get+shorty


 * Get Shorty** by Elmore Leonard

Jordan Pollack Baron Kim J.T. Ferrara


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__Week One: December 4__

Jordan: Summary Baron: Discussion leader J.T.: Food and questions

Topic: Characters (Section 1 out of 5 of your text)

Assignment: 1. On your group's wiki page, describe the main characters in your text. What makes them interesting? What is their story or background? Why are you drawn to them? Conversely, are there any characters that you just cannot stand? Why not? (B) 2. Person D should share his/her questions with the group, as well as post the questions on the group's wiki page 3. Person C should post the meeting summary on the group's wiki page after class.

__Meeting Summary__

Get Shorty was a difficult book to find. J.T.’s parents had to go to three Borders and then a Barnes and Noble, where they finally found the book. My dad had to go to a book store in New York, where he works, and then to three Barnes and Noble stores. At the third Barnes and Noble, a worker said that the store did not carry the book, but my dad found it in a corner of the store. Baron had the smart idea of going to the library for the book. Borders doesn’t have it, Barnes and Noble doesn’t have it, but the Hillsdale Public Library has it. Go figure. These stories constituted the beginning of our meeting. This either means that the book was old and forgotten, well liked by many people, or a bad story. Hopefully its one of the first two of the three. The meeting continued with J.T. asking his first question, which was deleted and replaced because it was a question that could not be answered easily and without argument. It also closely resembled the third question. I made J.T. aware of that later in the meeting. We went through the questions while eating the black and white cake with chocolate chips that J.T. brought in as part of his role. There was not much disagreement in the answers to the question. We agree that the story is not amazing yet, but it is keeping us interested. The meeting went smooth and everyone did there job.

__Characters__

Chili: He's a shylock. He's cunning, intimidating, suave. Independent. He's the kind of guy that demands respect from people around him. His dad gave him the name Chili because he was quick to anger as a child, but he says he calmed down as he grew up. Chili is the main character of the story. Ray Bones: He got shot in the scalp after he stole Chili's leather jacket and is angry about this. He's an aggressive leader who ironically has Chili work for him now. Harry: Movie producer for low-budget horror films. He is acquainted with Karen. Harry needs people to protect him because he is not tough at all. Leo: Leo is a small time guy who's trying to make a big name for himself. He got in some trouble with debt. Also, he faked his own death to escape.

__Questions__

1. Why do you think Chili didn't stop being a shylock even when his wife told him to?

It is a part of his lifestyle and a defining characteristic of him. He knows the business well and is afraid to leave it.

2. What do you think happened to Leo after he moved to L.A.?

We think he is trying a big name for himself with all of his money, but is still afraid Chili is going to hunt him. However, he is using a fake name, while still trying to make that name famous.

3. Why do you think Chili became fed up with being a shylock and giving everyone respect?

We think he felt like he was being controlled, and did not like it. We also think he thinks he is just as good as everyone else who's trying to control him.

4. Do you think Chili is still looking for Leo, or is focused entirely on the movie business?

We think Chili is still looking for Leo because Leo disobeyed him and didn't call his wife like Chili told him to, and Chili is angered because of it. Chili also needs to make up the money he lost by gambling so might try to get more money from Leo.

5. Do you think Chili is presenting his movie idea to the producer just to make up the money he lost, or do you think he is running away from being a shylock overall?

We think he is totally running away from being a shylock because he wants to be part of the movie business. However, we feel he will still use the skills he has gained as a shylock while in the movie business. This is foreshadowed by the corruption presented in the movie industry.

__Week Two: December 11__

Jordan: Language Baron: Food and questions J.T.: Summary

Topic: Language (Section 2 out of 5 of your text)

Assignment: 1. On your group's wiki page, discuss the type of language that your book contains. Is it easy to read? Conversational? "Classic"? Does it use a lot of words you don't understand? What grade level do you think the book is written at, and why? (B) 2. Person D should share his/her questions with the group, as well as post the questions on the group's wiki page. 3. Person C should post the meeting summary on the group's wiki page after class.

__Meeting Summary__

Even though there was a small class on Friday, our entire group was present for another successful group meeting. The first week, the book was just beginning and nothing that exciting happened. However, this week, we got farther into the book, and the plot unfolded further, making the book much more interesting. This also gave us much to talk about. We began by speaking of our thoughts on the book so far; if we like it or not and some unexpected events that happened. This tied into the questions, which Baron then presented, and we answered. During the questions, some arguments took place, especially about how Chili was going to get the money. However, in the end we ended up agreeing, finding that we were all trying to say the same thing, just in different ways. The questions, like the one on how Chili was going to get the money, led us into speaking of what was going to happen in the book. We discussed how we thought certain events would take place, and what certain characters were going to do later in the book. We all had different, yet similar opinions, and it was obvious we were all anxious to read more. We kept discussing until the short period eventually ended.

__Language__

The language used in the book is easy to read. The vocabulary is not advanced, but it is enough to tell the story. Elmore Leonard uses language that causes sentences to sound fragmented. J.T. pointed out to me that Leonard leaves out words here and there that should be placed in a sentence. Until he pointed it out, I had not noticed it. Leaving out these words makes Leonard's style of writing unique because even with missing words the sentences make sense to the reader. The book contains a substantial amount of dialogue. Chili, the main character, likes to show the reader what he is thinking through his words to others. He does not think to himself to let the reader know what is going on in his mind. The book was written at a 7th or 8th grade level because there are not any words that the reader would have a hard time understanding and the story is pretty straightforward.

__Questions__

1. Do you think Karen actually liked Harry and had an intimate relationship with him, or was Harry exaggerating?

They definitely did have some sort of relationship that was intimate, but we think Karen just did it for the movie.

2. Do you think Karen likes Chili and may be showing some intimacy with him later on in the book?

Karen was really nice to Chili and opened up to him. She accepts him as a friend and her initial anger subsided.

3. Why do you think Bo Catlett lets Ronnie seem like the boss and stay unspoken?

It seems like its some kind of business strategy to deceive the others. Also, Bo Catlett controls him more when he lets him pretend hes the boss.

4. How do you think Chili will get Harry the money for Mr. Lovejoy?

He's going to get Leo or find him and take all his money.

5. What do you think Ray Bones will do? Look for Leo or Chili?

Ray Bones will look first to try and kill Chili, and then get the money from Leo.

__Week Three: December 17__

Jordan: Food and questions Baron: Summary J.T.: Discussion leader

Topic: Mood/Tone (section 3 out of 5 of your text)

Assignment: 1. On your group's wiki page, discuss the mood or tone of your book.What is the overriding emotion of this book? What examples back up your claim? (B) 2. Person D should share his/her questions with the group, as well as post the questions on the group's wiki page. 3. Person C should post the meeting summary on the group's wiki page after class.

__Meeting Summary__

 In this meeting, we made a lot of progress in picking apart the plot of the book and analyzing it. So far in the story, there are a lot of unanswered questions and truths yet to be revealed. We are all captivated in the story because we are right at the middle/end of the book. Jordan thought of some interesting questions for us and we got right to answering them. His first question was clever because Chili is actually framing the movie idea around his current life, and this is ironic because he can alter the movie by changing his own actions. Next, we discussed how we all love Chilli as a suave, fictional character, with his witty humor and charisma. Then, we talked about the tone of the book. J.T. felt that the book is foreshadowing a dramatic ending and is eager to find out who gets all the money in the end. Although the story can be confusing, with all the different characters and what not, but it is very interesting to see the interactions between these unique people. Me, Jordan, and JT eagerly await what Elemore Leonard has in store for us in the upcoming chapters.

__Tone/Mood__

The tone of this book is suspenseful and thrilling. From the beginning of the book, the plot is always thickening. In the beginning, it starts as just a conflict between Ray Bones and Chili Palmer, but quickly escalates. Now there is money owed to different people, and grudges that have developed. Ray Bones is looking for money from Chili, and Chili is looking for money from Leo. Chili is also involved with Harry Zimm, who owes money to his lenders, Bo Catlett and this partner Ronnie. There is money floating around everywhere, and people are bound to be killed. Bo Catlett has already killed a man, and it seems like the plot is not going to stop escalating. The suspense is always adding, and the thrilling tone never dies. There is already much suspense and more is sure to build.

__Questions__

1. Do you think that Chili's actions are beginning to change because of how they would look in the movie?

Chili is not going to go out of his way to change anything because he acts the way he wants.

2. Is Chili going to take the extra ten thousand dollars that he took from Leo and spend it or is he going to pay Ray Bones back?

He is going to keep it and spend it like he did with the first amount of money that he acquired to pay Ray Bones back.

3. Based on what you read about Michael Weir's meeting with Chili at the bar, do you think it is a foreshadow of Michael playing Chili in Chili's movie?

Chili knows how to talk to people, so the discussion between Chili and Michael may have convinced Michael to act in Chili's movie since Michael enjoyed the part.

4. After reading that Catlett killed Yayo in the parking garage, is Catlett more of a threat to Harry Zimm than you originally thought?

It is evidence that you can't trust Catlett's word, but that does not mean that Catlett will harm Harry. Although he can use the murder to intimidate Harry.

5. Is Mr. Barboni actually Ray Bones? and if you think he is, what will Chili do now that Ray Bones is coming in on a flight at 12:05 the next day?

Mr. Barboni is Ray Bones. Chili is going to stand his ground in LA and let Ray Bones come to him. We think that Chili will eventually kill Ray Bones.

__Week 4: January 8__

Jordan: Summary Baron: Discussion leader J.T.: Food and questions

Topic: Themes/Images (section 4 out of 5 of your text)

Assignment: 1. On your group's wiki page, discuss the themes and images that your book contains. What are some of the images that are used? What do they seem to represent? Why do you think the author uses these images to convey his or her meaning? 2. Person D should share his/her questions with the group, as well as post the questions on the group's wiki page. 3. Person C should post the meeting summary on the group's wiki page after class.

__Meeting Summary__

This week, the amount of reading that we were required to do to finish the book on time left us in the middle of the most intense, action filled part of the book so far. Even so, we were distracted by Starburst towers and pyramids for the beginning of the period. Eventually, after multiple towers were built, Mr. Morone came by our group and told us to be more productive. I argued that building those towers was very productive. In the end, Mr. Morone knocked down the pyramid and we were too lazy to rebuild it. At this time the discussion began with J.T. asking the questions that he had written down. The answers to the questions were mostly based on opinion rather than facts from the book because at that point it was hard to tell which direction the book would go in. After the questions were answered, J.T. and I helped Baron uncover symbols used by the author in the book to make Baron's job easier this week. Baron was finished with his writing on symbols before the end of class.

__Themes/Images__

Weapons are a symbol of toughness and manliness. All of the characters with guns are potentially dangerous and this makes the book thrilling. The author uses this to show that the characters can deal with other characters easily by killing them. Chili's leather jacket is a symbol of his pride and his slickness. The author tries to show that Chili doesn't like to have his pride hurt and he demands respect from everyone. This is especially shown when Chili shoots Ray Bones in the head and punches after he takes his jacket. Chili's Cadillac represented his origin in Miami because that is the car he drove back there. Leonard is just trying to clarify the characteristics of each person and reveal more about them throughout the book.

__Questions__

1. Do you think Michael Weir is going to take the part as Mr. Lovejoy?

We think he will act in it if the movie get's signed with Elaine's studio, because he will knoew it is a legitimate picture being produced.

2. Do you think Chili’s story will get produced into a film? If so, do you think Michael Weir will be in it?

There is a chance that Chili's story will get produced into a film. However, if it does, it will be after Mr. Lovejoy is produced. We also think that if it is produced, Michael Weir will be in it, because he liked the idea so much, and might enjoy working with Chili on Mr. Lovejoy, if Mr. Lovejot is produced.

3. How do you think Chili will be involved in the movie-making process, if Mr. Lovejoy gets produced?

We think Chili will be invloved in a rewrite of the script, as well as be an associate producer and an assisant to Harry.

4. What do you think Catlett thinks about Chili (i.e. what he does for a living, why he is in L.A., why he is involved with Harry)?

Catlett thinks Chili is Harry's associate and is influenced Harry against him, therefore, he wants Chili out of the picture by either death or by being jailed (with his plan).

5. Do you think Elaine will put Mr. Lovejoy into production? If so, what do you think it will take?

Yes, we think it will be put into production, but we think it will take a rewrite of the script because Elaine found many problems with the script. We also think Chili may be involved in this rewrite.

__Week Five: January 15__

Baron: Questions and food Jordan: Discussion leader J.T.: Summary

Topic: Responding to the Text (section 5 out of 5 of your text)

Assignment: 1. On your group's wiki page, discuss your final reflections on this book. Would you recommend it to peers? Why or why not? Has this topic been discussed more/less effectively in another book or books? Should this book be considered for the school's curriculum? (B) 2. Person D should share his/her questions with the group, as well as post the questions on the group's wiki page. 3. Person C should post the meeting summary on the group's wiki page after class.

__Summary__

This week, the amount of reading that we were required to do to finish the book on time left us in the middle of the most intense, action filled part of the book so far. Even so, we were distracted by Starburst towers and pyramids for the beginning of the period. Eventually, after multiple towers were built, Mr. Morone came by our group and told us to be more productive. I argued that building those towers was very productive. In the end, Mr. Morone knocked down the pyramid and we were too lazy to rebuild it. At this time the discussion began with J.T. asking the questions that he had written down. The answers to the questions were mostly based on opinion rather than facts from the book because at that point it was hard to tell which direction the book would go in. After the questions were answered, J.T. and I helped Baron uncover symbols used by the author in the book to make Baron's job easier this week. Baron was finished with his writing on symbols before the end of class.

__Final Reflections__

The book was interesting for the most part, but it did not exceed any expectations and it was not anything special. Our group agrees that we might recommend this book to some people, but for the most part we feel as though the book is not worth recommending. The plot had some good twists but in general the story line was pretty basic and the action in the book seemed uninspired. The members of our group have not read any book that discussed the topic that this book was about. The general topic, or summary, was a stereotypically bad guy, who was a shylock, that wanted to change his ways and get involved in the Hollywood movie industry, which was a fairly original idea. The book should not be recommended for the school's curriculum because it will not interest a number of people who would have to read it. Also, there is no knowledge to gain from this book, meaning that when the readers are asked what they got out of the book, the readers will say nothing.

__Questions__

1. Did you think the ending was good? Are you expecting there to be a sequel for this book? Why or why not for both questions?

Yes, the ending was pretty interesting because you see just how much of a mastermind Chili is. All of the conflicts are settled and the money is dealt with. There is a sequel to this book because the ending makes it seem like there is still more to come in the story.

2. Were you expecting Bear to betray Catlett? Why do you think he had that sudden change in mind?

No, not at all. We though Bear was loyal to Catlett, but apparently Chili used his words to strike a chord in Bear's heart. He was inspired and did not want to work for Catlett because he knew he was capable of doing better.

3. What do you think will happen to Barboni and Chili now that the conflict is over?

Well, Ray Bones is probably going to be in jail since Chili set him up to open the locker that was under surveillance by the DEA. If Ray Bones manages to get out of prison one day, he will seek revenge once again. Chili will be successful and happy with Zimm and Karen in the movie business along with the large sum of money he acquired.

4. Did you have any idea that Chili had a trick up his sleeve when he let Ray Bones take the key to the locker and get busted by the DEA?

No, it seemed as though Ray Bones had beaten Chili. But when the DEA agents arrested Ray Bones, we knew that Chili had planned it intricately so Ray Bones would get arrested. Chili is a genius.

5. Would you read the sequel to this book? Why or why not?

No, because nothing else interesting could happen. The exciting parts were starting to get stretched out a bit too much. It would probably not be as interesting as the prequel.