Chapters 7 & 8 - Questions 9-10-11-12

9- When Bryon talks to M&M’s dad, he thinks about how his own mother raises them: “I could have told him that Mom never worried about Mark and me –she loved us but let us run our own lives”. What do you think about the way Bryon’s mother raises the boys? Do you think it has consequences on their lives? What are the consequences?

I think that Bryon's mother raised them in a way that they became indenpendant of themselves younger than other kids.  She is taking care of them, she let them live their own lives, without showing so much worries about them, but I think she was, really, inside, because every mother does. I think the way she raised them in this way to let them face the reality, the danger, and to let them have their autonomy et a young age.  For sure this is bringing consequences on their lives, because they used to do whataver they wanted at anytime, they go drinking, or smoking, or taking drugs, sometimes thwy don't even come back home before the few nexts days. For sure, they live a different life than other kids of their age who had been raised with rules, but the society is also contribuing on the way they are being, because they are influence by everything they see, everyday.

10- In chapter 7, Mark says: “So are we [just kids]. Nothing bad happens to you when you’re a kid. Or haven’t you realized that?” Do you agree with Mark? Do you think Mark’s opinion is going to change? Why?

I don't agree with Mark on this statement, because he is talking without considerating his «luck», for all the times that he went out late, at a young age, and that nothing happened.  I think he tries to be a real man saying that, to prove nothing could happen to him, because he has always been safed by other people (for example Charlie who saved them from being shot).  I would hope that he would change, because for example, in chapter 8, no one really knows where is M&M, maybe something bad happened to him, but I don't think he will change, because he always thinks that everything seems ok. Comparing to Bryon, he seems to change, to take real responsabilities, for example he seems really worried about M&M.  Mark is just living his life without thinking of what could happen, and he won't change.

11- In chapter 7, how does Mark’s previous statement from chapter 2 (“That is one stupid guy. [… ] if anybody ever hurt me like that, I’d hate them for the rest of my life.”) become prophetic?

I think that what Mark said in chapter two stays here because he is not changing, not like Bryon is changing.  Mark realized that, and he doesn't understand why Bryon become more worried about life, for example about M&M.  This previous statement become more prophetic because when Bryon doesn't want to smoke pot, in chapter 8, he said it because he wanted to respect the law.  Mark was laughing to Bryon, telling him that he was judging, that he didn't want to smoke because he was worried.  He also talked about the hippie they beat up a hippie kid in a park, he says that he is just a real punk but not a dumb. We can understand that Mark is always influence by the differences, that he only thinks about appearance, and gangs. He didn't change, but Bryon did.

12- In your opinion, why does Mark know where to hunt for M&M in this chapter?

I think that Mark brought Bryon somewhere M&M wouldn't be because he doesn't like the way Bryon is changing.  Bryon become a better person, who worries about people, who has real feelings about Cathy, and I think that Mark, is living in the past, he want his brother back, with how he used to do the same things, play the same games. Now, Mark is just looking for chicks and places to go drinking and smoking drugs, and he want Bryon to come back with him doing the things they used to do before Bryon became to change. Mark wanted to spend time with Bryon, to bring him back in that world, and trying to forget all the worries, because for him, nothing bad happen to children, never.