Question #1: After having read Shift, why do you think the title is a good one for the book? Make sure to comment on the structure of the book, itself.
Question #2: Discuss the decision that Win made. Do you agree or disagree with it and why?
I feel that the name "Shift" for this book was a good choice on Jennifer Bradbury's part. Not only for the way she wrote the book from past memories to present time, but because of the way we can see, at the end all the struggles the dynamic duo went through, whether they be from the environment or with each other. As for Winston III, he definitely gave "Saint" Christopher a run for his money. The controversy between the two of them, Win and Chris, is understandable.. at least when it comes to the point of Chris being upset and Win trying to protect him. I believe that Chris has a right to be angry at Win for leaving him there but he also needs to own up to the fact that he obviously ignored the signs that slapped him in the face throughout the entire two month trip they took that summer. Chris didn't deserve to be deserted but Win's situation is also very understandable for wanting any way out. Who could blame the poor kid? With a cynical father like his I would have run like Win had, if the opportunity presented itself. But after his decision was made it's not like he could have taken it back.
For her first book, I especially enjoyed Shift. I give my props to Jennifer Bradbury for an entertaining tale.
I think the title Shift really fits the book. The first impression that I got from the title was that since the book is about a bike ride across the country, and bikes shift gears, that must be the reason the book is named Shift. After finishing the book, I thought of another reason for the title. I think that Win was shifting his life. He was leaving his old life and “shifting” into new one. Win was changing the way he was going to live. When I wasn’t too far into the book, just to the point where Christopher figures out Win is alive, I thought Win was idiotic for leaving his friend and parents so much stress to deal with. I felt that he should have taken his place at Dartmouth like his parents wanted him to in the first place, because they had to pull some strings to get him in there. But as the book went on, I realized that Win had a good reason for not returning to his family and starting a new life across the country. His parents didn’t really care about him at all, they only cared about getting him to Dartmouth, especially his father. I don’t think Win’s father ever missed his son, he just wanted Win back so he could go to Dartmouth. I bet Win’s father wanted it for bragging rights. I understand why Win left and hid from everyone that he knew. He was sick of his parents and how they didn’t care. In the end, I did agree with what Win did. He did something for himself when his parents wouldn’t.
Yes I do believe that Shift is an excellent name for this book. Mostly because with each consecutive chapter the plot 'shifts' from the summer bike ride to the current line of events. There is also a notable 'shift' in Win himself. In the beginning of the book he and for most of the ride he seems to be very competitive and has a tendency to lie. Near the end of the book though he has changed a lot. He seems to be a lot more humble and grateful for the things that Morgan and Effie gave him. Especially because it helps him get away from his father. I also find it quite profound when he tells Chris that he will come back when he can be the way he is with Morgan and Effie everywhere. I do however agree with Chris' decision (although I am not sure which one specifically, as he made several important decisions) To not try and convince Win to come home. As a long time friend of Win's Chris sees how much Win has changed how much better he is about life in general. Shift was an excellent read from start to finish.
I think that 'Shift' was a great name for this book. One reason being how the chapters shifted from present to past. Another being the book was based on a bike trip and bikes shift gears. Not only that, but how Win's life 'shifted.' At the beginning of the book Win was one who liked to lie. For example, when Win told a student tour guide that Chris had been in a coma for three years and that he was an orphan. Towards the end of the book Win grew up a little. He didn't like to lie anymore. Win told Chris everything he had lied about during the trip.
Win decided to leave home to get away from his father. His father was never happy with what his son did. One time, Win won a spelling bee. He missed only one word the entire bee. When Win told his father, he asked Win why he miss spelled that word instead of congratulating him. I personally wouldn't have run away. Mainly because Win was going to college in a few weeks; once at college he would rarely see his father anyway. But, on the other hand I understand his decision. I personally think he ran away not only to get away from his father but, as a way revenge. He took something away from his father that only Win could give him; a son that went to Dartmouth.
There are 3 main reasons why I think that Shift is a good title for the book. The first reason is mainly how the book is set up. The book shifts from the present to the past. It goes from Chris being interviewed and finding Win, to the Bike trip, and all the things that led to the disappearance of Win. The way the book is set up is a good representation of the title. The second reason why I think that Shift is a good title for the book is how the characters change. They shift from being one person to a new, changed person. In the beginning of the book, Chris and Win are just discovering who they really are. As they head out on a new adventure, they learn more about themselves. Win is the one that changed the most. He wanted to change, and to do that he had to disappear from his life, and that is what this book is mainly based on. The last reason why I believe this is because this book is based on biking across country. Shifting gears on your bike is a big part of biking long distances. So, where there is a book based on a biking experience, there should be a title based on biking not far away.
The decision that Win made was a life changing one for him. He decided that he was gonna disappear from his old life, from his father mainly, so that he could discover the real him. He wanted to run away, to make himself see that he wasn’t like his father. He wanted to be different. He made a decision that during his bike trip he would abandoned Chris, so that he could stay out in the country, and discover himself. Do I agree with Win’s decision? The answer to that would be yes. I can see Win’s logic behind his decision. The only reason why I agree, is because I would have done the same thing also. I see why Win wanted to leave, so that he could discover himself. I’m sure that many people would disagree with his decision, by saying that it’s wrong to let people worry, and running away is the weak thing to do. But, my question for those people is, If running away means discovering who you really are, would you do it too?
When I first was handed the assignment paper when I read the title Shift I thought the book would be about a standard car because you would have to shift it. When is saw the cover of the book with a bike on I then realized the book must be called shift because you shift the gears on a bike. When I finished reading the book I thought of another reason, the book was called Shift because every chapter shifted from past to present. I think the tittle suited the book perfectly because of those two reasons, the chapters shifting, and bikes shifting. The decision Win made to leave home on a bike trip and get away from his parents, in my opinion was kind of selfish of him. He wanted to get away from Father because he was never happy with him. Ever since Win was young he released his dad would never be proud of him. When he went to tell his dad how he won the spelling bee. All his dad did to congratulate him was ask him why he misspelled the word onyx. The decision might have been a little better for Win but it caused all kinds of problems for Criss. When Criss got home from the trip he had Agent ward asking him questions and Wins dad threatening to fire his dad. I don't think win really needed to run away. His dad pulled a lot of strings to get him into Dartmouth and Win was finally going to be away from his dad anyways. I think Win might have ran away Just to make his dad unhappy. I don't agree with the decision Win made. The way Win ditched Criss was mean and a little selfish of him. I think Win did use Criss and it caused a lot of problems for Criss. I know Win didn't have great parents but he wouldn't have had to see them much when he was in college.
Before I started, I knew what the book was about because someone told me what it was about but when I read it I understood why the title of the book made sense. The book's title fits perfectly because of how the chapters alternate between the two different times. It could also be seen that Win shifted lifestyle from being with his father, who saw him as more of a successor in business rather than his son and with his mother, who was more concerned with the things she can buy or whatever else she use it on, to being on his with people that needed him as much as he needed them.
The decision Win made was probably a good one for him, as he didn't want to turn out like his father. I don't know if I would say he made the best decision, but he made a good one. Leaving his parents would mean he most likely won't turn out like his father, which is a upside to it. I myself might see it differently than Win did, and see it as more of an opportunity for a better future, in a way. I think he could have learned the good business skills from his father and use them to become a wealthy businessman, but also learn from the mistakes that his father made at being a father and not do them to his kids, if he has them. So, in the end I don't completely agree with him on the whole plan, but he ended up with people who need him and will care for him, so I guess all ends well for him.
I think that the name “Shift” was a perfect name for this book. When I read the book jacket, I first thought the author named the book “Shift” because something traumatic happens to them. And of course something did. I didn't know what the big thing that happened was, but as I read on I realized why she really named it that. In the book, the lives of the two boys shift completely. They go from being two people who are close, almost like brothers. Then, they’re complete strangers, so much they don’t talk or know where the other truly is. To me, that is quite a shift in one’s life.
For Win’s decision, I agree with it completely. He hated his life at home, and the cross country biking trip opened a door for him to escape that. At home, Win was miserable, besides being with Chris. His parents had lots of money that they just threw at Win to get him out of their hair. Win’s father had expectations for him that Win didn’t really agree on. His overall life at home was very poor. But I also feel bad for Chris, and if I were to disagree with Win’s decision, Chris would be the reason. I mean, Chris was pretty mad when he found out what was going on, being harassed by cops and Win’s parents. And Chris has every right to be angry, I would be too. He was ditched, deserted, and had extra baggage added in the end, all when he was starting college. But in the end, you can really tell that Chris understands what Win did. Win’s happy, finally. He lives with two people that actually seem to like him, he has a job he somewhat likes, and a girlfriend. Yes, he left his friend, but he escaped all that he hated. I think what Win did what a great thing.
I think "Shift" is an excellent title for the book for many reasons. The first being because the book is, of course, about a bike trip across the country. The title made me think about the bike trip because bikes have to shift into gears. Another reason "Shift" is a great title is because the way the chapters are set up. They go from what happened after the trip to what was happening on the trip. The structure of this book is very unique. When Win was living by himself at Morgan's farm, I believe that is a reason that "Shift" is a good title. Win has to "shift" to fit in at the farm. He has to change his ways and learn a new lifestyle. When Chris arrived at the farm after he had received postcards from "Tricksey" who was actually Win, Win had changed a lot in just a month, showing Win had "shifted." "Shift" is definitely a great title for this book.
The decision Win made kind of shocked me, but I wasn't against it. In "Shift" when I read about the McCandless kid who had disappeared with all his money and quit college, I thought Win was going to be like him and end up dying too. I have heard about that book about the McCandless kid and I thought "oh no, Win is going to end up like him." However, it was different. Win didn't die or live on his own. He just wanted to get away for a while. If I had a father like Win I would probably get sick of him so I understand the choice Win made. I probably wouldn't go live across the country though, but I agree with Win's decision. Even though his parents and family thought he was dead, I think Win made a good decision. I may sound crazy, but I think it was good for Win to get away and not have to worry about his father. The getaway really changed Win and made him more mature. I think the getaway was good for Win, but nothing I'd ever do!
The title "Shift" is a great name for this book in my opinion. As I read the story, both Win and Chris began to change. Win changed because he was growing up. He became less relient on Chris for support through his struggles, and in the end he moved on from their friendship completely. Chris, on the other hand, stayed the same in many ways. He was still attached to Win, and wasn't understanding all the signs Win gave that he was leaving. Chris also became quite child-like when they were seperated, even for short periods of time, he acted like a child who had lost his mother. The word shift means to change. I think what the author meant for this title was to tell the story of a life changing event. The whole book shifted as you read, as both characters found themselves, and got away from the little things that kept them together. Obviously, I had known that Win had left Chris in the end. But what I didn't know, was how he left. As I read along in the book, I kept finding the clues of Win's disappearence, just as Abe Ward had half-heartedly attempted to do. The actual decision Win made didn't surprise me though. And the more I think about it, the more I agree with his decision. At first, I was just as offended as Chris was when Win just up and left in the middle of a near crisis situation. But after a while, I started to really see why Win did it. He just needed to get away, away from his life so he could start a new one.
The title Shift is very appropriate for this book for many different reasons. Not only does it have to do with the way the book it set up. For example chapters “shift” from past tense to present tense. Throughout the book you can also see Chris’s feelings toward his best friend “shift”. You can tell the Chris is getting annoyed with the way Win is acting. I did get kind of confused in the beginning though because of the fact that the book changed from past tense to present tense. I am being totally honest when I say that the decision Win made did not surprise me all that much. I could just tell that it wouldn’t be long before Win decided he had to get away from his parents somehow just by the way he talked about his parents and the way Chris talked about Win’s parents. I half agree with Win because of the way his parents treated him. I would probably have found a way to get away from my parents, too. I disagree with the part about him disappearing without anyone knowing. I would not have gone about it that way. No matter how much you resent your parents you should never worry them with randomly disappearing. I mean they thought Win was dead. No one should put their parents through that.
Great job to all of you!!! I am really impressed with your insight and your ability to express your ideas in writing.
Shift was about the literal--shifting gears and the structure of the book--flashbacks from present day, but the most important aspect of Shift, which most of you discovered, was the shift, or change, that occurred in the characters and their relationship over the course of the novel.
Great work... I am anxious to read your next responses! Keep them just as insightful.
Happy reading...hopefully you are doing it at the beach--it is HOT!!!
12 comments:
I feel that the name "Shift" for this book was a good choice on Jennifer Bradbury's part. Not only for the way she wrote the book from past memories to present time, but because of the way we can see, at the end all the struggles the dynamic duo went through, whether they be from the environment or with each other. As for Winston III, he definitely gave "Saint" Christopher a run for his money. The controversy between the two of them, Win and Chris, is understandable.. at least when it comes to the point of Chris being upset and Win trying to protect him. I believe that Chris has a right to be angry at Win for leaving him there but he also needs to own up to the fact that he obviously ignored the signs that slapped him in the face throughout the entire two month trip they took that summer. Chris didn't deserve to be deserted but Win's situation is also very understandable for wanting any way out. Who could blame the poor kid? With a cynical father like his I would have run like Win had, if the opportunity presented itself. But after his decision was made it's not like he could have taken it back.
For her first book, I especially enjoyed Shift. I give my props to Jennifer Bradbury for an entertaining tale.
I think the title Shift really fits the book. The first impression that I got from the title was that since the book is about a bike ride across the country, and bikes shift gears, that must be the reason the book is named Shift. After finishing the book, I thought of another reason for the title. I think that Win was shifting his life. He was leaving his old life and “shifting” into new one. Win was changing the way he was going to live. When I wasn’t too far into the book, just to the point where Christopher figures out Win is alive, I thought Win was idiotic for leaving his friend and parents so much stress to deal with. I felt that he should have taken his place at Dartmouth like his parents wanted him to in the first place, because they had to pull some strings to get him in there. But as the book went on, I realized that Win had a good reason for not returning to his family and starting a new life across the country. His parents didn’t really care about him at all, they only cared about getting him to Dartmouth, especially his father. I don’t think Win’s father ever missed his son, he just wanted Win back so he could go to Dartmouth. I bet Win’s father wanted it for bragging rights. I understand why Win left and hid from everyone that he knew. He was sick of his parents and how they didn’t care. In the end, I did agree with what Win did. He did something for himself when his parents wouldn’t.
Yes I do believe that Shift is an excellent name for this book. Mostly because with each consecutive chapter the plot 'shifts' from the summer bike ride to the current line of events. There is also a notable 'shift' in Win himself. In the beginning of the book he and for most of the ride he seems to be very competitive and has a tendency to lie. Near the end of the book though he has changed a lot. He seems to be a lot more humble and grateful for the things that Morgan and Effie gave him. Especially because it helps him get away from his father. I also find it quite profound when he tells Chris that he will come back when he can be the way he is with Morgan and Effie everywhere. I do however agree with Chris' decision (although I am not sure which one specifically, as he made several important decisions) To not try and convince Win to come home. As a long time friend of Win's Chris sees how much Win has changed how much better he is about life in general. Shift was an excellent read from start to finish.
I think that 'Shift' was a great name for this book. One reason being how the chapters shifted from present to past. Another being the book was based on a bike trip and bikes shift gears. Not only that, but how Win's life 'shifted.' At the beginning of the book Win was one who liked to lie. For example, when Win told a student tour guide that Chris had been in a coma for three years and that he was an orphan. Towards the end of the book Win grew up a little. He didn't like to lie anymore. Win told Chris everything he had lied about during the trip.
Win decided to leave home to get away from his father. His father was never happy with what his son did. One time, Win won a spelling bee. He missed only one word the entire bee. When Win told his father, he asked Win why he miss spelled that word instead of congratulating him. I personally wouldn't have run away. Mainly because Win was going to college in a few weeks; once at college he would rarely see his father anyway. But, on the other hand I understand his decision. I personally think he ran away not only to get away from his father but, as a way revenge. He took something away from his father that only Win could give him; a son that went to Dartmouth.
There are 3 main reasons why I think that Shift is a good title for the book. The first reason is mainly how the book is set up. The book shifts from the present to the past. It goes from Chris being interviewed and finding Win, to the Bike trip, and all the things that led to the disappearance of Win. The way the book is set up is a good representation of the title.
The second reason why I think that Shift is a good title for the book is how the characters change. They shift from being one person to a new, changed person. In the beginning of the book, Chris and Win are just discovering who they really are. As they head out on a new adventure, they learn more about themselves. Win is the one that changed the most. He wanted to change, and to do that he had to disappear from his life, and that is what this book is mainly based on.
The last reason why I believe this is because this book is based on biking across country. Shifting gears on your bike is a big part of biking long distances. So, where there is a book based on a biking experience, there should be a title based on biking not far away.
The decision that Win made was a life changing one for him. He decided that he was gonna disappear from his old life, from his father mainly, so that he could discover the real him. He wanted to run away, to make himself see that he wasn’t like his father. He wanted to be different. He made a decision that during his bike trip he would abandoned Chris, so that he could stay out in the country, and discover himself.
Do I agree with Win’s decision? The answer to that would be yes. I can see Win’s logic behind his decision. The only reason why I agree, is because I would have done the same thing also. I see why Win wanted to leave, so that he could discover himself. I’m sure that many people would disagree with his decision, by saying that it’s wrong to let people worry, and running away is the weak thing to do. But, my question for those people is, If running away means discovering who you really are, would you do it too?
When I first was handed the assignment paper when I read the title Shift I thought the book would be about a standard car because you would have to shift it. When is saw the cover of the book with a bike on I then realized the book must be called shift because you shift the gears on a bike. When I finished reading the book I thought of another reason, the book was called Shift because every chapter shifted from past to present. I think the tittle suited the book perfectly because of those two reasons, the chapters shifting, and bikes shifting.
The decision Win made to leave home on a bike trip and get away from his parents, in my opinion was kind of selfish of him. He wanted to get away from Father because he was never happy with him. Ever since Win was young he released his dad would never be proud of him. When he went to tell his dad how he won the spelling bee. All his dad did to congratulate him was ask him why he misspelled the word onyx. The decision might have been a little better for Win but it caused all kinds of problems for Criss. When Criss got home from the trip he had Agent ward asking him questions and Wins dad threatening to fire his dad. I don't think win really needed to run away. His dad pulled a lot of strings to get him into Dartmouth and Win was finally going to be away from his dad anyways. I think Win might have ran away Just to make his dad unhappy. I don't agree with the decision Win made. The way Win ditched Criss was mean and a little selfish of him. I think Win did use Criss and it caused a lot of problems for Criss. I know Win didn't have great parents but he wouldn't have had to see them much when he was in college.
Before I started, I knew what the book was about because someone told me what it was about but when I read it I understood why the title of the book made sense. The book's title fits perfectly because of how the chapters alternate between the two different times. It could also be seen that Win shifted lifestyle from being with his father, who saw him as more of a successor in business rather than his son and with his mother, who was more concerned with the things she can buy or whatever else she use it on, to being on his with people that needed him as much as he needed them.
The decision Win made was probably a good one for him, as he didn't want to turn out like his father. I don't know if I would say he made the best decision, but he made a good one. Leaving his parents would mean he most likely won't turn out like his father, which is a upside to it. I myself might see it differently than Win did, and see it as more of an opportunity for a better future, in a way. I think he could have learned the good business skills from his father and use them to become a wealthy businessman, but also learn from the mistakes that his father made at being a father and not do them to his kids, if he has them. So, in the end I don't completely agree with him on the whole plan, but he ended up with people who need him and will care for him, so I guess all ends well for him.
I think that the name “Shift” was a perfect name for this book. When I read the book jacket, I first thought the author named the book “Shift” because something traumatic happens to them. And of course something did. I didn't know what the big thing that happened was, but as I read on I realized why she really named it that. In the book, the lives of the two boys shift completely. They go from being two people who are close, almost like brothers. Then, they’re complete strangers, so much they don’t talk or know where the other truly is. To me, that is quite a shift in one’s life.
For Win’s decision, I agree with it completely. He hated his life at home, and the cross country biking trip opened a door for him to escape that. At home, Win was miserable, besides being with Chris. His parents had lots of money that they just threw at Win to get him out of their hair. Win’s father had expectations for him that Win didn’t really agree on. His overall life at home was very poor. But I also feel bad for Chris, and if I were to disagree with Win’s decision, Chris would be the reason. I mean, Chris was pretty mad when he found out what was going on, being harassed by cops and Win’s parents. And Chris has every right to be angry, I would be too. He was ditched, deserted, and had extra baggage added in the end, all when he was starting college. But in the end, you can really tell that Chris understands what Win did. Win’s happy, finally. He lives with two people that actually seem to like him, he has a job he somewhat likes, and a girlfriend. Yes, he left his friend, but he escaped all that he hated. I think what Win did what a great thing.
I think "Shift" is an excellent title for the book for many reasons. The first being because the book is, of course, about a bike trip across the country. The title made me think about the bike trip because bikes have to shift into gears. Another reason "Shift" is a great title is because the way the chapters are set up. They go from what happened after the trip to what was happening on the trip. The structure of this book is very unique. When Win was living by himself at Morgan's farm, I believe that is a reason that "Shift" is a good title. Win has to "shift" to fit in at the farm. He has to change his ways and learn a new lifestyle. When Chris arrived at the farm after he had received postcards from "Tricksey" who was actually Win, Win had changed a lot in just a month, showing Win had "shifted." "Shift" is definitely a great title for this book.
The decision Win made kind of shocked me, but I wasn't against it. In "Shift" when I read about the McCandless kid who had disappeared with all his money and quit college, I thought Win was going to be like him and end up dying too. I have heard about that book about the McCandless kid and I thought "oh no, Win is going to end up like him." However, it was different. Win didn't die or live on his own. He just wanted to get away for a while. If I had a father like Win I would probably get sick of him so I understand the choice Win made. I probably wouldn't go live across the country though, but I agree with Win's decision. Even though his parents and family thought he was dead, I think Win made a good decision. I may sound crazy, but I think it was good for Win to get away and not have to worry about his father. The getaway really changed Win and made him more mature. I think the getaway was good for Win, but nothing I'd ever do!
The title "Shift" is a great name for this book in my opinion. As I read the story, both Win and Chris began to change. Win changed because he was growing up. He became less relient on Chris for support through his struggles, and in the end he moved on from their friendship completely. Chris, on the other hand, stayed the same in many ways. He was still attached to Win, and wasn't understanding all the signs Win gave that he was leaving. Chris also became quite child-like when they were seperated, even for short periods of time, he acted like a child who had lost his mother. The word shift means to change. I think what the author meant for this title was to tell the story of a life changing event. The whole book shifted as you read, as both characters found themselves, and got away from the little things that kept them together.
Obviously, I had known that Win had left Chris in the end. But what I didn't know, was how he left. As I read along in the book, I kept finding the clues of Win's disappearence, just as Abe Ward had half-heartedly attempted to do. The actual decision Win made didn't surprise me though. And the more I think about it, the more I agree with his decision. At first, I was just as offended as Chris was when Win just up and left in the middle of a near crisis situation. But after a while, I started to really see why Win did it. He just needed to get away, away from his life so he could start a new one.
The title Shift is very appropriate for this book for many different reasons. Not only does it have to do with the way the book it set up. For example chapters “shift” from past tense to present tense. Throughout the book you can also see Chris’s feelings toward his best friend “shift”. You can tell the Chris is getting annoyed with the way Win is acting. I did get kind of confused in the beginning though because of the fact that the book changed from past tense to present tense.
I am being totally honest when I say that the decision Win made did not surprise me all that much. I could just tell that it wouldn’t be long before Win decided he had to get away from his parents somehow just by the way he talked about his parents and the way Chris talked about Win’s parents. I half agree with Win because of the way his parents treated him. I would probably have found a way to get away from my parents, too. I disagree with the part about him disappearing without anyone knowing. I would not have gone about it that way. No matter how much you resent your parents you should never worry them with randomly disappearing. I mean they thought Win was dead. No one should put their parents through that.
Great job to all of you!!! I am really impressed with your insight and your ability to express your ideas in writing.
Shift was about the literal--shifting gears and the structure of the book--flashbacks from present day, but the most important aspect of Shift, which most of you discovered, was the shift, or change, that occurred in the characters and their relationship over the course of the novel.
Great work... I am anxious to read your next responses! Keep them just as insightful.
Happy reading...hopefully you are doing it at the beach--it is HOT!!!
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