Amalia
Sitting For The Braddocks
Her Original Point of View
Posts: 3,664
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Post by Amalia on Jun 5, 2007 22:05:37 GMT -5
^ I agree. I think that Kristy gives Shannon more leniency than she gives the other club members because they are not as close as she is with the other club memebrs, so that she doesn't really care much about what Shannon does. And also, I think that Shannon would leave the club a lot easier than the other girls would, so Kristy just tries to not antagonize her because Kristy needs her as the emergency back-up.
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Post by booboobrewer on Jun 5, 2007 22:41:39 GMT -5
Well, I like Shannon. It appears many people have strong feelings about her snobbery and think she's a spoiled brat, but I don't mind it because all of that has been a part of her character since she was introduced! There's no disputing that some of the things she did to Kristy in #11 were crazy (telling her the house was on fire while on a sitting job and it wasn't? WTF?) but that's not all there is to her personality IMO and Ann and co. tried to make that come through. The resolution in Kristy and the Snobs could be perceived as a little on the easy-way-out side ("pepperoni mountain dog", etc.), but I think it was really sweet how they both realized they felt very deeply about their pets (like when they're at Louie's funeral) and tried to be more understanding of one another. She's like Kristy in that they're both high achievers that can sometimes be perceived as cold, but from their POVs, we see their softer, more thoughtful side, their insecurities, their sensitivity. In Kristy's books we get to see that a lot, not the case with Shannon since she's in the background a lot.
And feeling embarrassed about her mother--it's not so different from Stacey, who often gets embarrassed by her mom, despite the fact that they do get along well and are mostly content with each other's company. Yeah, deliberately failing her French test--very dumb, but she's a thirteen year old girl completely desperate to find some space apart from her mother. So the plot of her story was like Stacey times ten, maybe. And since it is the one book we get from Shannon's POV (discounting a chapter in Babysitters' Remember) it can unfortunately be representative of her entire character a lot of the time, making her seem dramatic, self-centered, shallow.
But I like her a lot in the regular series. She seems very direct and like a good friend if you really got to know her and she opened up to you - which the members all tried to do at some points, though their efforts were thwarted by her full schedule, and sometimes even Kristy's feelings of insecurity. Like when everyone wants to get to know Shannon better and they all start hanging out but Kristy's too busy to join in, and she feels like they're "replacing" her with her and starts to act very cold to her. But Shannon picks up on her cues and tries to work out the problem. Their relationship reminded me a little bit of Kristy/Abby--not afraid to butt heads. So any storyline that involved Shannon interested me.
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Post by aln1982 on Jun 5, 2007 23:48:30 GMT -5
^ I agree. I think that Kristy gives Shannon more leniency than she gives the other club members because they are not as close as she is with the other club memebrs, so that she doesn't really care much about what Shannon does. And also, I think that Shannon would leave the club a lot easier than the other girls would, so Kristy just tries to not antagonize her because Kristy needs her as the emergency back-up. Intersting perspective and something I hadn't considered. I saw it as Kristy being indimidated by Shannon but I think your theory makes more sense in keeping with Kristy's personality. Also agree booboo with all of your points. Am always also bothered by Stacey's getting embarrassed by her mom though can see more closeness between the two. But then again, we don't really know Shannon as well. I also liked her in the regular series in her sitting chapters.
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mckay
Junior Sitter
Posts: 672
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Post by mckay on Jun 10, 2007 22:37:36 GMT -5
Marnie had a crush on jessi. I am not sure what book they mention it in. I just read that this morning and noticed that. Peter Lerangis is a weird, weird man. But it's actually a pretty accurate way of describing how little kids will sometimes get totally obsessed with someone. My cousins' daughters (the boys couldn't possibly care less, with one exception) all pester my mother nonstop to know if I'm coming to family functions. I don't know why, except I'm the adult most willing to play with them, I guess. But for some reason kids sometimes just decide they like you! While reading that, I actually noticed that he writes little kids really well. At least, he did in that one. (Did he write the one with Snow White and the Seven Zorbs, too? I don't have my books to hand, but the Barretts sounded quite a bit alike in those books.)
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Lauren
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,026
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Post by Lauren on Jun 21, 2007 16:02:10 GMT -5
I thought Shannon was the most interesting character. I wish she had been more developed as a person though.
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Post by aln1982 on Jun 24, 2007 23:21:59 GMT -5
I wish Shannon would have been more developed, too. I thought I liked her after reading several books with a chapter or two about her but really changed my perspective after reading books with more about her - Shannon's Story, especially. Now I just can't help but see her as a bit of an immature snob. (that is a little harsh but I don't care for her much). I thought she was actually quite selfish and felt for her mom and little sisters a lot of times. I'm not sure I ended up being all that interested in her, though, maybe because I didn't like her much.
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Lauren
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,026
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Post by Lauren on Jul 6, 2007 18:54:54 GMT -5
I couldn't believe she gave up a trip to Paris just because her mother was going. I didn't get along with my mom when I was 13, but I wouldn't have given up an oppurtunity like that.
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Post by Kylie90210 on Aug 8, 2007 0:11:07 GMT -5
That does seem pretty immatue. I don't mind Shannon, I never thought that much about her. I sympathised with her in SS11, and I don't mind her mostly, I guess. She seems pretty cool. The way she is with her sisters always bugged me though!
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Lila
Sitter-In-Training
Posts: 293
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Post by Lila on Feb 20, 2008 3:07:03 GMT -5
i thought she was a spoiled brat in the Story episode. She flunked a test so she didn't have to go to paris with her mom? i think thats a little bit extreme. she didn't seem to be very nice to her sisters either, but then again, the whole family seems a little out of touch with each other. the parents don't seem very in tune with each other, and the mom seems to be more of the stepford wife.
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Rie
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 1,998
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Post by Rie on Feb 20, 2008 4:10:14 GMT -5
I thought Shannon was the most interesting character. I wish she had been more developed as a person though. I agree.
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Post by greer on Feb 20, 2008 7:41:01 GMT -5
i thought she was a spoiled brat in the Story episode. She flunked a test so she didn't have to go to paris with her mom? i think thats a little bit extreme. she didn't seem to be very nice to her sisters either, but then again, the whole family seems a little out of touch with each other. the parents don't seem very in tune with each other, and the mom seems to be more of the stepford wife. I think Shannon is spoiled--her attitude seemed to be "Well, Paris will always be there," when a lot of people don't have the chance to go there. But I think that comes from being from a wealthy family (and i say this also being a bit spoiled and from a wealthy family). they were definitely NOT a happy family, and that's why I like reading about them. It's amazing to see an imperfect BSC family that did not get resolved in some way. They were just unhappy--no divorce and immediate remarriage, no nothing.
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starrynight
Sitting For The Kuhns
The Royal Diner of Pizza Express
Posts: 4,004
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Post by starrynight on Feb 20, 2008 11:35:36 GMT -5
I like Shannon, too, and I don't exactly blame her for being a little spoiled. After all, she was raised being able to have everything she wants, and she's probably used to that. I don't think she's bratty, though I DO think she was silly to give up Paris!
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Post by aln1982 on Feb 20, 2008 17:05:51 GMT -5
I think Shannon's story was the book that really turned me off to her. I just couldn't relate to her attitude and the way she treated her mom. (But this is just me - know there are a lot of Shannon fans on here and I don't want to debate my opinion on this ;D) As for being spoiled, I don't think being spoiled has so much to do with having money (though it does definitely help ;D) as with just being given everything so you come to expect it. I think it's more of an "entitlement complex" than anything. I've seen some pretty poor kids with this and known a lot of kids who are given everything they could ever want (myself included ;D) but still don't feel just entitled or take things for granted. I think it's all in how kids are raised - not in how much they are given. Again, don't feel like debating as this is my experience and observations. ;D
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Penny Lane
Sitting For The Arnolds
The Girl With Colitis Goes By
Posts: 2,888
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Post by Penny Lane on Feb 20, 2008 17:19:28 GMT -5
You never want to debate I actually really liked Shannon's Story, and could relate to it a lot. I have parents who are never there when you need or want them and always around when you need space. I too, bypassed a school trip to Europe to avoid my parents. Of course, I knew that if my mom or dad actually chaperoned, I would never have a friend in school again. Seriously.
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Post by aln1982 on Feb 20, 2008 17:23:48 GMT -5
^ I can see being able to relate making you like Shannon in that book. Exactly why I don't like her, I think. ;D I've found it's impossible to convince others of your opinion since everyone has very different experiences and personalities. I don't have the energy to even try today, especially. ;D
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