Not really, but in the age of terrorism and zero tolerance, the adult authorities mistakenly take it seriously. She plays basketball well, but is also made fun of a lot for many reasons. It was a swift ugly girl tactic to smile when youre scared as hell. It was a thursday in january during the middle of 5th period study hall when there was a knock on the door. Sixteenyearold matts big mouth has got him trouble. Big mouth and ugly girl is an easy read and can be related to very easily. Lowe plays matt donaghy, who readily admits to being a big mouth. Ursula riggs, our main protagonist is a taller high school student, more on the unattractive side who just happens to be a top student at her school, rocky river high school. Matts story is told in third person, telling of a witty student who is. But its never gotten him in trouble until the day matt is accused of threatening to blow up rocky river high school. Big boulders, and through the center, like a razorblade cut, that dark cascading water.
Ursula has her hair cut short, and lots of earrings in her ears. Matt is the one of the main characters and his nickname is big mouth. No one messes with big ursula because she doesnt care what others think of her and she definitely does not put up with anyone, and that includes teachers. Big mouth and ugly girl by joyce carol oates monday, february 17, 2014 vol xciii, no. Big mouth ugly girl summary essay 717 words bartleby. Download and keep this book for free with a 30 day trial. A wonderful tale of two unlikely friends told in two voices. The book i read for my english class is big mouth and ugly girl by joyce carol oates. I figure if my parents get that far reading the book, they will. When matt donaghy, a big mouth by his own admission, is overheard in the cafeteria making a joke about blowing up the school and then yanked out of class by cops who investigate it as though he was serious, ursula is the only one who believes. Big mouth and ugly girl is the kind of book that makes you feel the characters emotions. Sixteenyearold matt is accused of threatening to blow up his high school. Oates has found a way to tell this story in a way where being misheard can cause you to go through many problems for simply telling a joke.
Big mouth a fairly popular boy, good student, makeem laugh type boy who impulsively jokes about a bombing his high school and finds himself in serious trouble and ugly girl the sharp witted, plain faced, big boned and friendless loner who stands up for a boy she barely knows because it is the right thing to do. This symbol represents the theme of big mouth, ugly girl. They have totally completely different personalitys. Ursula is a misunderstood all star female high school athlete. Big mouth and ugly girl is a foray into teen fiction by prolific adult writer joyce carol oates. Books similar to big mouth and ugly girl goodreads. Big mouth and ugly girl is one of the most tremendous young adults books i have read in a while. Matts friend who watched him be removed from study hall. There are two different types of main characters their is ursula riggs ugly girl and matt donaghy. Tea with jules with the girl who fell from the sky em.
Ugly girl is ursula, a loner and star of the girls basketball team who doesnt feel at home in her skin. He knows he has a big mouth yet cant seem to help it, at times. Joyce carol oates, author, read by hilary swank and chad lowe. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. In striving to enrich the lives of all readers, teachingbooks supports the first amendment and celebrates the right to read. Ursula and matt become friends through chatting with one another about the misunderstanding of the.
It seems obvious to her that her face is not her greatest virtue, so shes labeled herself ugly girl. Matt gets in trouble by being funny in public, needing to make his friends laugh. Ursula, who is a top student, decides to become ugly girl, big, roughly dressed and definitely defiant. I thought it might also tie in with jos body image and selfperception month. Ursula riggs is a 16 yearold high school student at a school called rocky river high in the us. Publishers web page for audiobook with real audio excerpt. Hilary swank and chad lowe did a great job of adding depth. Oates, joyce carol big mouth ugly girl summary alexander sim term paper didactics english literature, works publish your bachelors or. Hes insecure with his friends, and making them laugh has been a way of being accepted. I eyed the crude typeface of the title, and glanced dubiously at the jacket pictures depicting a big mouth and an ugly girl. Through out the book she become friends with matt donaghy a popular class clown.
He says he want to blow up the school and massacre many students and teachers, but it. Unlike any other book ive read, the author switches between first and third person pointofview, which is confusing at first but also makes the story very unique. Critics circle ivan sandrof lifetime achievement award, the chicago tribune lifetime achievement award, the national book award, and the penmalamud award for excellence in short fiction, and has been nominated for the pulitzer prize. Im afraid to sound like such a coward asshole asking you not to tell anybody. A recipient of the national book award and the penmalamud award for. Find books like big mouth and ugly girl from the worlds largest community of readers.
Read the book on paper it is quite a powerful experience. Big mouth and ugly girl book summary and study guide. But its never gotten him in trouble, until the day matt is accused of threatening to blow up rocky river high school. She gets even more pissed that evening because of her mom and her younger sister, lisa. Ursula was a girl who needed to be unwrapped to understand how she feels because on the outside she does not show her true emotions. Joyce carol oates booklist joyce carol oates message board. Big mouth is matt who is accused of threatening to blow up his high school. The next threequarters of the book become even more interesting, as the author explores the subsequent social pressures placed on the teenagers and adults in a fictitious, affluent suburb of new york city.
Innocent matt is suspended, the false accusation takes on a life of. If you are looking for a book club, book discussion, or book talk ya title, consider this for your next pick. Get 50% off this audiobook at the audiobooksnow online audio book store and download or stream it right to your computer, smartphone or tablet. When a classmate he barely knows tries to help, an unlikely friendship forms between them. Like almost always ugly girl has inky black in her head and she thinks it would go away by leaving the team, but it doesnt. Ursula and matt become friends after he is accused of making a bomb threat at their surburban high school. People in his school call him this because he says stuff without thinking properly which gets him into trouble. From that, we follow big mouth and ugly girls surprising relationship that sprouts from this disturbing scene and how it effects families and other members of the community. Big mouth and ugly girl is about a boy and girl who have to go through many obstacles in there life and create a unique friendship. They enjoyed listening to the audio version, especially the chapters narrated by hilary swank. Ugly girl doesnt want her mother to know what is going on there, because she is not in mood to talk to her. At the risk of sounding cliche, i did judge this book by the cover.
Does the electronic version of the book completely replace the paper version. Big mouth and ugly girl by joyce carol oates one billion. Goodreads members who liked big mouth and ugly girl also liked. I did not say those things, and i did not plan those things. Anyone can be misheard, joyce carol oates has created an amazing book on just the effects on the person who has bee misheard.
He says he want to blow up the school and massacre many students and teachers, but it was only a joke. Ursula riggs ugly girl in the beginning of the book ursula was known as ugly girl and the girl who only liked sports and winning, she was a shy girl who hope never to be noticed in the halls. Chad lowe matt donaghy has always been a big mouth, but its never gotten him in trouble until the day he is accused of threatening to blow up rocky river high. Oates has a good ear for the speech, the family relations. They came for him during fifth period, which was matts study period, in room 220 of rocky river high school, westchester county. Big mouth and ugly girl the novel big mouth and ugly girl written by joyce carol oates in 2002 is a story about two american high school students who get very involved in each others lives by an accidental incident. Big mouth and ugly girl by joyce carol oates goodreads.
Id told my mom what id heard in the cafeteria, and shed told dad. Best of all, if after reading an e book, you buy a paper version of big mouth and ugly girl. It was an ordinary january afternoon, a thursday, when they came for matt donaghy. I picked it up, kind of on a whim after reading another of joyce carol oates ya novels last year, after the wreck, i picked myself up, spread my wings, and flew away. Whats the setting of the book big mouth and ugly girl by.
1373 1086 645 1358 983 1 1309 460 997 899 349 1178 1328 555 616 533 1163 412 294 1531 650 762 456 1264 563 559 10 748 1483 1166 1021 214 1137 532 1461 1241 29 805 1184 1444 399 1007 250