Twisted

I read the book Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson. I read it with the preconceived notion that the main character, a male, was going to be raped (I may have understood what Prof. Deborde had said about the book) and so i was curious to see how this was going to happen. The story was not about that however, it was about, well, me. not the situations but the main character, Tyler. He was me and in a lot of ways still is me. I am still a nerd on the inside despite my bulking presence, and i am still a person who lives in fantasies because They are unable to really move out into the real world because they are afraid of the possibility of them happening. There are several times during the course of the narrative in the book, where the protagonist Tyler, will break off the flow of thoughts with something out of left field. In one situation he sees the girl of his dream's brother who used to beat him up in middle school while visiting their house and when he comes in he immediately wants Tyler out and this follows
                                         

                                        Chip put the bottle on the counter and walked back to the door. “Don’t be such a slut, Beth. Tyler is leaving.” He smirked and made a sweeping motion with his arm, ushering me outside.

 I cross the kitchen in two steps. I put my hand around his throat and lift him off the ground with one arm. I heave him across the room. He slides the length of the counter and lands on the kitchen table. The fruit bowl crashes on his head, and an apple lands in his mouth. Little stars dance in a circle over him and his eyes roll up and… 

“Are you okay, Tyler?” Bethany asked. 

“Yeah, urn,” I said. “I better go.”"

This is the kind of thing I would think about but never do. and why i liked this book so much. It spoke directly to the kid inside of me who hasn't fully recovered from being so unseen in high school, and still wants attention from the cool kids. This is so sad.

I would recommend this to maybe seventh and eight grade students just so that before they enter High School they can take a look behind the curtain and understand the weight of their criticisms and judgments before they can ruin some peoples lives, plus they are growing and learning new experiences so it is good to know that they are not alone in the world when it comes to raging hormones and, sadly enough, thoughts of suicide and loneliness.


Dear Tyler,
You don't know me but i have a fairly good idea of who you are, I know what you are going through and i have been down that road. I have been steps away from running out that door and inches away from punching the old man in the face. As a matter of fact as i was reading your story i was picturing my father as yours, i couldn't break the resemblance and i really wanted to. I cannot recount the amount of times i have wanted to get up and go to the nearest Air Force recruiting station and get the hell out of my house. But i am a living testament to the fact that it will turn out all right. I am in college living in an apartment that i can pay for, and doing my own thing. You can get through it all, there is no doubt in my mind.
                                                                                                   best of luck, Adrian,