links

http://www.cynthialord.com
http://http://harmonybookreviews.wordpress.com/2008/12/27/rules-by-cynthia-lord/

Plot Structure

Exposition

• Neighborhood with not many kid that are twelve like Catherine.
• The street they live on is what they take to go to Occupational Therapy Clinic and they live near the water shoreline.
• It is summer
• The main characters in the book Rules are Catherine who is twelve and wants to have a normal life ,but cant because her brother has autism.David is also a main character because he is Catherine's little brother that has autism.Jason is also a main character because she meets him and becomes friends with Catherine.Jason cannot walk he is in a wheelchair and he cannot not talk so he has to use cards to talk.Kristi is also a main character because she moves in next door and is Catherine's new neighbor.Ryan is also a main character because he is very mean to Catherine and David ,but than he changes.
• The conflict begins when she starts making up the rules for David and when she meets Jason.Catherine's parents think that every thing is revolved around David and its not his fault.Jason is mad in the beginning cause he wanted to stop at a yard sale to get a guitar.

Rising Action

• She finally meets Kristi and than she sees Ryan with her .
• She starts making card for Jason cause he cant talk and like put stuff about her.She pushes Jason in his wheel chair.She talks to him with his cards.
• She starts hanging out with Kristi more.Kristi asks if she would got go the dance with Jason or somebody and she said,"Maybe."They make posters for the dance.
• David likes Catherine's drawings.
• David invites Catherine to his birthday and says ,"Kristi can come too",but Catherine says,"She cant come"and then Jason points to his cards and says,"Your brother can come also."Catherine said," Maybe he come at the end for cake."Catherine goes and buys Jason a present that's a guitar.

Climax

• Catherine goes to Jason's party.She meets Jason's brother Matt and then she sets down Jason's gift she got him.Then she sees all the people at Jason's party.She goes and tries to find Jason.She finds Jason and than shows her his room and then Jason opens her gift.
• Jason's mom came in and said it was time to eat cake.Catherine's mom had come
• Than Jason asks Catherine if she'll come to the dance with him and than Catherine says,"I can't"Jason asks,"Why."Catherine said," I only dance in my room in the pitch dark its a rule."Jason said,"RULE.STUPID.EXCUSE."Catherine said my rules are not stupid or excuses.Jason pointing to his cards," I only like Music.And.you."David had cake all over his face and kept saying," More!"
• Catherine tells her brother and mom," Were all done."She had tears running down her face.
• She yelled in the car when her mom asked ,"What was wrong. "She was like ,"It's David he ruins everything he was opening there cub board and everything."Her mom said," It wasn't that bad ,I'm sure they understood David's condition."Catherine said,"He embarrassed me."

Falling Action

• As they get home Catherine goes straight to her room.She supposed to be watching David while her mom is calling clients.David walks in to her room.
• David's like" Fix this cassette tape its broke."Catherine's like," You can fix it."David said,"NO!"Than David outs his hands over his ears."You can fix it,"Catherine throws the cassette tape.David is crying.
• Than Catherine calls Jason and his mom picks up the phone she said, "Can I talk to Jason and she said,"Jason doesn't want to talk."Catherine said,"Tell him I'm sorry and to meet me at the dance if he wants to go still.Jason's Mom said ,"Okay."
• Than she called her dad.The pharmacy picks up the phone and said can I speak with my Dad it's an emergency.Her dad said ,"What's wrong?" Catherine's like ,"You need to come home now!" She said," It's about us now not you and you need to pick up David up a new cassette it broke."
• Catherine's Dad comes home.
• Her dad takes her to the dance.
• They wait for David at the door.
• David comes with his Mom.

Resolution

• Catherine and David go talk and Catherine said," She was sorry."Than Jason says ,"He was sorry."
• Than they run into Kristi and Ryan.
• Kristi and Ryan meet Jason
• Than they all go dance together
• Than she goes home an get ready for bedtime.
• Than David comes into the living room and says,"No toys in the fish tank." As I put my slipper on .David says,"What are you laughing about frog?"Catherine says,"What are you laughing about toad?

Reaction

I loved the book Rules I thought it was awesome.I loved how the book was about a boy with autism because I have a little brother that has autism.I kinda knew how she felt when every thing was about her little brother.I think any one could read this book it was amazing.I think this book was really good I loved it and I would reread it anytime.I think this book can really make people rethink when they judge people who have disabilities.

Resolution

The resolution of the story when she fixes everything with her brother and Jason.She called Jason's house on the phone talked his mother because he didn't want to talk to Catherine and so she talked to Jason's mom and asked her to talk to him about it. Than she calls her dad on the phone and says its about me right now and that he needed to come home.The resolution comes finally at the dance when Catherine talks to Jason and tells him what she really meant.Than he isn't mad at her any more.

Symbol

The symbols in the story that the girl didn't like having a brother who had autism.Catherine had to face her friends and not people brother because she had a brother with autism.The symbol in the book rules was friendship and love because she loved her brother very much.She had a strong friendship with Jason.It turned into her loving him.The symbols in the book rules are love and friendship.Her friendship with Jason turned into her liking him.Her brother was like her best friend,but she was embarrassed by him,but in the end she noticed that it didn't matter.

Theme

The theme of Rules was to show how its like to have a someone in your family that has Autism.Catherine the main character has a little brother who has autism.She has to teach her brother these rules so she wouldn't be embarrassed by him.She also wants to realize that David is not the only one they have another child.So its really hard when there family has a child with autism.The family needed to realize they had another child.

Antagonists

Ryan was an antagonist in the story because he was mean to David.He was nice ,but he is still is considered one because he was bad ,but than becomes good.Ryan got Catherine and David moved to the front of the bus because Catherine yelled at Ryan for being mean to David.The people who stared at David and Catherine when David did something that we wouldn't do were considered antagonists because they thought wrong about David and judged him wrong.These people are considered antagonists because they were not nice.