Novel Study - Unwind - Part 7, Consciousness

How is it that Connor was not unwound? p318
- Connor wasn't unwound because he had another I.D of a security guard that was 19. He looked quite similar to the man and was given that identity to hide him from being unwound.

Whose arm does he now have? P319
- Connor has a tiger shark tattoo which belonged to Roland, who was unwound in part 6. He has Roland's arm, as his arm was blown up and amputated.

On p321 Risa tells Connor how she won't be unwound. Do you think her decision to not accept the spine of an Unwind was purely ethical, or was she also playing the system in order to stay alive?
- I think it was an ethical choice because even though she could've walked again she chose not to because it was from an unwound. I think the advantage of not being unwound was something she found out or realised and thought it was a good cover for her story. As someone who saw people going to their "deaths", she must've been a little scared by this incident even more than before, so she didn't want the spine, knowing that that could've been Connor or her. 

Since the explosions at Happy Jack, what have people been doing? What has Cy-Fi's role been in this? P325
- Since the clapping incident at Happy Jack people have been protesting at Washington and realising that unwinding isn't a good thing. Cy-Fi's role in this has been testifying before congress. Because of all of this the government is starting to think about changing the legal age from 18 years old to 17 years old.

Lev's parents disown him. Who is trying to become his guardian? P328.
- Because Lev's parents disowned him, his brother Marcus is trying to get custody of him instead of him being sent to a state home. His brother was also disowned by his parents.

Why has Pastor Dan resigned? P329
- Pastor Dan resigned because he didn't believe in a God who tithed. He didn't lose his faith, he just lost his convictions in believing in that part of God.

P331-332 explain what has happened to Harlan Dunfee. What do you think about the Admiral and his wife's plan? Was it what you expected?
- Harlan Dunfee wasn't put together in the way everyone thought. Instead of killing the people who had his parts, they instead, held a party for his 26th birthday. They invited everyone who had his body parts to celebrate this all together as they all had a part of him.

- I think their plan was a pretty surprising plan as to when we are introduced to Harlan's story we learn that his parents went Insane. Instead, they just wanted to see their son again because they were forced to unwind him due to the society that they lived in. It wasn't what I expected because as I said before, his parents were explained to be "insane" when in reality they were just regretful. 

Who takes over the graveyard? P331

- At the end of the book, we find out that Risa, Connor, and Hayden stayed at the Graveyard to help the other unwinds that have escaped to let them have another chance. We find out that Connor becomes the leader of the graveyard to help people fight against unwinding in a more humane way, unlike clappers. 

Novel Study - Unwind - Part 6, Unwound

Connor and Risa are sent to Happy Jack Harvest Camp. Describe what it is like, and explain why it is like this. P265-266
- Happy Jack Harvest Camp is like hell hidden as a paradise. Everything looks like a happy place but everyone is terrified of being unwound, the people that haven't been unwound yet are kept till they are needed which terrifies them even more. The staff are all dressed in bright happy colours but it contrasts against what the place actually is. It is like this because they want the unwound to live their lives the happiest they think they can be but instead are scaring them even more. Instead of properly letting them have fun they are making them do things to see what body parts are the best and more important than the others. 

What is the exact percentage of the Unwind that you have to keep alive? Why is it not 100%, as Risa believes? P269
- 99.44% of an unwound body parts can be donated. This is because they have to take into account some parts like the appendix. 

What do the unwinds call the place where unwinding occurs? P271
- The Unwinds called it the Chop Shop.

Lev too is at Happy Jack but as a tithe. Why is this?
- This is because his parents never changed him from being a tithe, no one knows he isn't one anymore. As he is now a clapper he has to do his job and the only way that he can get in freely is acting as a tithe.

On p278 Connor and Roland finally have the fight that's been brewing between them. What does each character realise during this?
- Connor realises that Roland is much stronger than him. He also realises that they are quite similar in height.

- Roland realises that he could actually kill people and is quite scared about it as he hasn't ever killed anyone. He also realises he could kill Connor easily and all it would take would be to clench his fist that has Connors's neck.

P284 - What group has Lev joined, who recruited him, and when will they follow out their plan?
- A group called the Clappers recruited him, which was lead by Cleaver. They were going to follow out their plant when one of them was going to be unwound or when Blaine decided that we were going to. 

Roland is called for unwinding on p286. Why is this?
- Roland is called for unwinding for his blood type. His blood type is AB negative which was rare and was also high in demand at the time.

Chapter 61 is arguably the most confronting chapter in the book. Here we have Roland's first person narrative of being unwound. Do you think this chapter is necessary? Why do you think Shusterman chose to have Roland's experience detailed? Do his memories alter how you view him?
- I think this chapter is necessary because we learn the process of unwinding and how people's body parts are going to be used. We also learn that Unwounds must be awake during the process. I think he chose to have Roland's experience detailed because we learn more about Roland and why he could've turned out this way. I think its also to see what Roland's life was before he was unwound. His memories don't really alter how I feel about him because I knew something in his past must've happened for him to want to protect the females in his family.

Why does Lev decide not to clap? P310

- Lev decided not to clap because he was in shock. He just realised that Connor "died' and he didn't get the farewell he deserved. He was also scared because he didn't want to end his life just yet. He was trying to clap but the shock was too much for him and he froze up.

Novel Study - Unwind - Part 5, Graveyard

Which job in the graveyard does Risa get assigned to? How does this come about? P201
- Risa gets assigned to be a dishwasher then becomes a medic, this is because a kid comes in with blood caking him and his nose is bleeding. Risa tells him how to stop the bleeding without gaging himself with this own blood. She is then upgraded immediately to a medic while the kid becomes the dishwasher.

Why doesn't Connor volunteer for "work"? P205
- Connor believes the Admiral is working a slave market instead of a refuge place. He believes that people are being sold off to others or even to the cops to be unwound and that the admiral is also using them for his own pleasure. 

How does Roland unsettle Connor? P206-207
- I think Roland unsettles Connor with the amount of knowledge he has on the graveyard already. They've only been in there for a few days and he already knows so much. I think he is also unsettled because of Roland and the Admirals teeth. In the text, Roland says that the Admirals teeth look very similar to a kids photo in his room, which is hung up. He then says that the teeth are probably the kids and he doesn't know how many unwound body parts the Admiral has. It makes Connor think a lot about what Roland has said and makes him mad because he actually starts to believe Roland.

P208-209 detail Lev's arrival, and Connor's reaction. Make sure you fill in your character profiles for both characters.
- When Lev arrived Connor was surprised but angry as he thought Lev was Unwound. He was happy to see him but then thought about everything he had done and was angry. When Lev spots him he smiled and tried walking to Connor before Amp told him to stay in line. Connor said that he knew him and Amp let him pass. Once Lev reaches him he punches Lev straight in the face, just to get all his anger out and then hugs him tightly like he would do with his brother. 

- Lev looks completely different to how he did at the start of the story. Instead of having clean hair, he had unkempt hair that looked dirty and instead of wearing white clothes, he wore worn jeans and a dirty red T-shirt. Instead of having an innocent look, he has a hardened look which surprised Connor.

- Connor looks similar to how he did at the start of the story, just acted differently. Instead of going straight to lev he stopped, thought about it and looked at Lev from far away. He thought about everything Lev has done and kept his thoughts to himself. Instead of being impulsive and going straight to Lev, he waited until the right time and then talked to Lev.

P214-215 Connor learns the truth about the Admiral here. How does the Admiral gain Connor's trust?
- Connor bursts while talking to the Admiral and says that he is able to pick and choose who gets unwound and what body parts he gets. This makes the Admiral mad and he takes out his dentures in front of Connor. Connor is horrified and confused as he believes that the teeth he has is the kids but no blood is pouring out. The Admiral explains that the kid in the photo is his child and they used his dental records as reference for his teeth. Connor is happy about the explanation and starts to trust the Admiral.

What, according to the Admiral, is it that Connor is becoming famous for in the Graveyard?p212
- The Admiral believes that Connor is becoming more famous in the Graveyard for his repairing skills and his fighting. Everyone knows that Connor is extremely good at fixing things which makes him known for that. He is also known for fighting as he helps resolve problems, even if he loses the fight.

What happens to the Goldens?p217
-  The goldens were stuffed into the same crate that the last kids who died from suffocation were in. They had died in the same way they died, from suffocation in crate 2933.

How does Roland begin to assert his power in the Graveyard? (you'll need to look throughout the section)
- Roland begins to assert his dominance by telling the other kids that he was specifically chosen to be the Pilot's assistant. Kids become impressed by him because of his age, and he also manipulates them. Later he soon acts like what the Admiral would act like, giving people rides in the plane, letting them vote and giving their opinions. They all start to listen to him more.

P222-226 give us an insight into how the Unwinding Bill was passed into law. Summarise what happened, then explain whether or not you think it is plausible.
- In the heartland war, there were three sides, the Life Army, the Choice brigade and the remains of the American military, the Admiral was on the military's side. The whole heartland war began because of an argument which had then turned into a war. One side was murdering abortion doctors to protect the right of life, while the other side was getting others pregnant to sell fetal tissue. They had both gotten the weapons to destroy each other when the Bill Of Life was going to be introduced. As a joke, they said a child could be "aborted" once they were of age if their parent wanted them to, but that same year someone won a noble peace prize for being able to transplant every piece of someone's body. As the war was getting worse the army proposed the idea of unwinding, hoping it would shock the two sides into seeing reason, but to their surprise, both sides agreed. The Bill Of Life was introduced and both sides were quite happy with the idea, not worrying about the consequences. I don't think it is plausible because they just agreed because of the noble peace prize winner. The side that was fighting for the right of light doesn't know when you are transplanted, whether or not you actually live or not. you don't know enough details to say yes without knowing the consequences. You also aren't giving the kids who are being unwound the right of life as you are letting the parents decide instead of them. You are also letting them be "aborted" which is what one side was highly against, even going as far as to kill abortion doctors. It doesn't make sense and also doesn't seem plausible to agree to.

The Admiral was there when the Bill of Life was signed - do you think this detracts from the believability of the commonplace nature of Unwinding? In your opinion, do you think the book should have a few more generations between those who signed the Bill, and the present state in the novel?
-  I think it does distracts the nature of Unwinding because not everyone knows the full process of unwinding when they had agreed on the Bill of Life. They didn't know enough but agreed to the Bill of Life because they thought it sounded right. I don't think they should have a bigger generation space because then kids would most likely all be unwound. They would all either be dead or completely afraid of being unwound, the kids now are afraid, but they are trying to stop the problem as it affects them the most. 

What job does Lev volunteer to do? P236
- Lev Volunteers to help with oil Pipelines. He volunteers along with another kid and Mai. 

Which part of Harlan Dunfree does Emby have? P240
- Emby has one of Harlan Dunfee's lung. He was given this because when he was younger he was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, both his lungs were shutting down so the doctors gave him one of Harlan's lungs.

Chapter 39 is from Roland's point of view. Why do you think Shusterman changes the narrative here? What do we learn in this short chapter?
- I think it is to see someone who isn't one of the main character thoughts towards someone who is the main character. I think it is also to see Roland's brief opinion on Connor. In this chapter, we learn that Roland has done quite a few things that most people don't know about, for example, we learn that he stole things from the infirmary and broke generators just to be able to blame the Admiral for everything and get people on his side. We also learn he is very cautious about Connor, as he thinks Connor knows way too much about the things he has done. 

By the end of this section, things at the Graveyard have deteriorated, with the unwinds turning on the Admiral, and tearing the place apart. Which character is beaten to death on p250?
- The character who is beaten to death is Cleaver, he was the pilot that made Roland his apprentice. 

What does the Admiral refuse on p255? What is the doctor's reaction to this?
- The Admiral refuses a heart transplant because he had a heart attack. The doctor is confused and a little afraid because he hasn't done a traditional heart surgery in a while but still remembers it from medical school.

Why does Roland have the Juvey-Cops called? P259 Why doesn't his plan happen? P260-1
- Roland has the Juvey-Cops called because he realises that he can turn in Risa, Connor and Himself to the cops for money. Each runaway unwound you bring in you get $500. This didn't happen because Roland was also an unwound and in return gave himself in with no reward. He tried bribing the cops but they had dealt with this all before, so they didn't believe him.

Novel Study - Unwind - Part 4, Destinations

This section opens with Lev in a pawnbroker's. What does this tell you about how his character is changing?
- It shows that he isn't as scared to do things that he would've considered bad before. He realises that he needs to take risks to live instead of living by the rules so he uses his skills to deceive the pawnbrokers.

While being transported to possible safety, some of the kids on the run wonder, "Would it be better to die or be unwound?" If given the choice, which would you choose? Why? This response requires more than one or two sentences! Put forward at least three reasons why you think what you do.
- I would rather die than be unwound. Like what Hayden says in chapter 27, Unwound's aren't really dead, pieces of them are still alive and don't realise that they are dead yet. In Cy-Fi's case, he has 1/8 of a human being nagging him inside his brain and he never knew why. You would think they would be completely dead but somehow a part of them is still alive. Another reason is that the process of being picked apart must be painful to go through, not physically but mentally. Imagine being picked apart even though you are completely healthy and having to lose your life because of parents or caregivers that you trusted, it would make you feel guilty and maybe go insane. My last reason is that it should be your choice to pick if you want to give your organs away. Now people are able to choose if they want to give their organs away to someone when they die. In this world, children can't pick and are merely sent off without a worry. It should be the host of the bodies choice if they want to give organs away than being forced to by your parents and the government.

Another question the kids in the book discuss is, "If every part of you is still alive but inside someone else, are you alive or are you dead?" They also wonder if consciousness can exist even if it's spread out, and if the soul remains intact. What do you think? Read Thomas Hobbes' Ship of Theseus puzzle to help you make a decision. Be sure to reference it in your answer!http://metaphysicist.com/puzzles/ship_theseus/
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This section of the novel sees Lev and Cy-Fi finally make it to Joplin. As they get closer, Cy-Fi's behaviour becomes increasingly erratic. What are some of the things he does, or things he likes, that are not his own behaviours or memories?
- When they were soon arriving at Joplin, Cy-Fi starts by saying "Home of the Joplin High Eagles - reigning state champions in girls' basketball". Lev says that he knows a lot about the place and Cy-Fi retaliates by saying that "He knows, or knew, or whatever". It tells us that Tyler, who is the "he" is making more appearances and is remembering the place. Twenty miles away from Joplin Lev also noticed that Cy-Fi's twitching became worse, as even walking was difficult for him, and instead of it being twitching, it has become seizurelike shuddering that left him shivering. He then starts remembering places that Tyler's memories remember, for example, the Ice Cream shop that has pumpkin ice cream, which Cy-Fi dislikes. He then remembers the way to his house and has a struggle with Tyler as he tries to take hold of his body. They then switch back and forth while and at Tylers parent's house.

What was Cy-Ty hiding in his backyard? Pg 185-194
- Cy-Ty was hiding jewellery in his backyard behind his dead pets graves. There were gold rings, bracelets, necklaces etc.

The section ends with Cy-Ty reaching his destination. What do you think of his parents' behaviour? What does Lev's support show you about his character?

- I think Tyler's parents are scared of him because after being unwound he is back in another persons body and can only remember them, bits and pieces of his hometown and the briefcase that contained the jewellery.  In a part when Cy-Ty asks if he is going to be unwound, his parents huddle together insead of trying to help Cy-Ty. I think Cy-Fi's parents are glad that he is back and that he is safe because they don't care that he had left, though they were a little hurt that he left them in the first place. They understand that he has to do something and the let him, knowing that he won't rest until he does. I think Lev's support shows us that he is quite a caring person, and that he is loyal until the end. Even though they had made it to Joplin, Lev still stayed with Cy-Ty until the end when Cy-Fi was back and with his dads. I think he is the type of person who checks to see if they are completely fine before leaving them and going back to his own problems.

Novel Study - Unwind - Part 3, Transit

In the course of the book, Connor and Risa get separated from Lev, who travels for a time with another character. Why do you think Shusterman chose to split the narrative into two distinct threads? What do you think this achieves? How does this affect the evolution of the characters?
- I think Shusterman chose to split the characters because he wanted to show us that they needed to grow individually before joining up together again hopefully near the end. I also assume that something important happens which needs Lev to leave before coming back. 

- I think this achieves the characters growths as all the characters can grow differently than what they would be like if they were all together. When they were together they always fought and had the same views as they did before, when they parted they all started having different views and started learning new things. 

- I personally think that this affects the evolutions of the character because they are all able to grow in different places and learn things that can't be learnt somewhere else. For example, if Lev was with Risa and Connor he wouldn't have learnt about how to get food from stores when they were closing, instead, after leaving them both he learnt about this and also made a new friend.

On p125 & 129 the novel touches on same-sex relationships. Has the attitude toward same-sex couples changed (for better or worse) in this futuristic society? Explain your response.
- I think same-sex relationships have changed for the better in this society. I say this because in the story it explains that families that have same-sex parents are called "Yin families" which must mean that there are many more same-sex relationships to a point where there is even a slang word for it.

P130 begins our journey into understanding a little more about Cy-Fi. Through his character, what do you learn about the effects of unwinding on both the donor and receiver?
- Depending on the body part you get, you can get their muscle memories and memories that they had when they were still whole. This gets passed onto the receiver who must deal with the advantages and/or disadvantages of the donor. If you have been given a piece that you use a lot, you will most likely get the memories, thoughts or emotions of the donor. You essentially become a host for people who don't know they are "dead". 

What is the real reason Cy-Fi needs to get to Joplin, Mo? Pg 131
- The real reason Cy-Fi needs to get to Joplin is because of his unwound right temporal lobe. The lobe contains pieces and memories, as well as emotions of the donor of the lobe. Cy-Fi doesn't know his name but knows that he looks a bit like Lev, blue eyes and blonde hair. He figured out that the donor wanted to get to Joplin so Cy-Fi hopes that once they get to Joplin it will leave him alone as it doesn't really know its unwound and acts as a spirit.    

What is the significance of Connor holding in his anger around Roland? Pg 147
- The significance of Connor holding in his anger around Roland is that Roland wants a reaction from Connor, Connor not giving him one could mean that either he is changing, or Roland will leave them alone for now because he thinks Connor might not be a threat as he thought.

Connor's anger and lack of impulse control is often a problem for him, until he learns to control and channel his emotions. Do you ever feel like your impulses are stronger than your will? What strategies do you use to control your feelings? Do they work?

- Sometimes I do think my impulses are stronger than my will. It normally happens when I'm put in a tough situation where I want two different things, sometimes I regret my decision, sometimes I don't. Some Strategies I use to control myself is to think to myself is this is really what I want, it helps me think about my choices more seriously and actually put it into perspective. It does work most times, but when my impulse is too much to handle I often forget about thinking.

Novel Study - Unwind - Part 2, Storked

What is the story based on a nursery rhyme that circulates among the youth? P 105

- Humpty Dumpty, it is explained in the story as they base it off a character that was first unwound, his parents had gone insane and the nursery rhyme becomes gruesome.

Risa overhears two nurses debating law and human nature. Which argument do you think is the stronger? Why do you think this? Write a paragraph explaining your thoughts on law and human nature.  P 115

- Personally, I think that the argument which states that you can't change human nature without changing the law is the strongest. My reasoning is that we have been following these rules since we were young. Human nature is how a human being acts, without having rules or restrictions. Law is the system that people follow in society that chooses what is right or wrong and gives penalties that are suitable for that crime. they are two very different things, one being something natural to humans, the other enforced by humans to restrict and to help civilisation. Since you were born you have told what you should and shouldn't do, to suddenly be told that you can act freely, it must be foreign to you. You wouldn't know what to do and when you do something that used to be a crime in the law, you would think that you are in the wrong, when in fact you aren't. It makes you think much more than if you were free, laws can also change peoples thoughts on normal things humans do. Society now judge many people for anything that they do, to be told that you can act freely and then being judged by other people can cause you to also think that you are doing something wrong. These are some reasons on why you can't change human nature without changing the law. 

This section opens with a mother abandoning her newborn infant on the doorstep of a house in a good neighbourhood. As she leaves, she thinks "How wonderful it is that she can get a second chance. How wonderful it is that she can dismiss her responsibility so easily." 

In your opinion, by allowing new mothers to give up their children so readily, does it take away from the value of a child?

-  I don't think it takes away the value of a child as it's not the child's fault or problem that the mother has left them. It's the mother's fault as they are not ready to be responsible for something and thus give their "problem" to someone else to deal with. It doesn't mean that the child is faulty or has disabilities, it just shows that the birth mother isn't prepared and feels it's ok to leave problems instead of dealing with them.

What is the role of a mother? Do you think the title of mother is something that should be earned or a natural right of the woman who gave birth? 

- I think the role of a mother should be earned. I think it should be earned because some mothers who have children don't care for them whereas females that can't have children care for them as if they are their own. It depends on the type of person you are than if it is related to you by blood.

What skills or attributes do Connor and Risa have that work well together?
- Connor is an impulsive human being who is also hot-headed. He doesn't think about anything and can't tell if he will regret his decision or not.

- Risa is a wise person who thinks before she acts on something. She thinks about the consequences and acts when she knows nothing will really go wrong. If she knows she won't succeed she won't try, knowing that if she does she would most likely die.

- They both work well together as Connor is impulsive whereas Risa thinks before acting, Risa can help Connor understand what will happen and make him more aware of his decisions. She will also put the blame on him if anything goes wrong which is also good, as it can cause him to properly think about what he has done and how it was caused. 

Connor and Lev have very different experiences with storking. How has this helped shape each of their attitudes toward the society they live in?

- Connors experience of storking is deeper, as his experience involves a baby dying in front of his eyes. He has the emotional trauma of knowing he let something die, even though he could've saved it. 

- It has shaped Connors attitude towards the society as he thinks the world is unfair, in the story, it states that the baby was passed around his neighbourhood until it got back to his house where it was slowly dying. At the funeral for the baby, the whole neighbourhood showed up and cried, as they realised that they could've prevented this but instead put the burden onto someone else. Connor realises that and understands that the world isn't perfect, and a lot of people make mistakes.

- Lev's experiences with storking is more religion-based and happier as in a religious book, a hero was stoked due to law and to stop him being killed his mother sent him down a river. His siblings were storked and his parents were happy with it as they thought it was a gift from god. 

- Lev has been given good memories which have shaped his attitude towards society to think that the world is quite fair and that everything given to you is a blessing.

Connor is concerned the baby won't be loved, and ultimately will die, so he takes it. What does this show us about him as a person?

- It shows us that he is caring and acts on from past memories he has seen or gone through. He acts tough on the outside so that people won't disturb him but in reality, he cares about other people and will act for them if he has to.

What makes Lev realise he doesn't want to be unwound? P79

- Realising that the person who made him believe that it was a blessing to be tithed, not believing in that part of their religion made him realise that what he was taught was a lie. Pastor Dan also telling Lev to run and be free also made him understand Pastor Dans earlier statements of running away. He realised he didn't want to be unwound as a very important person in his life told the truth about his life and opened his eyes to see what he was actually trying to do.

Each of the other characters on the run has a tragic background story. Why were Hayden, Roland and Mai set to be unwound? Which, do you think, is the most tragic? Explain your response.

- Hayden was sent to be unwound as his parents had divorced and were fighting over custody of him and then thought after two years it would be better to have him unwound instead of letting the other parent have custody of him.

- Mai was sent to be unwound as she was from China, in China, the law states that each family can only have one child. Mai's parents wanted a boy, but not after having Mai and her sisters. Mai was the fourth daughter so she was sent to be unwound. 

- Roland was sent to be unwound as he was a "rebellious" kid. He wanted to be a military boeuf but had "too much testosterone" and often got into fights. He had been in many fights and was finally unwound when he beat up his stepfather after he beat Roland's mother. His mother had sided with his stepfather and he got off with a warning whereas Roland was sent to be unwound.

- I think Mai's story was the most tragic as she was sent to be unwound just because of laws stated and the fact that she is a female. I have heard about China's one-child law and I think that it is quite a weird thing and is also kind of problematic as you must get rid of extra children just because the law states it and also because of overpopulation. Her family wanted a boy but weren't as lucky as they also had three other daughters excluding Mai, so as soon as they had a boy they started got rid of their other children, we don't even know if her other sisters have been unwound or are still alive. 

What tattoo does Roland have?

- Roland has a Tiger Shark tattoo on his arm, Connor had mistaken this as a dolphin tattoo before Roland told him off for saying that.

Novel Study - Unwind - Storked Workshop

Storking is a legal process, but does that make it the right thing to do?

- I don't think storking is the right thing to do because you are giving what you call a burden to someone else without knowing anything about them. They could harm your child, or give it to someone else like Connors family had done, which in turn could let it die. It isn't the right thing to do because they could also have too many kids or have problems where they can't take care of it which creates more problems while you are now living carefree without worrying about your biological child.

Is it the mother’s responsibility to care for the child?
- I don't think it's the mothers' responsibility to take care of the child because to have a child you must have two parties that have been involved. It's both the mothers and the fathers' job because they were both involved with it and couldn't be safer than if they were safe, or if they had both planned it.  

Can Connor offer the baby a better future than it would have if left there?
- I think so because If he had left the baby there on the doorstep they would've unwound it later because of how many kids that they have at the moment or done what Connors family had done, which gave it to another neighbour, breaking the law of stooking. Now that he understands what it's like to see a storked child he could give it more experience than the family would've done which would probably be setting it up to be Unwound.

What risks does picking up the baby put on Connor, Risa and Lev?
 - Taking the child puts a lot of risks on Connor, Risa and Lev as it is a living child and needs basic necessities to function and live. The baby needs food, water, and love, as well as being cleaned to get bacteria off of it so that the baby isn't infected. The baby will cry when it is also unhappy which also puts them into risk as when they need to hide the baby could give away their hiding place.

What impact does Connors past have on his decision?

- His past impacts his decisions on grabbing the baby. It has impacted him as he didn't know what would happen to the baby if he had left it there, he thought it might have the same fate as baby Lassiter who had passed away as it was sick. 

Novel Study - Unwind - Reading The Blurb

What do you already know about pro-life and pro-choice groups? What do these terms mean? Is it an issue you have thought about?

- Pro-lifers are people who protect human fetuses and believe that abortion is not ok. They believe that it isn’t their choice if they can get rid of a fetus as the fetus is also a living creature.

- Pro-choicers are people who believe it is okay to get rid of a fetus as it is still growing. They believe that it is their choice if they can get rid of a fetus as they have reasons why they wish to get rid of it.

- I have thought about this issue as light has been given towards this situation online as protests against abortion have been going on in the past year.

What do you know about organ donation?

- Organ donations are when you sign something or give consent to allow doctors to remove your organs while you are still alive or dead. You have to be up to the hospital’s standards before signing up as if you have a disease they can’t give your organs to someone who needs it

Teenagers to be unwound are sent to Harvest Camps. Can you make a connection between the language used to describe this place, and other places people have been sent historically?

- The way this has been written reminds me of the holocaust as people are being sent to a “camp” where they ultimately die due to the government. It is a little different as in the book adults and caregivers of the child must sign papers unlike in the holocaust where you would just be sent away if you were a Jew.

What religious connotation does the word 'harvest' evoke?

- I think the word “harvest” in a religious state can mean a human sacrifice. In the book, these children bodies are being sacrificed for different reasons just because the law permits that you are allowed to.

The term "living in a divided state" here is really a euphemism for what? Can you think of other, common euphemisms? Why do people use euphemisms?

- I think is it is a euphemism for people who are alive and people who are dead. In the story, these children are sent to their deaths and their body parts are used for other people who have problems with their bodies or have suffered different incidents.

Some common euphemisms are

 - Passed away

 - Kick the bucket
 - put to sleep

- People use euphemisms to soften a harsh word or term so that people understand it a little bit better instead of being shocked and not understanding the actual meaning of the word.
What is the definition of legal?

- Something that is permitted by the law.

What about ethical?

- What a person thinks what is right and what is wrong

Do you believe that because something is legal, it is also ethical, or morally right?

- No, some laws can be extremely messed up but legal like whereas something else that is illegal could be ethical right. It depends on the personal or state and what they believe, even though it can be wrong in some senses. 

Can things that are ethically sound ever be illegal? Provide examples.

- Yes, for example, a child could be starving but can't get any food due to now money, that child steals the food and gets caught thieving. Thieving is illegal but eating is ethically correct as all children and adults should be able to get food as it is a daily necessity. Another example is if someone is in the need to go to a  hospital and they have to run a red light just to get there, its illegal to run a red light but its ethically right to drive someone who is in need of a hospital to a hospital, as they could be in a life or death situation.

 
Can you think of examples in history to support your ideas? Provide examples.

- I can't really think of anything other than the holocaust and Hitler, as Hitler believed that he was right when he started sending Jews to concentration camps when in reality as a human right everyone should have a right to live, which Hitler breached.

Novel Study - Unwind - Part 1, Triplicate

How much brainwashing do you think has happened for teenagers to make this sort of claim as they’re being led to their "death"?

- I think quite a lot of brainwashing has been done as these kids are entirely convinced that they are being sent to their deaths. I think these kids are brainwashed by each other as no one actually know if these kids are alive

Why, do you think, has Shusterman chosen to have three characters tell their story?

- I think he chose to have 3 different people tell their stories to show their different viewpoints on unwinding. Two of the characters have the same idea about unwinding whereas the other has a religious view on it. I think it also has 3 characters stories because it also shows that no matter your status you can still have the same fate. Money and status don’t matter in this world.

Lev is a tithe. This means that he is the 10% that his family will give back to the church as an offering. What are your thoughts on this?

- In my opinion, I think this is kinda messed up as Lev as has been forced into this lifestyle. He has believed his whole life that this is all he has been born for and believes this is the life he should be living. I feel like he should’ve been able to choose if he really wanted to do this instead of being brainwashed.

Rita is a state home kid - she was unwanted at birth, and now the state has decided she is no longer useful. Do you think that the state should ever be able to determine if one life is more useful than another?

- I don’t think that should be possible for the government to dictate whether one life is more important than another. My reasoning is from human rights, In the document, it states that everyone is entitled to live and that they are protected by the law. Human rights can't be ignored because they are Human Rights, they aren't able to be changed as every human being should be entitled towards it. If the state were able to determine whether a life is useful or not, they are breaching an extremely important document which could lead to massive problems.

Connor's parents have chosen to unwind him due to his difficult behaviour. They have then booked a ticket to the Bahamas. In your opinion, how do parents view their children? Why do you think this?

- In my opinion, I believe that parents view each of their children differently depending on their age as when they have more children they think differently. If they have more kids they view them all different as they are all different ages and different genders. Adults base their opinions on how older children around them act. I think like this based on how my parents act around me and my siblings. They treat my older siblings differently than they do to me.

Pastor Dan presents as being conflicted. What reasons might he have to encourage Lev in his journey as a tithe? Why does he encourage him to run?

- I think Pastor dan encourages Lev to leave as he understands that lev has a lot to live for and shouldn't waste it by giving his body to be dissected by the government. I think he also encourages him to run as he might've known someone like Lev before lev was born but he was also unwound so he doesn't want the same thing happening to Lev, he always gets too attached.

Novel Study - Unwind

3 Synonyms for "Dystopia"
- Catatonia
- Anti - Utopia
- Fools Paradise

Antonym for "Dystopia"
Utopia

Dystopian Novels I have Read
The Hunger Games trilogy
The Giver
Divergent
The Lottery

Other Dystopian Novels I know
Insurgent
Tomorrow, When The War Began
The Circle
Maze Runner

If you have read or viewed some dystopia, what are some of the key elements you have noticed?
Most books have the government controlling everyone. People are picked to go somewhere or do something as " a good opportunity" but in reality are being sent to what would most likely be their deaths.

MUST DO QUESTIONS - COVER OF BOOK

HOW DO YOU THINK THIS STORY WILL BE WRITTEN?
I think this story will be written in first person as the cover of the book suggests only one person will be narrating.


WHY DO YOU THINK THE STORY IS ENTITLED AS IT IS
I think it goes into the book as on the side of the cover it says " Before The Hunger Games There Was...". I think it suggests as if it is like the hunger games where people are being sent off to what would be their deaths.

WHERE DO YOU THINK THE STORY WILL TAKE PLACE
I think this story will be set in a place like America where the military is quite often used to scare young kids and teenagers, as they don't want to be sent to a place where people could die.


WHAT TIME PERIOD DO YOU THINK THE STORY IS SET IN?
 I think the story will be set in the future as it seems people are being sent to places.