished for everything he did, but Paul harassed a teacher. Paul is fully developed because like in the other example, he his more brave than he has ever been. Erik got in trouble for what he did and so did Paul. He got expelled from Tangerine Middle School and transferred to St.
He wouldn’t tell his parents that Erik was a bully. After a while in the book Paul’s confidence had grown to enrage, determined, and a little bit Fearless. He had new friends at school and his confidence grows when he stands up for Theresa when Joey gives attitude about Theresa walking him around. At the end of the book Paul’s confidence changes dramatically. Paul went from a wimpy, Troubled and Anxious little boy to a Brilliant, Cool, and Fearless boy.
One way Erik helped improve Paul is Erik frightened him so he would get out of his way. In the novel “Tangerine” it says “Why couldn't I tell? I'd ratted out tiny at the carnival, why couldn't I tell own parents about Erik?”(207) Erik petrified him so much that he couldn't even rat out his brother which he did not like one bit. Another reason why Paul was frightened was because it states “Erik Fisher’s younger brother, Eclipse boy, visually impaired and totally incapable of following in his brother’s footsteps” (pg 35). This shows that later on he will overcome his fears and will stand up against Erik which improves his characteristics.
Fisher paid attention to Erik, even though he had done such a terrible thing to Paul. Overall, Paul’s parents have been telling him a lie his whole life and this made him hate himself. The lie was that he is legally blind because he stared at a Solar Eclipse, but the reason he is legally blind is because Erik and Vincent 's spray painted his eyes. This is emotional for Paul because his whole life he has been led to believe otherwise, but now he hates how his mom, stood up for Erik.
Although Paul does not allow the accident to take over his life, he does change because of it. The accident leaves Paul to be a lot more cautious and more worry-some. Despite his cautious personality, he finds himself trying new things and taking risks because of Finnie. "...Without Finnie Walsh, I
Erik and Paul's relationship isn’t a great one. The relationship is mostly bad it comes from Erik. Erik bullies his brother while his parents do nothing. “And I remembered Erik’s fingers prying my eyelids open while Vincent Castor sprayed white paint on them.” I The actions of
and Mrs. Fisher. Case in point, Paul finds his voice and stands-up to his brother, Erik, and Erik’s friend, Arthur. “ I stepped forward…. Erik. Come on”(261). Furthermore, a second altercation happens when Paul confronts his parents about his eyesight. “I exploded… Am I that idiot”(264). This evidence reveals the beginning of the resolution because throughout the whole novel, the main character, Paul Fisher, has been quiet and shy about his internal ideas, or thoughts. Paul finally gets enough courage to stand- up to his brother and
Paul’s wife Ellen is affected also by the storm but it various different ways. Ellen is a worrier so the mentality that she has is the opposite of Paul’s, she is always expecting the worst to happen. Ellen is really struggling inside this house everyday. Itis causing her to become desperate-to find any reason to leave the fruitless farm and move to town with her parents. Loneliness is the biggest problem she is facing in the story. The person Ellen needs most is Paul and he, in every way, is failing to meet her needs. Throughout this story she reaches a point where she is at her lowest low, she becomes depressed. The mother instinct inside of her is telling her that the best thing for her baby is to leave the farm so he can have a future and maintain his healthy state but the voices in her head become to much when she finally decided to flee the house with the child. She is tired of being alone and the desperate longing takes over her mind and therefore forcing her to make decisions that are not in the best interest of her or her son. She is out of her right mind.