Peyton Cooper

Mrs. Watts
English 9 Honors
May 2015

Discussion and Essay Questions

1) Tylers landscaping job develops his muscles, but also allows him to use his
skillsI was good at digging holes. It was the rest of life I sucked at (p. 25).
What figurative holes has Tyler dug for himself in his life? Is it true that he isnt
good at anything else?
Tyler dug himself an immediate hole right at the beginning of the story when he
graffitied the school. By doing this he got himself onto the radar of the principal and the
police. Tyler has also dug himself social holes by being at the party with Bethany and
then acting suspicious when asked questioned about the party he did there. It is not true
that he is not good at anything else. Tyler did not display many skills throughout the
book but I do believe that he possessed the power of perseverance by getting through all
of the challenges thrown at him throughout the story.
2) Although he doesnt seem like a depressed person, Tyler admits to being
preoccupied with death. Thinking about death relaxed me. (p. 30). Why? In
what ways has he died and been reborn again throughout the story?
There is not a real definition of depression. Death probably relaxed Tyler because it
seemed like an easy way to escape all of his problems. A physical rebirth that Tyler
experienced happened during his time doing work for the landscaping company. He
become much more fit and experienced much more attention from his peers which had
never happened before his senior year. An emotional rebirth he experienced was when
he had the gun between his lips. When he did this he killed the part inside of him that
wanted to die with all of his heart. He was then reborn when he threw the gun and all of
its pieces into the river.
3) At Tylers high school there is a clear distinction between the popular crowd and
everyone else. Where do you fit in the social scale at your school? In what ways
has the status you hold in your social sphere defined you? In what ways is this
role true to who you are? In what ways is it not?

I personally do not believe in popularity although there is a clear line between the
groups at Marysville High School. I dont think I belong in one of these groups but many
or all of them. I try to approach people who I think are good people and will not
influence me in bad ways. I think the status I hold has made me more of a leader and
much more musically talented than I would be if I were to be in a different social sphere.
This is very true to who I am. I have always had an interest in music and being in the
sphere I am in just brought this part of me up to the surface.
4) Why does Tyler like Bethany? Were there any signs early on that she might not
really like him the same way he liked her? What do you think is her real
attraction to him? Is it true when his sister Hannah says that it could never
have worked out? In your own life, are there any examples of two very different
people who manage to be together despite their apparent differences?
I believe the only way Tyler liked Bethany was out of lust. Tyler had never taken the time
to get to know her before he decided he was in love with her. There was one large neon
sign that Bethany did not like Tyler the same way. She never said one word to him
before he became more attractive so it was obvious that she did not reciprocate his
feelings. The only reason that Bethany is actually attracted to Tyler is because he is hot
and a bad boy that she knew her family would not approve of. In the fantasy world
everything would have worked out perfectly in the end and Tyler and Bethany would be
forever in love but when reality slaps you in the face it is obvious that this relationship
would have never worked out. I can not think of any examples of this type of
relationship in my life.
5) What do you think of Tylers reaction to Bethanys behavior at the party? How
would you react? Would you be sad? Angry?
I think at first Tyler reacted like any teenage boy would by continuing to make out with
Bethany. Then I think that he did the right thing by pushing her off and telling her no
because she was obviously in a very drunken state. I would personally be a bit angry if
she started to call me names but then I would brush it off because I would not really
care.
6) Why do you think Laurie Halse Anderson chose Twisted as the title of this
novel? What does it mean in relation to the story?

I think Laurie Halse Anderson chose Twisted as the title of this novel because Tylers
life is at least somewhat normal at the beginning of the book but his life gets twisted
around because of all the rumors being spread through his town. The story becomes
more and more twisted as it gets passed around and people start to treat Tyler
differently because of it.
7) On the surface Tyler seems to disrespect the janitors that he is made to work
with as part of his probation. Yet they act as a sort of conscience and offer
support later in the story. Have you ever gotten help from an unexpected
source?
I have gotten help from some unexpected sources before but not in quite the way that
Tyler did. At my church I babysit in the nursery and sometimes it can be a handful. One
day a young girl came in and she turned out to be very good with children and now she
helps me in the nursery every Sunday.
8) Who has Tyler been trying to be? His father? A loser? A cool guy? Which of these
identities is closest to his true self?
I think that Tyler tried to be someone that Bethany Milbury would want to be with
because at the beginning of the story he changes himself in many ways in order to get
her to notice him. So, in a way Tyler has tried to be a cool guy. I do not think that any of
these is close to his true self because Tyler is unique in many ways. So much so that it
can be hard to classify him into one category. Tylers true self is probably slightly nerdy
but overall a nice guy who has been through some hard times.
9) Laurie Halse Anderson views Tyler Miller as a literary grandson of Willy
Loman, the main character in Arthur Millers play, Death of a Salesmen. What
parallels are there between the two stories?
In these two stories both Tyler and Willy are coming from families that have fully
swallowed the idea that being popular and rich will get you places and make you happy.
In the end of Death of a Salesmen this dream is the end of Willy. In Twisted you can
see that Tylers dad is trying with all of his might to be that perfect family with lots of
money and lots of friends and if it were not for Tyler it may have been the end of his dad
as well.
10)What do you think will happen to the characters in this story in the next story in
the next year?

In the next year of the Miller familys life I believe will be full of trying new things and
working extremely hard to remain open to one another and willing to hear each other
out instead of making assumptions that lead to full blown arguments. In the next year of
the Milbury familys life I believe will be almost the same. The only difference is that
they will constantly be trying to cover up what happened at that party and Bethany will
always be insecure when someone is looking at her because they will most likely be
talking about what happened.