Discussion "about a boy" 1th september

How does the author introduce the story? What type of book is this – discuss the genre.

1.       He throws us into a middle of a conversation, and after a while he explains the situation and everything else related to both Will and Marcus. Later he tells us about their families and the whole situation in genuine, and that stops us from thinking the book is confusing.  We think that the genre of the book is drama. There’s not so much violence, and the story isn’t directly a love story either. But there’s a lot of drama in it, one example is Marcus’ mum. She nearly dies due to an overdose of pills.

Who is the story told to? Who is telling the story/who is the narrator? (first/third/omniscient?)

2.       It’s mixed, the Author tells the story in both third and first person, it most third person though. The author isn´t really telling the story to anyone, he’s just telling the story in general. Not to a specific person.

What is the crucial issue? What has happened so far?

3.       Both main characters are depressing, but because of different things. Marcus is depressed because his mum is depressed, and his friends dumped him because they got bullied because of him. Will is depressed, but he doesn’t realize that he is.

Who is/are the main character/s? What do you think of the main character(s)? How do you react to him/her/them personally? Do they evoke sympathy in you?

4.       Will and Marcus. They´re like the direct opposite of each other, but still they’ve got some things in common, for example sadness and loneliness.  All three of us are sorry for Marcus, he hasn’t done anything wrong, and he’s trying to make everything good, but with no success. We don’t feel any sympathy for Will, just because he has put himself in the current situation himself. It’s his own fault that everything is like it is.

When and where does the story take place?

5.       The story takes place in London in the 1990’s.