Discussion Topic
Brent and Jonathan's Introduction in Fleischman's Whirligig
Summary:
In Whirligig by Paul Fleischman, Brent and Jonathan are introduced as high school students attending a party. Brent is self-conscious and eager to fit in, while Jonathan is more confident and socially adept. Their interactions at the party lay the groundwork for the novel's exploration of identity and peer pressure.
In Fleischman's Whirligig, how does Brent know Jonathan?
Jonathan is a friend of Brent's from school. Brent gives him a ride to the party, which is hosted by a friend of Jonathan's.
When Jonathan comes out and gets in Brent's car, he explains that his father took his car because he forgot to pay his insurance bill. Then he tells Brent to relax when Brent worries that he was not explicitly invited to the party. Jonathan tells him that since he, Jonathan, is friends with both of them, he's welcome.
Brent sees the party as a chance to get in with a good crowd and make friends at his new school. Ultimately he fails and, in an attempt to kill himself, kills someone else. This is what puts him on the path to place whirligigs in four different places around the country as penance for the woman's death.
Brent Bishop recently moved with his parents to the Chicago...
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area. Now he can go to a private school, Montfort, where he is a junior. To get to the party (in the opening chapter, “Party Time”), Brent picks up Jonathan. They know each other from school. But Brent doesn’t know Chaz, the host of the party. Jonathan does. So his friend takes him along as his guest, even though Brent is the one who has to drive them there. When they arrive, Brent realizes that everyone is wearing either white or black. Chaz intends to stage a human chess game later in the evening. Brent is wearing a red Bulls shirt. Jonathan is wearing yellow. He claims he forgot to tell Brent about the party dress code. Brent is quick to get angry about this mistake.