Friendswood Homework
October 23, 2016
Discussion Question
8. As Friendswood comes to an end, the reader starts to see changes among the characters and the plot wrapping up. Sometimes the end can be a cliche, "happily ever after" ending or a surprising act that catches the reader off-guard. For example, Lee tries to blow up the building site of Taft Properties, and unfortunately Cully gets caught in the explosion. Cully was obviously injured by the explosion, "bleeding through his plaid shirt...his face so bloody she [Lee] couldn't see his eyes" (Steinke 360). Lee does the least she can do to help by driving him to the hospital and even was wiling to stay with him until she was certain he was alright. Cully however sends her away since he feels that fate is punishing him for raping Willa. The significance in Cully sending Lee home shows that not only did Lee help him literally, but also metaphorically. Cully finally accepts that the rape was his fault and realizes it is time for him to receive his penalty. He constantly blurts out how his injuries are a sign that "it was supposed to happen like this" (363). In other words, Cully takes positive accountability for his action instead of blaming Lee for what happened. He doesn't even tell anyone that she was on the site during the night of the explosion, and ultimately makes up a story that it was done by a group of guys. Thanks to Lee's decision to blow up the building site, the reader can now summarize Cully as a changed character for the better and stops blaming.
The explosion at the building site begins Cully's transformation as a character, making him a dynamic character. In the beginning of the novel, Cully is depicted as an all-star football player that always had his life handed to him, wether it was winning games or getting the girls he wanted. After raping Willa, he never apologizes to her and believes that it wasn't his fault. After the explosion, instead of blaming the rape on Willa or his injuries on Lee, he takes responsibility for his action and accepts it as a punishment from God, supporting the idea of positive accountability. In positive accountability, one of the behaviors is "to thoughtfully acknowledge an error...and consider how to repair it, if necessary" (Dr. Alasko 107). Cully tries to repair his error by apologizing to Willa through a letter written by him. All in all, Cully starts to show that he is a dynamic character in the novel.
Leslie, you have excellent ideas. Further, you show you understand Dr. Alasko's concept of positive accountability.
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I like your use of metaphorical in connection to Cully's accountability. That was good.
--Prof. Young
I liked that you related Cully's actions to the idea of positive accountability that we discussed in class. It shows you have a good understanding of both the novel and the concept of positive accountability, and you have the skill to connect them. I also agree that Cully is a dynamic character, and you proved it well. However, I do have a question. You say that after Cully was caught in Lee's explosion, he is a "changed character for the better and stops blaming". But does he truly stop blaming, or has the target of his blame shifted from others to himself? He is responsible for what happened to Willa, but by blaming himself, is he still expressing positive accountability? It's something to consider.
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