Questions: Chapters 3 & 4

1-   In chapter 3, many different (sometimes little) events give us some insight about Mark and Bryon’s relationship.

Identify the elements that give us that insight on the boys’ relationship.

For each event that you list, explain what it says about their relationship.

When Bryon told Mark that he was dating Cathy, he remembered that Mark told him that Angela was  not a great girl, but Bryon hadn't pay any attention about that, that he wanted to prove things to himself instead of listening to Mark. I think that Bryon feels like he has to prove himself to Mark, because he doesn't accept that his friend knows things before him.  Mark seems to be someone Bryon can count on, because he could advice Bryon, and stay understanding  about Bryon's feelings.  Their relationship is based on complicity.  When Mark told Bryon about his jealousy  about Curtis, Bryon was quite laughing, because  Mark knows him pretty well.  Also, when Mark came with Charlie's car at Bryon's house, I could figure that there is a lot of humour in their relationship, they are irritating a bit each other, but it turns to funny stuff.  Bryon consider their friendship as being lucky to have each other, I think that's because of the simplicity of Mark.  When Cathy said how Mark was beautiful, Bryon was feeling mad.  Even if there seems to be competition between the two friends, Bryon consider friendship has the most important thing, he couldn't imagine to hate Mark.  This feeling about their friendship  was more represented at the end of the chapter, when Mark has been found beaten up in the parking. Bryon stayed with him and went to the hospital with him, before they came back home.  That shows they want to take care about each other, but also, that they are like real brothers, because  Mark doesn't have any family, but Bryon's place is the most important in his life.

2-   After reading chapter 4, explain the relevance and the meaning of the title of the book. Include two quotes from chapter 4 to illustrate your opinion.

The title of the book, That was then, this is now, means many things about the two characters, Mark and Bryon, and the story.  It represents a period of time that Mark and Bryon have to cross over, the time when they were kids.  Being teenagers, they are constantly changing, and the time they pass toguether with their gang, is not the same, they have to face up their own life, with their personnality.  They have to accept the fact that life is changing, now that they grew up, like Mark said '' Do you ever get the feeling that the whole thing is changin'? Like somethin' is coming to an end because somethin' else is beginning? '' (p. 68)  More further, I analysed in a complete different way that quote from Bryon '' It's kind of a good thing too, '' I said, '' when you know your own personality so you don't need the one the gang makes for you. '' (p. 69) I think it means that they will pay less attention about the ''difference'' which is a main theme of the novel.  If they build their own personnality, I think that they will see the gangs and the races differently, like being a part of life, and not a ''difference''.  That was then, this was now, could means that times are changing, I think It will represent the society that will change mind, and open her mind to the difference (the blacks), without going back, but face the truth, that before was someting, and now it's something new.