Essential Questions and Notes

1. Essential Questions and Notes By: Brianne Coombs

2. Are there any other people in the story that can be considered a hero? • Kevin’s dad: Mr. Ross In a newspaper, it said that Mr. Ross was a traitor to his country but this was not true at all. He served in the army and was shipped out overseas. He served in a front-line infantry combat unit (Lyga 245). Mr. Ross earned two awards while he was in the army. In Hero Type, Kevin Ross said “One was the Purple Heart. You only get that if you’re wounded or killed in action. My dad was hit by shrapnel from a roadside bomb.” (Lyga 245) George Washington was the first to make the Purple Heart in the late 1700’s. It is the shape of a heart with purple silk in the middle and a gold trim around it. On the back it says “For Military Merit” and it has the name of who earned it underneath those words (“PURPLE HEART, ORDER OF THE”). The most recent model of the Purple Heart was made by the first man who ever received the award, General Douglas MacArthur (“Purple Heart Turns 225”). Another award he earned was the Medal of Valor which is also call the Medal of Honor. While he was in the hospital recovering from the bomb, there was a fire and he ran into the fire to help other soldiers out. He risked his life and went into the fire twice to grab people and get them out of the fire. The Medal of Valor is the highest and most respected military award that can be given out. President Truman himself even said “I’d rather wear that medal than be the president of the United States” (“ The Bravest of the Brave”) No matter what rank a person is anyone with the Medal Of Honor is saluted first to show respect and honor. It is given for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty” (“The Bravest of the Brave”). Abraham Lincoln created the Medal of Valor and it is bronze shaped like a star with blue ribbon with stars on it. There has been 40 million people who have served in one of the services since the late 1700’s. Between then and now only 3,467 out of that 40 million have earned the Medal of Valor (“The Bravest of the Brave”).

3. What is your hero like? Describe him/her. Kevin Ross High school student Hangs out with the “dorks” Outcast Doesn’t do well in school Doesn’t do sports Quiet Only talked to his few group of friends His nickname his friends called him was Kross Later in the story starts to gain courage and speaks out Tells everybody his opinion Didn’t care what anybody thought of him

4. Pledge of Allegiance: • It bugs Kevin that people say the Pledge of Allegiance without even knowing what it means and they just do what they’re told • They don’t think for themselves • Kevin researched the Pledge and gave a speech during homeroom • A boy, John Riordon, is the biggest bully towards Kevin and is also a huge, strong, popular jock. John’s dad served in the army and John fights with Kevin every day saying that he hates America even though that isn’t true. • John makes sarcastic remarks to Kevin while he was talking in homeroom and they get into an argument • Principal had John and Kevin have a debate over the announcements stating their opinions Quotes: • “I got to thinking: What is the Pledge? What does it mean? Why do we say it? No one has ever told us that. They just tell us to say it and we do. And if we’re supposed to be pledging allegiance, shouldn’t we think about what that means?” (Lyga 104) • “And if you don’t know what the story of the Pledge and what its purpose is, then, well, you’re just mouthing the worlds. And then they don’t mean anything.” (Lyga 136) • 35 states in the US have a law that the Pledge has to be said every day in school (“Pledge”) • Influences of the Pledge: concerns that immigrants wouldn’t assimilate into US culture(“Pledge”) • Compulsory Education Act of 1874- made students go to school (“Pledge”) • Many immigrant children worked instead of school disobeying the act (“Pledge”) • Public schools were seen as a means of teaching patriotism (Sica 1990) (“Pledge) • Balch, “auditor of NYC Board of Education” developed flag exercise to promote patriotism among immigrant children and introduced it to schools-1887 (“Pledge”) • Francis Bellamy- 1892 of Youth’s Companion wrote his own pledge (“Pledge) • Colombus Day Celebration- 1892 more than 12 million students said the Pledge Bellamy made(“Pledge”) • James Upham and Francis Bellamy helped solidify Pledge as a tradition(“Pledge”) • Pledge was a chance to “awaken the native born to their patriotic duties and obligations” (“Pledge”) • Some changes were made to Pledge due to beliefs and clarifying things (“Pledge”) • Court case Mersville School District V. Gobitis- Supreme Court said that not saying the Pledge was protected by the 1st and 14th amendments (“Pledge”)

5. The Ribbons: • Later on in the story, Kevin was caught throwing away magnets on the back of his car that were ribbons that said "support our troops" because his dad told him to. His dad told him to throw them out because he was a soldier and the magnets didn't do anything for the troops. The magnets didn't even take part of the money they got from selling them to put towards the troops so he said it was stupid to have them on the back of his car. It didn’t help any of the soldiers at all. He had reporters write about him and say that he hated America and a whole bunch of lies because they saw him throwing them out and took pictures of it. Kevin takes in what his dad says to him and really starts to analyze it. Instead of taking the easy way out and blaming his dad for throwing the ribbons out, Kevin decides to voice his opinion on it which was the same as his father’s. The whole school ridicules Kevin and they even go to the extreme of beating him up and shoving him into lockers in-between classes. The principle gets into the issue again and decides to have a debate between John and Kevin in front of the whole entire school in an assembly since Kevin wasn’t satisfied with the debate over the announcements. It takes great courage for Kevin to do this. During the debate, Kevin makes a huge point to the audience that actually makes them start to think for themselves a little. That is exactly what Kevin was hoping for. • School voted for who they agreed with, John won • Voting: 638 votes for John and 427 for Kevin • Kevin was happy, he thought John would win by a landslide but he didn’t • Quotes: • “It’s the easiest thing in the world to spend a buck on a ribbon and slap it on your car and think that you’re doing something to support the troops” (Lyga 135) • “But I guess what’s been bothering me is that people don’t really feel like they can say whatever they want. Because if they say something that isn’t popular, they’re going to be yelled at or laughed at or beat up. And that’s not cool” (Lyga 135) • “I do support the troops. But not with ribbons. A ribbon is meaningless. The ribbons are for us, not for them. Support is action. It’s too easy to put a ribbon on a a car and then forget about it” (Lyga 244) • “The World Bank did this study, where they ranked every country in the world based on how much freedom its citizens have. And guess what? The United States wasn’t number one. It wasn’t even in the top ten. Or top twenty. It was number thirty-three” (Lyga 231)

6. Leah Muldoon: • Kevin had a big crush on her, obsessive • He followed her one day just because he liked her a lot • This guy named “The Surgeon” tried to take her away • “The Surgeon” took girls by drugging them with a needle, raped them, then cut them up into pieces • Kevin dropped his bag, ran to her, and tackled him • He saved Leah’s life • Kevin didn’t think he was a hero because he was originally following her and he thought it was wrong • Also it took him a few seconds to actually react and then save her • He was a her because he had the courage to tackle “The Surgeon” • Had a conflict with himself because of her • Didn’t know why he was obsessed with her and thought it was very wrong • Leah invited him to her pool party for saving her life • He went into her room and stole a picture from her mirror and kept it • Went to her house to give it back and apolygize • While talking to her he asked who she voted for in the assembly • She told Kevin earlier in the story that she was proud of him for standing up for himself and she agreed with his opinions • Her boyfriend was John so she voted for him just because of that • “It’s like a switch is flipped inside my head and my stomach. And all that obsession just… goes away” (Lyga 285). • Realized she isn’t worth it and actually pretty shallow • Leah says he can keep the picture • He doesn’t want it anymore and gives it back to her • “And then I get into my car, and I don’t look back. Tell the truth, it’s the most heroic thing I’ve ever done” (Lyga 286). • Every 2 minutes somebody in the US is sexually assaulted (“Statistics”). • Every year there’s approximately 213,000 victims of sexual assault (“Statistics”). • In New York in 2011- 577 murders and 1,334 rapes recorded(“FBI”).

7. What traits does your hero have that the typical description of a hero has? • Courage- Kevin saved a girl’s life from “The Surgeon” who was a man who raped girls and then cut them up into pieces. He also stood up in front of his whole school debating his opinion and thoughts against one of the most popular guys in his school named John. Kevin spoke up to his friend, Flip, and told him that he thought what he was doing wasn’t right and wouldn’t be a part of it. Flip dressed a statue of a girl who was killed in a park with inappropriate clothing. He also got over a huge crush he had on Leah that was obsessive by realizing that she isn’t even a good person and didn’t care about him. He said in the book that it was the bravest thing he had ever done. • Determination- He researched things and didn’t stop until he got into the minds of people. He wanted to prove his point. • Selflessness- When he went to save Leah, he didn’t care about anything else. He could have gotten killed. When he got in trouble for the ribbons he didn’t blame his dad at all and dealt with it himself. • Perseverance- Even though he knew people didn’t care what he thought and they hated him he still talked in front of his whole school. He didn’t stop until people actually listened which eventually some did. • Dedication- He dedicated all of his time into research and working on what he was going to say in front of the student body.

8. Hero’s Journey: • Call to Adventure- When something happens that leads for everything to change, what starts up the whole journey (“Heros Journey”). • When “The Surgeon” approached Leah • Threshold- Where the adventure begins not knowing what’s going to happen next (“Hero’s Journey”) • When Kevin takes the ribbons off of his car and decides not to blame it on his dad • Belly of the Whale- When the hero starts to change, sometimes known as rock bottom for the hero. The separation is being made between how the person was and how they will become (“Heros Journey”) • When he starts thinking about the Pledge, the ribbons, and Leah • Road of Trials- Series of obstacles that the person has to “undergo” to begin the complete transformation (“Heros Journey”) • Debate over the announcements with John Riordon, newspapers saying that he hates his country, being beaten up from what the newspapers say • Atonement- The center part of the journey, when the hero is completely changed and has a new self (“Heros Journey”). • The debate in the assembly with John • Return- Keeping the wisdom they earned, achieving a balance, and “living in the moment, neither anticipating the future nor regretting the past”(“Heros Journey”) • When Kevin realizes everything is settled and gets over his obsession with Leah

9. Works Cited: • "Hero-Type, Barry Lyga Dot Com." , Barry Lyga Dot Com. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2012. <http://barrylyga.com/new/hero-type.html>. • " EBSCOhost: Examining the Pledge of Allegiance.." EBSCO Publishing Service Selection Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Jan. 2012. <http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=e5c267eb-8478-4bae-b5db-9c8c9ffcf514%40sessionmgr114&vid=11&hid=122>. • " EBSCOhost: PURPLE HEART, ORDER OF THE." EBSCO Publishing Service Selection Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2012. <http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=4&hid=24&sid=10394b74-de3c-4120-bd69-69d90b830525%40sessionmgr15&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=funk&AN=PU154900>. • " EBSCOhost: Purple Heart Turns 225." EBSCO Publishing Service Selection Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2012. <http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=10394b74-de3c-4120-bd69-69d90b830525%40sessionmgr15&vid=6&hid=24&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=khh&AN=27072711>. • " EBSCOhost: The Bravest of the Brave." EBSCO Publishing Service Selection Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2012. <http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=6&hid=24&sid=599f26a1-a229-4200-848b-3476e2a03a30%40sessionmgr13&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=ulh&AN=33303600>. • 000, and over in population. "FBI て� Table 4 Montana - Ohio." FBI て� Homepage. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2012. <http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/preliminary-annual-ucr-jan-jun-2011/data-tables/table-4/table-4-montana-ohio>. • "Heros Journey : Summary of Steps." Maricopa Center for Learning and Instruction | Maricopa Center for Learning and Instruction. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2012. <http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/smc/journey/ref/summary.html>. • Lyga, Barry. Hero-type. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Pub. Co., 2008. Print. • "Statistics | RAINN | Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network." RAINN | Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network | RAINN: The nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization.One of てmericaて 100 Best Charities" て�orth magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2012. <http://www.rainn.org/statistics>. • MLA formatting by BibMe.org.