SMACK by Melvin Burgess SMACK n n n
SMACK by: Melvin Burgess
SMACK n n n Why does Tar feel like he has to run away from home? How did Tar’s face get black and blue and swollen? Did Gemma and Tar have sex yet?
SMACK (Gemma) o o o Why is Gemma in trouble with her parents in the first place? Gemma claims she is leaving for a couple of weeks or a month. Do you think she’ll stay away that long? Longer? Shorter? Do you think it’s fair to Tar that Gemma doesn’t love him like he loves her? Why or why not?
SMACK (Tar pgs 18 -26) o o How does Skolly help Tar/David? The “dandelion” becomes symbolic later on the in novel. (Symbolic means it is a symbol used to represent something else. ) What do you think the “dandelion” is symbolic of?
SMACK (Skolly) o o o What is a “squat? ” An anarchist is a person who ignores the rules of society in an attempt to over throw the government. Describe your thoughts on “anarchy” Is it good? Bad? Why are Richard, Jerry and Vonny trying to turn Tar into an anarchist?
SMACK (Tar) o o o Why do Richard, Vonny and Jerry decide to provide Tar with money, food, shelter, etc? Describe Tar’s phone call with his mother. Tar makes a promise to his mother. Do you think he’ll follow through on his promise? Why or why not?
SMACK (Gemma) o o o o Why does Gemma convince Tar that his mother is trying to manipulate him? Since Tar ran off and Gemma has been in trouble at home, Gemma’s parents have been keeping close watch on Gemma. List three things her parents have done to make her life miserable. How does Gemma manage to get bus fare to run away from home? Is Gemma accepted by the gang already living at the squat? What do Vonny and Jerry force Gemma to do? Why did they make her do it? Gemma has a “present” for Tar. What is it? Does she give it to him? Tar tells Gemma he loves her and she doesn’t respond so he says “dandelion” (this will become their code for “love” or “I love you”). How does she respond to him saying dandelion and what does her response mean?
SMACK (Richard) o SKIP THIS CHAPTER
SMACK (Gemma) o o How is Tar repaying Richard, Vonny and Jerry for taking care of him? Why did Gemma treat Tar so badly at the concert? Why did Gemma decide not to go with the punk boy from the concert? Do you think, at some point, she will wind up leaving Tar?
SMACK (Vonny) o o o Make a prediction about the “girl wearing a net” and the “boy with no front teeth. ” Why is Vonny so concerned about Gemma? How do you think Gemma will avoid going home?
SMACK (Gemma) o o Why was Gemma angry that they decided to open up another squat the night of the party? Why is Gemma entranced by the “magic girl” at the party? Why does Gemma leave the squat with Lily and Rob? Why does Tar leave with Gemma, Lily and Rob?
SMACK (Tar) o o o Do you think Tar and Gemma should have left the squat they were staying in with Richard, Vonny and Jerry? Do you think Tar and Gemma seem happier now that they are with Lily and Rob? Make a two column chart to compare the first squat they stayed in with Richard, Vonny and Jerry with the squat they are in now with Lily and Rob. SQUAT 1 SQUAT 2 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
SMACK (Rob) o o o At the beginning of the chapter, Lily asks Gemma “Have you told him? ” What do you think she is she talking about? Why do you think Tar has self-esteem issues? What is a “skip” and what were Tar and Rob doing there?
SMACK (Tar) o o When this chapter starts, where is Tar and why is he there? Why is it so important to Tar that Rob, Lily and Gemma bought him the book he was looking at in the book store? How does Lily convince Tar to try heroin? What are Tar and Gemma’s long term living plans by the end of this chapter?
SMACK (Lily) o Write a paragraph (5 sentences) from Lily’s point of view. o Read the article: The Highest of Highs: My Addiction to Heroin (complete activities!)
SMACK (Gemma) o o o How has Gemma’s opinion of Tar changed? Describe Gemma’s phone call home. How does she feel about her dad? How does she feel about her mom? How does Gemma describe heroin?
SMACK (Tar) o o o Describe how Tar and Gemma’s relationship has changed over the last few chapters. Why does Tar think he isn’t addicted to heroin? Is Lily really as fantastic as the others think she is? Why or why not?
SMACK (Gemma) o o o Using Gemma’s explanation (on the top of page 161), describe a heroin withdrawl and explain how to make it go away. How did Lily get drug money to make everyone feel better? (Lily says “I was a little prossie for a half hour!”) What hint does Gemma give us that she is more addicted than she’d like to believe? Why does Gemma think she is better than Lily? Gemma is referring to her parents when she says “I just can’t bear to talk to them these days. ” Why do you think Gemma feels this way?
SMACK (Tar) o o In the beginning of the chapter Richard tells Tar “I hope you find it just as interesting as being dead as you have being alive. ” Explain what Richard means. What did Rob and Tar do when they found Helen and Alan dead? Is this what they should have done?
SMACK (Gemma) o o o Why are Gemma and Sally trying to convince Lily to have an abortion? Why does Lily refuse to have an abortion? How do we know that Tar is too addicted to quit using heroin? Do you think Lily’s death scare will be enough to keep them all clean? Why or why not? Why does Gemma think it might be a good idea for her to get pregnant?
SMACK (Rob) o o o Why do Lily, Rob, Tar, Gemma and Sally pack up and go to Griffin Cottage? Based on how most of the group is feeling, what are some of the symptoms of heroin withdrawl? Gemma says, “I’d have done it if just one of you bastards hung out with me. ” Do you think she would have?
SMACK (Gemma) o Why does Gemma decide now to tell Tar she loves him after all of these years?
SMACK (Skolly) o o o Why does Skolly go to the massage parlour? Who is “Nicky” that Skolly sees at the massage parlour? (You’ll have to guess!) Why does Skolly not recognize David (Tar) when he first sees him?
SMACK (Tar) o o o Why did Tar go into the squat while the police were in there? Why did Tar choose to stay in the detox center? (p. 216 -217) At the end of this chapter, Tar says “this time I know I’ve got nothing to be confident about. ” Explain this statement.
SMACK (Sally) o o o Why was Lily being so mean to Tar? How did Gemma let Tar down? Explain why you think Tar wasn’t able to stay clean once he was finished with detox.
SMACK (Richard) o o Richard talks about Sandra’s job working with handicapped kids and says “I suppose after dealing with people with those sorts of problems, addiction looks a bit self induced. ” What does this mean? Why does Sandra wind up wanting to help Tar?
SMACK (Gemma) o o What prediction can you make based only on what Gemma says on page 243? What happens to Lily in this chapter? Why did Lily get so angry with Gemma for changing the baby’s diaper? What did Gemma do at the end of the chapter and why?
SMACK (Vonny) o o Why did Gemma go to Vonny for help? Why do you think Vonny was able to finally convince Gemma to contact her mother for help?
SMACK (Emily Brogan) o o o Why was Gemma in the hospital? How did the doctor feel about her being in the hospital? Describe Gemma and her mom’s reunion.
SMACK (Tar) o o o Where is Tar in this chapter? What happened to Lily and Rob? (Where did they end up after the police busted their squat? Will Gemma and Tar have a healthy relationship when is released?
SMACK (Gemma) o o o Why do you think Gemma doesn’t want Tar to touch her? Are Gemma’s feelings about Tar fair to him? Does Tar have a right to be a part of his daughter, Oona’s, life? Why or why not?
SMACK (Tar’s Dad) o o On page 273, what does Tar’s dad admit about himself? What has Tar’s father figured out about himself since the beginning of the book? Why did Tar’s dad wind up losing his job? Tar and his dad have more in common than we knew about. Make a list of 3 of the things they have in common.
SMACK (Tar) o o o What kind of relationship do Tar and Gemma have now? Is Tar as clean as he says he is? Why does Tar have so much trouble staying clean?
- Slides: 33