Comment on Mias 4 Journal

Comment on Mias 4 Journal by Lotte

Very good journal! I totally agree with you that Baby knows she deserves better, but she is too lonely, so she is willing for anything and you are also right saying Alphonse uses her for buying Heroin. Me too I like Xavier and think he is good for Baby. I agree that Baby has a double life now; she is in two “relationships” at the same time. I wouldn’t say that Alphonse and Baby have a relationship anymore, because he uses her and he is too old to love her and she doesn’t love him, she just needs him. But at the end Baby can´t hide Alphonse anymore, she goes to the Hotel where she is staying with Alphonse and she is making love with Xavier (that’s a big mistake in my opinion; she shouldn’t have showed him the hotel room at all!). I feel bad for Baby that she had to return to Alphonse house even though she didn’t wanted to see him anymore, but Jules kicked her out. And it must have been hard to leave Xavier behind and not to see him anymore. Me too Im glad Baby knows the truth about how her mother died now and that she finally is with Jules. I would like to know too if she could change her life, but I like open ends.

Discussion Answers Lotte

Theme Discussion Answers to the Questions Lotte

I think Baby got into prostitution, because her father didn’t really told her how bad she could end up and he didn’t gave her rules. Also she was attracted by the lifestyle and the nice High Heels the prostitutes she saw wore.

I think Jules is responsible for how her life turned, because he could have changed it through giving her more rules and a stricter curfew or just caring more would have helped, because like that she wouldn’t have felt unloved. And he should have told her the consequences of taking drugs.

I think she got into drugs, because she lived on the streets and drug dealers surrounded her (in one movie theatre she used to go when Jules was still okay, they dealed with drugs). And also Jules didn’t tell her the consequences.

I think she lost her childhood too early, because she didn’t had a parent figure in her life. Also she had to deal with adult life things. Mostly because she got into prostitution and drugs and stuff like that she lost her childhood and because she had no one who kept her from doing things like that.

I liked how in the book she always described how she saw the world around her, because it was through the eyes of the child. But the imagination didn’t help her, because it is just imagination and reality is the real life.

I think it definitely would make a difference if she had more rules in her life. Because If Baby would have had rules in her life and someone who cared for her and protected her, she wouldn’t have got into prostitution and she would have had different friends maybe and she wouldn’t got into drugs. She would have had a normal life I guess.

Jules is very absent in her life. He cares more for his addiction than for Baby. At the end they are together after all, but in my opinion that’s way to early. And he doesn’t know how to be a father, because he is too young. He let her too much freedom.

I think you learn how important family is for us and a good home and childhood. You also learn how terrible a pimp treats the prostitutes and that there are child prostitutes and they are like in a prison. I feel bad for them and I guess they all have a story why they ended up there, I wish I could help them, because they are like in a prison, they will never be able to go away from their pimp.

I think she doesn’t have many friends, because she moves a lot and she never stays long enough to make friends. Also her father Jules and his addiction is a reason, because Baby tried to make friends with Lauren, but Jules yelled at her and got drunk and did awkward things.

I think the theme of the story is that you should appreciate what your parents can give you and that childhood is a very important part of life that you should not give up until you have to. Also everything bad that happens makes you stronger.

Novel Review Response by Lotte

To be honest, I didn’t understand every word from the review. The review is very short, but I think the most important parts are said. It’s a review and it says the things that make other people want to read the book. The first sentence is a good introduction in my opinion. I agree that is about a young life on the streets and the strength, wits and luck necessary for survival. I think Baby is very strong and what she has gone through made her still stronger. She had to deal with so many things that few other children in her age had to deal with. I totally agree with the statement “Baby vacillates between childhood comforts and adult temptation: still young enough to drag her dolls around in a vinyl suitcase yet old enough to know more than she should about urban cruelties”, it just describes Babys situation so good.  She is somewhere between childhood and adult life and she looses her childhood to early. She would love to play with dolls and live like a child, but her father and her surround make her give up her childhood. And at one point, when she is okay with selling her body and taking drugs and getting drunk, she passed the “border” between childhood and adult life. Things like that change your point of view and how to see things. I agree that Jules takes better care of his addiction than of her daughter, but I think its complicated, because when you are addicted you change and it’s the addiction that make you things do you wouldn’t do normally. So maybe he cares for her, but in a different way and he is not strong enough to give her rules and protect her from Alphonse. I also agree that Alphonse treat the girls like slaves, he doesn’t care for Baby´s rights. He is a pimp, but I don’t think children prostitution is allowed. Luckily for Baby he ends up dying at the end of the book. Who knows how long he would have taken advantage of her and would have used her to get heroin.

Reply to Lote's journal 4.
I agree, I don't like the stripping game,its almost like the children in that jail have lost their sense of innocence,childhood,joy. ( feel sorry for them,their are lost so low,I wouldn't be surprised if when some of those children strip,they don't feel anything,maybe because they can't,they are so numb..)
I like how you sayd Baby is a little child,even thought Baby does all these bad things,in reality,she is still just.as you sayd a little child, (I don't think Alphonse cares, maybe when Baby feels so low and lost in her life,she dosen't care and Alphonse takes advantage of that)
I somewhat agree with you, that it would have been best if Baby would have stayed with Xavier,but she would have to tell him the truth about her, and she probably wouldn't have gone to Val Des Loupes,and in a  way "started life over".
Baby wouldn't have anywhere to stay, and i fear she
might  have just continued leading a secret life, and have Xavier find out for himself.
I agree, Baby dosen't feel the same about, Alphonse,he dosen't seem to care about her,like all he wants if her to earn money for him.
I think your right,Xavier, seems like the person who Baby could trust,and who would try to help her.
I'm going to agree with what your saying at the end, that Baby not telling Xavier the truth shows she more or less dosen't trust him at all,and dosen't feel,hes worth knowing the truth.
Good journal,
Mia

Journal number 4, by Mia.
Also so this will be my last journal,
Baby comes back from prison,after a long and quiet car ride(Filled with tnesion and stress)
She sees alphonse often,even thought he is attractive,hes is deceiving and plays Baby(I think Baby knows she deserves better,but she's so lonely,and sad, she's willing for anything :( ,Alphonse also uses Baby to buy heroin)
Baby starts going to a new school and eventually starts going steady with a somewhat odd child, Xavier,(I like Xavier,I feel he is good for Baby and truly cares for her)
Baby starts leading a double life,always like she is two different,and is technically in 2 relationship at a time,
Alphonse,and Xavier( Not gonna turn out good..)
Xavier dosen't know about who Baby truly is, her drinking,drugs,protittution,(e.x.c.t)
Baby eventually goes out and comes back late,thinking Jules has kicked her out,she goes back to Alphonse,(Jules was actually evicted)
she begins leading that life,protituion,all the money to Alphonse,and no more seeing Xavier,
eventually she runs into him,and they return to Alphonse's hotel room,where they make love, Alphonse comes back and hurts Xavier.
He is very upset (maybe even a little stonned) and quickly injects another shot of heroin into him,Baby falls asleep beside him and he passes out.
When Baby wakes up,Alphonse is dead,(probably of overdose)
She finds Jules,who now lives at shelter,and he tells Baby,hes sorry for all that has happened,for being absent,and they leave to Val Des Loupes,for Baby to stay with his mother.
On the way he tells Baby what has happened to her mother,(she died in  a car accident when Baby was very small, sad thought,but I'm glad Baby now knows the truth)
(Thats the end of the story, I wish there was a sequel,I want to know how,..maybe even ..if Baby manages to change her life)
Mia

Theme discussion answers:
1.I think Baby got into protituion for many reason,like she doesn't really have anyone to tell her whats right or wrong,her friends somewhat glamorize it.

2. Jules is responsible because he is absent, he dosen't give Baby a caring and father figure.

3.I think Baby got into drugs because,she never really had anyone to tell her otherwise, she also is exposed to it,from a young age.

4. Defiantly,Baby had to have raised herself practically,she has no real boundaries or real parent like figures in her life.


5. Somewhat, Baby has an interesting way of describing anything,she still looks at things throughout a child's  eyes, but has a very adult like broadened knowledge.
I don't think her imagination helps her too much,but I feel she occasionally finds comfort in it.


6.If Baby would have had more rules,she would have a better sense of security,and that someone cares about her.
She probably wouldn't have gotten so much into drugs,or even protitution.

7.Fragile,almost like they are strangers who are forced to live together.
They have little trust,or real connection.

8.I think I've learned to look beyond someones decision,because there is always a reason behind the choices that someone makes,and they don't need anyone to judge them.

9. Kids judge Baby often,she also moves around a lot.

10. I think the theme is, something like, " you can get there(somewhere positive) from here(poverty/drugs),its in your hands.
Good questions Lotte

-Mia

Review responce,by Mia.
To begin,I just really like how Babys young life is described as a "bruised childhood",I feel its very accurate,Baby in many ways,I feel didn't exactly have a childhood, left to raise herself,also by the time Baby is 13,she still carries dolls with her,but has an extensive knowledge on "urban cruelties". Those ways of descrbing Babys life(up to now) I feel are accurate.
I agree with what the author had sayd about Baby cherishing little bits of happyness that she feels throught her life, she dosen't dwell and stay stuck when bad things happen to her,she looks ahead to when good might happen.
The review gets into how Jules takes better care of his heroin addiction than Baby,which is true,but Jules,isn't all there,Jules is a slave to heroin, I feel Jules dosen't exactly have a large place in Babys life,but defenatly both of Babys parents are in,one way or another,absent.
I agree that Baby is a "blooming beauty", and that Alphonse,a local pimp,with many girls around his finger,certantly has his eye on her.
It gets so bad that even Jules notices,he tryes to step in,but fails,(I don't really think he has much of say in Baby's life anyways,maybe if they would have had a better,closer,relationship,it woulden't have happend)
I like how in this review it says Babys realizes that the power to save herself,and make something out of her life,rests in her hands, because Baby does somehwat relaize that,throught the novel.
I think it maybe should have gone into details about why Baby realizes that.
I think Baby realizes her life is in her hands,in small parts, such as,when she knows Jules is not there for her when she needs him, going to juvie,going to the foster home,being second to heroin, and all throught the book,those are just a few.
Good review.
Mia