Freaky Green Eyes • Big Mouth & Ugly Girl - HarperCollins Publishers

A Guide to Teaching J oyce Carol Oates
FREAKY GREEN EYES • BIG MOUTH & UGLY GIRL
SMALL AVALANCHES AND OTHER STO R I E S
Young Adult Literature
FREAKY GREEN EYES
Tr 0-06-623759-9
Lb 0-06-623757-2
SMALL AVALANCHES
AND OTHER STORIES
Tr 0-06-001217-X
Lb 0-06-001218-8
Pb 0-06-001219-6
(Pb Available in February 2004)
“Haunting images, masterfully controlled
language, the occasional light touch of
fantasy, and no easy lessons.”
—Kirkus Reviews(starred review)
“Oates makes poetry with ordinary words
that take readers right into the restless
psyches of young women.”
—ALA Booklist(starred review)
About This Guide
BIG MOUTH & UGLY GIRL
Tr 0-06-623756-4
Lb 0-06-623758-0
Pb 0-06-447347-3
Au 0-06-008969-5
• School Library Journal Best Book
• ALA Booklist Editors’Choice
• ALA Best Book for Young Adults
• New York Public Library Books
for the Teen Age
“A thought-provoking,character-driven
drama.” —ALA Booklist(starred review)
“B e l i eva bl e,f u l l - blooded characters .C o nv i n c i n g
high-school backdro p.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“A fast-moving, timely, compelling story.”
—School Library Journal
Joyce Carol Oates has produced some of the most controversial, and lasting, fiction of our time. In her novels for
young adults, she explores compelling topics of abu s e, c o m i n g - o f - a ge, f ri e n d s h i p, l oyalty and betraya l , and fa m i l y. T h e
questions in this guide are intended to spark live l y discussion about the issues raised in these thought provoking books.

FREAKY GREEN EYES
About the Book
Fifteen-year-old Franky discovers her inner strength as she
deals with her parents’ separation and her father’s escalating
p s y c h o l ogical abuse of Franky and her younger sister,
Samantha.When Franky finds her mother’s hidden journal,
clearly addressing her mother’s fear for her own safety, Franky
steps forward and testifies against her father, the one person
who she had thought loved her.
Subjects/Themes: Coming-of-Age, Death,Family Violence,
Fathers and Daughters, Mothers and Daughters, Murder,
Physical Abuse, Psychological Abuse, Self-esteem,Stepfamilies.
Discussion Questions
1 . When Cameron tried to force himself on Franky she fierc e l y
fought back. C a m e ron told her that she was crazy, that her
eyes had become wild—freaky green eye s .Rather than upsetting
F r a n k y, the realization that she could fight back empowe re d
h e r. She said to hers e l f,“You belong in this world, just like e ryev- one else. Except o yu
’re Freaky Green Eye s, so you know ” it
( p. 7 0 ) .What does Franky mean by this?
2 . Franky is concerned about her parents getting a divo rc e,
e s p e c i a l l ywhen her mother begins fixing up the cabin in
S k a git Harbor and spends more and more time there. S h e
e-mails her older stepbro t h e r,To d d ,asking for reassurance that
eve rything is okay with their fa m i l y.Todd does not re s p o n d .
What type of response would she have gotten from Todd if he
had taken the time to e-mail back? Would it have been the
re a s s u ring response Franky needed to hear? W hy or why not?
3 . F r a n k y ’s fa t h e r, famous sports commentator Reid Piers o n ,
o rd e rs a lavish Chinese dinner to celebrate his new job
c o n t r a c t .He tries to act in a jovial fashion with his childre n ,bu t
inside he is fuming because his wife is not there.W h e re is she,
and why is Mr. P i e rson so upset by her absence? What does he
think of her new group of friends or her cre a t ive endeavo rs?
4. Due to his celebrity status, Reid Pierson has met many
p o l i t i c i a n s ,including then president Bill Clinton.He was ve ry
i m p ressed by Clinton’s chari s m a .He tells his childre n ,“ Yo u
c o u l d n ’t help but love that man.You can see why, if people
l ove you enough, t h ey’ll forgive you any t h i n g ”(p 66). H ow
does this comment relate to Mr. P i e rs o n ’s actions towa rd his
own wife and children? How does Mr. P i e rson manipulate
Franky and her sister, S a m a n t h a ,into forgiving him for his
re c c u rring abu s ive behavior? What do you think “ l ove ”m e a n s
to Reid Piers o n ?
5 . F r a n k y ’s mother physically escapes from her abu s ive husband
by moving to Skagit Harbor, but Mrs . P i e rson knows she is
still in danger.What does she leave behind to incriminate Mr.
P i e rson in her death? W h e re does Franky find it? How does
this discove ry change Franky’s impression of her fa t h e r ?
Pre-Reading Activity
Franky lives in a tense family environment with a domineering
father. She feels she has little control of her own life until
she fights back when an older boy tries to sexually assault her
at a party. She realizes the depth of her inner strength and that
she can stand up for herself. She calls this newfound part of
herself Freaky Green Eyes. Have students discuss events in
their lives that caused them to realize the depth of their inner
strength. How does this realization affect the way they interact
with people?
6 . D u ring a Fo u rth of July fireworks display, Franky slips away
and releases the wild animals that the sons of her fa t h e r ’s fri e n d
h ave trapped in cages. Franky says she is not sorry she let them
g o. Her father demands she apologi z e. Franky re f u s e s . H e
becomes furious and storms at her, “ A p o l ogize to these
p e o p l e, F r a n c e s c a ,or I’ll break eve ry bone in your miserabl e
b o d y ! ”(p 125). Would Reid Pierson have made good on his
t h reat if their host had not pulled his hand off Franky’s arm ?
Does Mr. P i e rson make idle thre a t s ?
7 . Franky saw a whole new side to her mother when she and
Samantha visited the Skagit Harbor cabin.Her mother dre s s e d
in jeans or shorts and was brimming with energy. F r a n k y
thought she looked fre e.W hy was their mother such a differe n t
p e rson while living at the cabin? How was she different fro m
the mother they saw in the family home in Seattle?
8 . When the police interv i ewed Franky for the second time
about her mother and fa t h e r ’s re l a t i o n s h i p, she said that she
had known her mother was being abu s e d . She knew her
mother wo re scarves and long sleeves to hide the bru i s e s .
Franky had found it easier to blame her mother and conv i n c e
h e rself that that her mother provo ked her father into hurt i n g
h e r.What does Franky mean when she tells the police officer,
“It was easier to hate her” (p 306)?
9. Todd once cared about Franky’s mother but now at age
twenty he hates her. How did Mrs. Pierson react to Todd’s
change in behavior? Why do you think Todd became so
negative toward his stepmother?
1 0 .Todd sets up a website to support his fa t h e r ’s innocence after
M r. P i e rson is convicted of his wife’s mu rd e r.What influence
do you think this website will have on Reid Piers o n ’s re l e a s e
f rom prison? How does Franky feel about this we b s i t e ?

BIG MOUTH & UGLY GIRL
About the Book
T h rough the alternating pers p e c t ives of teenagers Matt (Big
Mouth) and Ursula (Ugly Girl), Oates explores the re p e rc u s s i o n s
of a false accusation of a bomb threat in a wealthy suburban
NewYork City high school.Matt’s sarcastic joke in the school
cafeteria is reported to the principal and the drama begins.
Ursula steps forward and defends Matt’s innocence. Rumors
flare and Matt is ostracized,which in turn forces Ursula out of
her self-imposed solitude as she helps Matt cope.
Subjects/Themes: Family Relationships, Friendship, High
Schools,Ostracism, Mothers and Daughters,Self-perception.
Discussion Questions
1 . H ow could the result of someone ove r h e a ring a joke in the
high school cafeteria get so out of hand? Who misinterp re t e d
what they heard Matt say in the cafeteri a , and what did they
do about it? W hy did this willful misinterp retation occur? Do
M a t t ’s friends stand behind him?
2 . Matt is interrogated at police headquart e rs .W hy does Matt
b e gin to understand how people crack under interrog a t i o n
and admit to things they didn’t do? How does this experi e n c e
affect his attitude towa rd authority?
3. How does Ursula justify her mother’s not coming to her
basketball games but making sure she gets Lisa to her dance
rehearsals? Does the difference between big-boned Ursula
and her dainty little sister have anything to do with Ursula’s
secret name for herself? What other incidents in her life
have caused Ursula to become Ugly Girl?
4 . U rsula barely knows Matt, but she comes forwa rd and testifies
on his behalf. Her mother does not want her to get invo l ve d
in the situation. H ow does Urs u l a ’s honesty and support of
Matt affect her fa m i l y ’s standing in the commu n i t y ?
5 . This experience has profoundly affected Matt. He ove r h e a rs
his mother say, “He isn’t a boy any longer. He has
c h a n g e d .” ( p. 1 0 9 ) .H ow would a conve rsation with Matt be
d i f f e rent than before the ru m o rs about him ran rampant
t h rough the school?
6. Ursula feels she has found a word that perfectly describes
her—“truculent.” What does truculent mean, and why
does she think it is synonymous with Ugly Girl?
7. Matt’s parents decide to sue the school for defamation of
character, resulting in a level of community and school
animosity against them that escalates. A group of high
school boys corner Matt and knock him down the stairs.
His family receives threatening phone calls and letters.How
do Matt’s mother and father respond to the community’s
reaction to the lawsuit? Which of them do you think is
having more difficulty with the ostracism,and why?
Pre-Reading Activity
The two main characters in this book, U rsula Riggs and Matt
D o n a g hy,become friends after Matt is accused of threatening to
set a bomb off in the school. Oates explores the re p e rc u s s i o n s
this rumor has in both the high school and the commu n i t y.
H ave students discuss the long-term effects of a false accusation
on a student. Ask them to discuss how they think their school
or community would react to such an incident.
8. When Matt tells his father he does not want revenge, his
father says it is too late. He shouts at Matt,“We’re in this
too far to back out.My name is at stake—my integrity. Just
remember, you got us into this—with your idiotic sense of
humor” (p. 200). What type of thoughts may be going
through Matt’s mind when he hears his father say this to
him? Does his father really think it is Matt’s fault? How
would you react to such a statement by your father?
9. Ugly Girl is a persona Ursula slips into, as when she steps
out onto the basketball court.How does this aggressive side
of Ursula influence her basketball performance and her
teammates’ response to her on and off of the court?
1 0 .Being with Matt has a positive influence on Urs u l a ’s selfi
m a g e. She begins to believe people actually like her.
E ventually she and Matt become a couple. H ow does their
relationship affect the way she is seen at school? Does this
change in her social standing affect her need to be Ugly Girl?

SMALL AVALANCHES AND OTHER STORIES
About the Book
These short stories explore the turbulent psyches of twe l ve ve ry
d i f f e rent female characters ,f rom the naïve girl in “The Sky Blue
B a l l ”p l aying catch with an unseen partner on the other side of
a wall to a young woman disillusioned by what she thinks is her
p a rt in the suicide of a disturbed young man.Each of the stori e s
poignantly port r ays the tumultuous feelings a female experiences
as she finds herself at the brink of wo m a n h o o d , o f t e n
u n awa re of how her actions affect those around her.
T h e m e s / S u b j e c t s:C o m i n g - o f - A g e, Family Relationships, F ri e n d s h i p,
Sexual Awakenings.
Discussion Questions
1 . Oates titles the short story about Icy, O rc h i d , and Cry s t a l
“Bad Girls.” Did the three sisters break into their mother’s
b oy f ri e n d s ’ apartment because they are bad? If not,w hy do yo u
think they bro ke in? Did they find what they we re looking for?
What we re the long-term effects of their bre a k - i n ?
2. The girl in “Shot” feels so sorry for a chained-up dog that
she calls the ASPCA and the police. But she doesn’t try to
find out if they responded to her calls. She realizes there
i s n ’t anything else she have done to help the dog .
Afterward, “she heard dogs barking. In the distance. Any
number of dogs.For the world was filled with barking dogs
after all”(p. 189).What does Oates mean by this last line in
the story? Is she actually referring to dogs?
3 . C l a i re, in “ W hy Don’t You Come Live With Me It’s T i m e,”
e x p e riences insomnia. One night she decides to cross the
Fe rry Street Bridge to visit her gr a n d m o t h e r. Her late-night
j o u rn ey includes climbing up onto a bridge beam and squat
walking her way across with the river ro a ring below her. H e r
fear of falling into the river becomes so gre a t , she cannot
m ove.She is paralyzed by her fear.At the end of the story,t h e
reader assumes that Claire gets home via the same bri d g e.D o
you think Claire ove rcame her fear and crossed the bridge to
get home? Was the fear so great that she lost memory of
c rossing it? How else might the story end?
4. Barbara Burhman, the main character in “Life After High
School,” is nicknamed Sunny for her “astonishing smile”(p
218).What happens in this story to wipe the smile from
Sunny’s face so that she refuses to use the nickname ever
again? How did this event change her view of the world?
5. Lisanne initially refuses to visit her grandmother in “The
Visit.” Why does she fear visiting her grandmother? What
is so disturbing to Lisanne about where her grandmother
lives? Are her mother’s fears of the same nature?
Pre-Reading Activity
The twe l ve short stories in this collection are about females,f ro m
young adolescents to young women ready to enter college.
Although quite different in age and life experi e n c e s , t h e s e
females have one thing in common—they have begun to re a l i z e
the impact their behavior can have on themselves and others
in their wo r l d .Their experiences change some of them fro m
c h i l d ren to teenagers , o t h e rs from adolescents to adults. H ave
students discuss events in their lives that awa kened the re a l i z a t i o n
that they we re no longer childre n .
6 . In “The Model,” Sybil agrees to model for the eccentric Mr.
S t a rr.As he draws her in va rious poses in the park,he asks pro b i n g
q u e s t i o n about s her fa m i l y. He seems to know more about her
than he should.W hy does Sybil feel a strange connection to
him? What effect do her encounters with Mr.S t a rr have on her
relationship with her aunt? What does she decide to do when
she discove rs who he is? W hy do you think she makes this
decision? What would you have done?
7. The girl in “The Sky Blue Ball,” is walking beside a brick
wall when a ball comes flying over it. Would you have
thrown the ball back over the wall as the girl does? Why do
you think she climbed over the wall to find the child she
thought she was playing with? Was there a child to be
found? If not,what might have happened to her?
8. In the short story “Capricorn,” Melanie begins an on-line
relationship with a man.When he asks her what she looks
like, she describes her cousin Stephanie. Stephanie has the
long blond hair and body that catch men’s attention.Does
Melanie ever tell Stephanie about her lie? When he shows
up at the tennis courts,why is Melanie jealous? How does
her jealousy change at the end of the story?
9 . In “Small Ava l a n c h e s ,” Nancy plays a cat-and-mouse game
with the man who follows her from her uncle’s gas station.A t
f i rst Nancy is scare d , but then she realizes she has the upper
hand in this situation.What does Nancy do to her purs u e r ?
W hy do you think she takes pleasure in his discomfort? Does
she feel any re m o rs e ?
1 0 .B e f o re reading “ H ow I Contemplated the World From the
D e t roit House of Correction and Began My Life Ove r
A g a i n ,” did you have an image of what the main character
would be like? Did you think she would be the daughter of
a we a l t hy businessman? W hy do you think she took pleasure
in stealing rather than bu y i n g things she could cert a i n l y
a f f o rd? How does she feel about re t u rning home?
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Teaching ideas prepared by Ruth Cox,Assistant Professor in the School of Education,University of Houston.