Type a 250 word blog post about your favorite, most intriguing, or most disturbing part of Chris Crutcher's novel Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes.
Explain why this part of the book is memorable to you. You might also include why you relate to it. Also use a quote from the book to show your point.
When finished respond to two other postings.
The part of this book that I think a bout a lot and sticks in my mind is how a person could be so mean to his own daughter and do what Sarah’s dad did to her. He was mad at Sarah’s mom so he took it out on Sarah. On top of that it is almost liked he wanted to see her burned and suffer the rest of her life. Sarah’s dad would not let her see any doctors to help her get her faced fixed. I just don’t get how someone could be so mean.
ReplyDeleteI get mad at people all of the time but I could never hurt someone in that way. I really could not do that to a member of my family no matter how mad I got. It is one thing to think about really hurting someone who is your age or older and they can fight back. To purposely burn a 3 year old is something that is done by someone who is really sick in the head. It is hard for me to imagine every hurting a little girl or boy who is only three years old. If I were that kid I think I would be really messed up that my own dad did that to me.
I also do not understand how her mom could just leave Sarah with that guy and not stay around to see if she was ok. I don’t understand leaving your kid and not having any contact with them especially if the person they are with might hurt them. I think she must be a little messed up too.
Above all, my favorite part of the novel Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, by Chris Crutcher would have to be when Eric tells Sarah that he told Lemry about her letters. This is one of my favorite parts for many reasons. For example, Eric is taking a chance on something bigger than he is, which is something most people wouldn’t do. Also I like this part is because Eric finally stands up to Sarah. Eric is usually scared to speak his mind to her, but when Sarah will not except help from anyone, he gets worried and stands up for whats right. This is something that eric said to Sarah, “No, Sarah Byrnes, you’re wrong. You’re just never going be pretty. That parts right. But that’s old news. Since right after the day your dad burned you. But you are going to be okay. Goddamn it, you are!” I also like this part because Eric is realizing that staying fat was a choice, and he stayed fat for the sake of not loosing Sarah as a friend. Aside from Eric staying fat for Sarah, i think Eric trying to help Sarah, even though she does not want it, is the best thing he could possibly do.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part in the book Staying Fat for Sarah Brynes by Chris Cruther is when Eric has Sarah write in a notebook. Eric puts a notebook under Sarah’s bed and tells her to write in the notebook so he knows what is going on in her life. Sarah starts off talking about how her dad is crazy and how she wanted to kill herself or run away. After all she realizes even if she did run away things would be the same for instance, “I'm so ugly that even if I do get away from him, my life will always be this way” (Crutcher 175) She says that ever since she stayed at the psyco place her life has changed. Aside from Sarah writes about how kids in the psych place have terrible lives. She goes on to tell Eric how all the kids get in a circle and talk about their lives. By the way she even talks about how it is hard for her to keep quite at time. She mentions that if her mother came back her life would be much easier because her father would be put away. Eric is such a good friend that he tells his teacher about Sarah. Eric and his teacher Lemry decided that they are going to find Sarah’s mom. I can relate to this because my cousin killed himself last year. He felt like their wasn’t a need to be alive anymore and he didn’t want any help. The fact that Sarah is getting help unlike my cousin means something to me. Above all getting help is a good thing no matter what the situation is and having a good friend comes in handy when in need of help.
ReplyDeleteThe one part in the novel Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher that caught my attention the most was Sarah’s letter to Eric. In this case, Eric left Sarah a notebook at the psych ward and when he goes to visit her she is in the middle of a therapy session so he goes to get his notebook and he finds a letter. He reads the letter and it is telling about how she thought that her life was bad until she saw some people in the hospital. A boy was locked in the closet with his puppy that his father killed and a little girl sat under the steps and had to watch her father kick her brother to death. She says in the letter: “I know I’m not the only one in the world who hurts, or even the person that hurts the worst. If the ones who hurt the worst stay, then i can, too”(Crutcher 176-177). Of course, Sarah Byrnes says tough so no one sees her pain, but then she sees all these people that have to hide theirs when she has scars that make it so that she can’t hide anything. She finally sees that she isn’t the only one hurting, that there are more people hurting worse than her. Also included in the letter is her saying how safe she is. She, also, says how they care about her. Sarah mentions in her letter: “I got up here and things changed. They care about you here...”(Crutcher 175). As a result, Sarah Byrnes stays especially because the other people need her. Other than that reason, Sarah stays because for once she finds people that actually care about her. Sarah Byrnes stayed at the psych ward not only for her safety and the other people needed her, but because she felt like no one cared about her scars, that all they wanted to do was help. To sum it up, even the toughest kids on earth that don’t think they need help actually do.
ReplyDeleteThis part in Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher relates to me because I feel like I’m all alone and that most people don’t care about me, but when I open my eyes I see that I do have people that care about me.
The part of “Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes” by Chris Crutcher, that I thought was memorable was when even though Sarah Byrnes was getting the crap beat out of her by Dale Thornton for her lunch money. She stood up to him even though she knew she was going to get beat up. Because she would not give in she is the one that one the fight and looked the brave one and Dale ended up looking like a stupid bully. Sarah said to him, “When I’m dead you’ll get my money.” Finally, Dave Thorton gave up and said she was not worth it because he knew she would never give up and was stronger than him in her mind, than what he was with his fists.
ReplyDeleteIt is kind of like when Rocky fought that big Russian guy in one of the Rocky movies. He knew the Russian was bigger and stronger, but Rocky turned out to stronger in his mind than the Russian. Eventually the big guys get knocked down to size and that is why I like this part in the book. I am not a real big guy but I know if somebody really made me mad and did something really bad to me I could fight back until I was almost dead. At that part the pain is something that you don’t even feel, and whoever has the strongest mind is the one that will win. That is a good lesson to learn about life, that it is not the person with the biggest muscles who always wins, it is the one with the biggest heart.
I agree with Drew that it is hard to think that someone could be so mean that they could burn a little kid when she is only three years old. I have a little brother and I get really mad at him sometime but could never do something that would really hurt him or maybe kill him. I don't understand people like this and how they can do that.
ReplyDeleteI like Sadie's comment that about when Sarah found out that even though her life was bad there was a lot of other people who had it worse. People forget when things go bad that there is always someone who has a worse story.
ReplyDeleteSadie: I agree with you. That is my favorite part of the book also. I also like how you relate it to your own life. Keep in mind I am always here for you. :)
ReplyDeleteKenze: I like what part of the book you choice. What Eric did for Sarah is such an amazing thing. That goes to show what being a true friend is.
The most memorable part of the book Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher would have to be the letter she wrote to Eric. In this case I can just imagine the different things she explains to Eric as she talks about her stay in the psych ward. Especially the story about a girl who when she was little underneath the stairs watched her little brother get kicked to death by her dad. As said straight from the letter, “and all of a sudden she was shrieking and crying and she ran across the circle and hugged me and told me not to give up,” (Crutcher 176). As usual this would make a big impact about the mood you would get from this letter. Particularly I got the feeling of helplessness in this tone. Comparatively the story about the boy being locked up in a closet with a dead dog also had a big impact on the letter. Imagine yourself being forced to stay in a closet all day with a dog you loved that was know dead? I know I could not handle that when I was little. As said by Sarah in the letter, “If the ones who hurt the worst stay, then I can, too,”(Crutcher 177). This showed what gave Sarah the will power to stay. Barring with all her problems she stuck it through, and I think it is amazing how she could do that. Generally speaking this part of the book was an amazing turning point because we really got into Sarah’s head and got to know what she is really thinking, and that is why it is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Drew's comment because how could someone be so mean to his own daughter! I mean seriously! Sarah stuck through her father beating her til she couldn't stand it anymore.
ReplyDeleteI, also, agree with Kenzee's comment because Eric told Lemry something super secret that could change Sarah's life if Lemry told. Lemry promised not to tell and she didn't and she, also, took Sarah in when she didn't have anywhere else to go.
In the book Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher the most disturbing part of the book is when Virgil Byrnes attacks Eric. Eric is driving home from swim practice when Virgil Byrnes, Sarah’s father, pops up from the backseat. Virgil threatens Eric with a knife to tell him where his daughter is. He starts cutting Eric’s throat with the knife but Eric still will not tell him. As a result Eric slams on the brakes, sending Virgil into the windshield. After that Eric gets out of the car and runs while Virgil follows him in Eric’s car. Eric decides to go to the police but when he stops he changes his mind and turns to go to Dale Thortan’s home. At that point Eric gets startled, “I start moving in that direction when steel fingers grip my shoulder.” (Crutcher 249) Virgil is behind him grabbing a hold of him. So then Virgil presses his knife against Eric’s throat again and his daughter’s whereabouts from him. Eric ends up telling Virgil where and who Sarah is with and runs away. He ends up running to Dale’s house with the knife protruding from his shoulder. Thus Eric tells Dale to call 911 and passes out. I think this part of the book truly explains how crazy Sarah’s father is and what he would do to get what he wants. I now know how lucky I am that I have the parents that I have.
ReplyDeleteSabrina: I chose the same things as you. Great minds think alike I guess. We talked about different things as you though for the examples. I still agree with you though.
ReplyDeleteDoug: I like the memory you chose. If I was Sarah I would have given him the money right away. It just shows how tough Sarah is for not giving in. I also like the comparison with Rocky.
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ReplyDeleteSadie- I agree with you. The letter is a huge part in the book. It shows a side of Sarah that she won't show in person. It explains all the ways that Sarah has grown. She has learned that she isn't the only one with problems and that if other people can live with them than so can she.
ReplyDeleteKenzee- The part where Eric starts taking action for Sarah's problems is a big turning point in the book. He is the only one who knows everything that has happened to her and he finally does something with that knowledge
In Chris Crutchers book, Staying fat for Sarah Byrnes, the part that interested me the most was when sarah was at the phsyc ward and the two other kids there were telling there story about how there life got messed up, the one girls story was about how she was in the basement, inbeween the stairs so her dad couldnt see her. She said after she seen her dad kill her brother, that she thinks about it every day and regrets not tring to save him. After sarah heard the two other kids storys she relized that she wasnt in that bad of a situation and she decided that them kids were worse then her and they didnt tri to commit suicide. she started thinking of the good things that happen to her insteed of the bad, like her and erick becoming friends. She writes a note that she plans on giving to eric, she talks about how much she loves him and how much he means to her. she tells him that she will do anything to stay friends with him.
ReplyDeleteIn the book Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher, the most memorable part of the book to me was when Jody decided to tell Eric about her abortion. Jody decides to ask Eric to go on a date with her to talk about things at the Burger Barn. Eric has no clue what she wants to tell him so he gets nervous. She asks Eric what he thinks of Lemry’s class; Eric tells her that he thinks it’s the best class he has ever taken. She asks Eric if he thinks she and Mark Brittain think alike about everything in the class and he says yes but she says that she doesn’t and tells Eric that she has had an abortion, which they argued about in the last class because Mark calls it murder, when actually he got Jody pregnant and she had an abortion. In the book Jody says, “Mark says people as committed as he is get special leeway in the Lord’s eyes (Crutcher 150).” Mark is a hypocrite for thinking that when other people have abortions it’s murder and when he causes one it’s okay.
ReplyDeleteThis part of the book is memorable to me because I can relate to it because I know what it’s like to have something that you want to tell someone, but there is no one to tell your story to, when you keep things bottled up they just get worse and tell you finally let it out and it feels like a serious weight has been lifted from your shoulders.
The book Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Cris Crutcher is the book I am reading for English 10. My favorite part in this book is when Eric and Mark are fighting about abortion in CAT Class. But Mark knows a lot more than Eric thought because Jody had to get an abortion once and nobody knew about it, including Eric until Jody asked to go on a date with him and she told him about it and he felt kind of bad about the whole thing about CAT class that day. This is a quote from the book that deals with the talk in CAT class about abortion, it was said by Ellerby, “I’ve spent a little time locked in my room with a Bible, and I think you’re more full of shit than Moby does.” It was still funny to me at least i thought so. This is a quote from the book that deals with the talk in CAT class about abortion, it was said by Ellerby, “I’ve spent a little time locked in my room with a Bible, and I think you’re more full of shit than Moby does.”
ReplyDeleteWhat i thought was most intriguing was when Jody said that she needed to talk to him in the hall right after class but not then and there. This was intriguing to me because Jody has a boyfriend, Mark Brittian. A quote from this part is “Could we talk?” said by Jody when she was talking to Eric. This is kind of weird because Jody has not really ever talked to Eric, besides through a note they had passed back and forth once.
The most disturbing part in this book was when Sarah said that one of the boys at the Heart Hospital was there because they were locked in a closet with his dead puppy for at least a whole day. Here is quote from the book “There’s a boy here who was shut up in his closet when he was three years old with his puppy that his step dad killed. He was there for at least a day but probably it was longer.”I thought it was disturbing because that is really sick and i don’t know why somebody would ever put a dead puppy in their closet and put their kid in there with it. If i was locked in a closet with a dead puppy i would pry start throwing up all over.
The part of the book, I thought was good. Is the part where Sarah Byrnes and Eric are standing down at packing lot, in front of the hospital. Eric starts to talk to Sarah about how much she means to him, and how things between him and Jody are. Sara starts to cry after and while, because she didn’t know all that about Eric.
ReplyDeleteI think that part is good because it show how much Eric trust her and how much he loves her. He wants her to be a part of his life while she is in the hospital and just when she’s at home.
The part where Sarah tells Eric about the scars is really good because you really get the felling about what Sarah is going through and how she fells about the episode of her life. T also gives you the answer to why she like she is. Why she have to the mean one and the big one. It gives you the perspective that Sara can be sad and warrinebel to.
The part where Eric tells Sarah that he has been talking to Lemry about her problems and what they could do about. Sarah gets very emotional when Eric tells that because she gets scared and she doesn’t know what do.
The part really shows how much Eric loves Sarah and he want to every thing for her, and try get her a better life whit out the fear of her dad. It also shows that Sarah is not very good to handle her feelings when she doesn’t know what to do.
I agree with Fred because this part does show how much Eric loves Sarah and how much he wants to make her life better.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sadie because the letter shows a new side of Sarah that she doesn't let anyone else see.
In the novel by Chris Crutcher, Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes. My most favorite part was when Sarah decided to tell Eric the truth about her scars, and her terrible life. I wondered through out the book just how she was so hateful towards people. However when she was talking to Eric the truth came out. I guess I can not figure out how she could keep this horrible accident to herself all these years. Aslo, I can u understand just how me her father Virgil Byrnes really was. If I was Eric, I could have been confused on whether to go after Sarahs father, go to the police, or just do what Eric promised Sarah he would do. Another thing, Eric and myself can be a lot alike. Sometime I seem to be friends with people who have problems or do not have many friends. Such as my friend Sam and I go way back. Sam and I will always be tight friends. Almost like brother and sister relationship but only better. However since Sam has graduated our lives have changed were both busy, but still tight. Sam knows I will always be her true friend. We have shared secrets, issues and life in general. Likewise, Sarah and Eric will always be friends in life, like Sam and me. I am excited to see how the book ends whether Sarah finds her mom or not. I hope she does because that way she will be able to figure out a few things.
ReplyDeleteI read the novel Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher, and my favorite part in it was when Jody told Eric about the abortion she had. It is just the entire concept of opening up to a person that you hardly know. Because, sometimes, trusting some body is the hardest thing you will ever have to do. And not just because you don’t know what they will say about it, or who they will tell it to, but because sometimes, you can’t bring yourself to say the words. As Jody Mueller said, “I just wanted somebody around me who knew, and I couldn’t bring myself to tell anyone else.” (Crutcher, 152) But it is true that you can never predict some body’s reaction when you tell them some thing. It’s like trusting someone with something very important. Especially when she told Eric. She could not have known that he would take it so calmly, or not tell anyone. Especially because she hardly knew him, and had just met him. Also, it was a really big secret. For all that she knew he could have just gone out and told the first, second, or even third person he saw. So when Jody told Eric her secret, I was really inspired.
ReplyDeleteI know from experience how hard keeping secrets can be. It’s like, you want to tell people, because you don’t want to keep it inside of you anymore. But then, when you are about to tell somebody, you know that once you say it, you can never take it back.
Ryleigh: I totally agree with you! When I read that part of the book, I swear my jaw dropped to the floor. I mean, I knew he was psycho, but how far would you actually go?
ReplyDeleteDouglas: I really loved your writing skills in your comment, for starters. But I also agree with you. Giving into other people does not make you the bigger person, so you should always stand up for yourself, like Sarah did. :)