The total tragedy of a girl named Hamlet Erin Dionne 2010 Fiction Valerie R. 7th

Setting Most of the setting takes place at Howard Hoffrey Junior High. It is a junior high school that has grades from 6th to 8th. In this time it is 2010, everything is modern. It is important because Desdemona, the little sister, who is a genius, goes there and she is only supposed to be going to into 2nd grade. It would be different, because then the book would have a whole different story. It wouldn’t be talking about how Hamlets younger sister goes to junior high with her when she is only 7 years old.

Characters Character Physical Characteristics Adjectives of Personality Text Evidence /Explanation of Adjectives Hamlet 1 Tall 1 Calm 1 She never gets out of control & handles everything calmly. 2 Blonde 2 Peaceful 2 She likes to be drama-free. 3 Big Smile 3 Quiet 3 She wishes she was an outsider and that no one knew who she was. Desdemona 1 Dark hair 1 Helpful 1 Whenever Hamlet needed help with her math, Dezzie was there to tutor her. 2 Green Eyes 2 Outgoing 2 She really doesn’t care what people think. She likes to be loud and bold. 3 Round Face 3 Jolly 3 She is never upset, and always with a smile.

Conflict This book is man vs. society. Hamlet never wants to agree with what the people around her say. The main conflict in the story is that her younger sister, that is 7 years old…and a genius, has to go to junior high with her. It basically ruins her. Her little sister becomes her math tutor, and happens to be popular, which makes Hamlet popular and she doesn’t like it. What Hamlet hates most is that Dezzie hangs out with the 2 girls Hamlet hates. Even though people say they love Dezzie and she is so adorable and cool, Hamlet disagrees.

Summary of Plot Hamlet just wants to be a normal 8th grader, but when her 7 year old sister going to junior high with her that won’t happen. Her younger sister is a genius, and smart enough to go to collage but needs a major in art and in music, so she goes to junior high for half a day to go to those electives. She then becomes Hamlet’s math tutor, which is a total embarrassment, and her Shakespearean parents want to be involved in a project Hamlet is doing, so they become her English teacher to teach Shakespeare to the class.

Theme Being embarrassed all the time takes you nowhere. Hamlet has to walk into school with her mom on the first day of school: “I hadn't even been able to talk my mother into staying home or waiting in the car.” (Page 1) Desdemona curtsied in front of the class: “I guess I should have been more specific with my “try to fit in” instructions.” (Page 12) Hamlet is late to class on the first day of school: “Someone in the back snickered. I wanted to melt into the floor.” (Page 12)

Point of View This book is being used in first person. This helps the reader understand the feelings and thoughts of the character. If the author chose 2nd point of view she would be talking to me, or if she chose 3rd person there would be a narrator speaking, instead of the main character.

Symbolism The origami pig “Ham”let is receiving, symbolizes love. KC, the boy who is in love with Hamlet gives her notes to give her hints that he has a major crush on her. Hamlet throughout the story is getting these mystery notes, but has no clue that KC would even write those notes because he was so mean to her through the beginning and middle of the story. The origami pig notes had a smiling inked pig face wearing a bow with an “oink” balloon coming out of its mouth. It affects the story because KC’s love for her grew and there was no way he was going to express his feelings to her face to face, so he started writing mystery notes.

Recommendation I would recommend this book to teens and adults, because they can both relates to parts in the book. It was worth reading to me, because it was very interesting. I understand the book, and I don’t daze off when I'm reading it. It is one of my favorite books now, I enjoyed it very much.