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Post by zoar3 on Jun 7, 2011 11:31:24 GMT -5
^I think Dawn became more patronizing as the series went on so don't think she learned anything from this experience. I agree it was too bad Mrs. Gonzalez didn't find a way both to include Dawn, help her save some face, but also keep the recycle center idea going. Most schools have some sort of environmental club. Perhaps also, Mrs. G could have suggested some local organizations for Dawn to check out in terms of volunteering. I really do think if Dawn came from a more positive place, she could have had a positive affect. But then, I have my doubts she truly cared about the planet so who knows.
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Post by wiggir13 on Jun 7, 2011 12:45:01 GMT -5
Hah - I thought the same thing! I thought that if she actually cared about the planet, she wouldn't need the kudos. It's funny throughout the book I just kept thinking, is she doing this get credit and show how awesome she is??? That was just how it felt for me.
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Post by zoar3 on Jun 7, 2011 17:13:41 GMT -5
^Probably! This is an "old complaint" I have about Dawn and the root of why I dislike her so. This has "2 parts." Part one is, sort of off topic (but related) to this in terms of food. As she herself admitted in "Dawn and the Disappearing Dogs" she doesn't have empathy for animals that are slaughtered for food. Perhaps that is why she has no issue with eating non-beef or pork meat products. I know there have been books were she's also "worn" animals as in leather shoes or purses. Yet as we know, all too well, she'll be the first to go stark raving mad about the contents of a particular food--meat or otherwise. Dawn also, especially as the series dragged on, loved to put people down for their food choices. I never thought her "individual" beliefs about food had much of anything to do with compassion for animals or in all honesty her health. (Though her choices reflected at least her idea of leading a healthier lifestyle). My point is, as others have said, is that Dawn can be so caught up in proselytizing in an often angry/condescending manner what "is right" or "should be" that her "purpose or goal," is all about her instead of whatever "issue" or "animal" she might be trying to protect. That is why I have big problems with her! She's a hypocrite. "Part 2" real quick, regarding "the environment." Wasn't this the only book other than when she and Sunny cleaned up the alley in "Memory Garden" that she exhibited any real concern over our planet? She, who uses 100 -watt light bulbs all over her bedroom! Yep, I just "love" Dawn.
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Post by booboobrewer on Jun 7, 2011 17:54:55 GMT -5
^I think Our Sunny Californian would probably get depressed if she had to be in a dim room all the time, so I don't really fault her for that
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Post by sparklymouse on Jun 7, 2011 19:14:42 GMT -5
This was back when people were taught that they could save the planet simply by turning the lights out when they left the room. I was never taught about wattage. I just knew the higher the number the brighter the light would be. I'm with Dawn on this one. Bright lights all the way!
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Post by zoar3 on Jun 7, 2011 19:39:39 GMT -5
Hey, I have lived most all my life in Sunny socal and have never used 100 watt bulbs! I don't like dim/dark rooms either. I was never taught about wattage either just the old adage "turn off lights when not in use."
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Post by sugarfrostedflake on Jun 7, 2011 21:13:59 GMT -5
I think Dawn probably just uses the 100w bulbs in Stoneybrook and not California. I also think BooBooBrewer meant that Dawn was using the bulbs so her room would not be dim but bright and 'Sunny'.
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Post by zoar3 on Jun 7, 2011 21:24:59 GMT -5
^Jack's CA house did sound opposite of the Farmhouse in most everyway. Based on description, I probably would have preferred it myself. Lol to 'Sunny.' Maybe Dawn was trying to bring a part of "Sunny Winslow" to Connecticut.
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,251
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Post by oldhickory on Jun 8, 2011 16:02:16 GMT -5
ugh, i hate artificial light -- i usually have the doors and windows open instead of turning on the lights, if i can help it.
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celaeno
Sitting For The Papadakis's
I have to share a room with Vanessa
Posts: 1,514
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Post by celaeno on Mar 1, 2012 23:39:41 GMT -5
This book gets a lot of badmouthing, but one good thing I can say about it is that this book might be one of my favorite examples in the series of Dawn and Mary Anne's relationship. Mary Anne was genuinely caring and supportive instead of crazily hormonal like she was in a lot of books, and overall I really liked their moments together. They felt natural and not forced.
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Post by zoar3 on Nov 2, 2012 21:03:38 GMT -5
Who are the two boys on the (original) cover? They seem to have the right idea about "Green School." Seriously, if I were a parent and had a child "enrolled" in Dawn's patronizing "class," I would have pulled my kid out quick. I was glad that Stacey stood up to Dawn at the end but felt she should have done so and/or struck out on her own much earlier. Stacey could have also talked to Mrs. Gonzalez about a way to do her own project without hurting Dawn. Once again, Mal gets the short end of the stick. I had totally forgotten how she was almost literally "arrested" by her brothers. I think Mal's hands were pinned down or something. Why was this necessary? I think Oldhickory summed this up very well up-thread by saying this one was "just nonsense." One look at Dawn on the cover tells me that "the planet" (whatever cause she's ranting about) can be more important to her than the people on it. I know this may come across as not very nice and I don't mean it that way. I really don't. I just think sometimes Dawn can act like a typical young teen and get so caught up in something that everything and sadly everyone else can take a backseat. In this book, it sadly seemed as though the everyone were those around her.
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Post by wiggir13 on Nov 7, 2012 17:43:23 GMT -5
Ugh ugh ugh! I really had to make myself suffer through this one! I really did like the green school and thought it was funny, but that is about it. I have no new viewpoint to offer except that I still think dawn did it for the accolades and not for actually saving the planet!
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celaeno
Sitting For The Papadakis's
I have to share a room with Vanessa
Posts: 1,514
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Post by celaeno on Jan 13, 2014 14:17:23 GMT -5
I think Dawn looks like Lady Gaga on the original cover.
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Post by Honeybee on Jan 14, 2014 0:15:54 GMT -5
I think Dawn looks like Lady Gaga on the original cover. Wonder what the boy is whispering to the other boy?
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scrounge
Sitter-In-Training
Boo and bullfrogs!
Posts: 414
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Post by scrounge on Jan 15, 2014 4:54:55 GMT -5
Every time I read this book I roll my eyes so hard that after the whole preachy book about recycling and not wasting resources, Dawn and Stacey each print out a copy of their 30-page report to add one page of personal essay at the end.
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