LAQ #2 Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger

1. The novel I read is a non-fiction story about a high school football team in Odessa, Texas. An all black school was closed down to merge with an all white school, Permian High school. It talks about six unique players of the team and there lives on and off the field. The story follows the 1988 season of the Permian High School and its players with all the struggles they faced and triumphs they achieved.
2. The author chose to write about the Permian Panthers season because it is an interesting story that not only focuses on football, but also the life problems the players faced. In Odessa, Texas, there was racism, economic problems, high expectations of the boys playing, and how where they lived effected the living conditions.
3. I chose this book because I've watched the movie and it's very inspirational and shows there's more to life than just football. Once I heard there was a book of the movie though I really wanted to read it. My dad also recommended the book because he wants me to understand the true football experience and some of the hardships these players that have their hearts and souls poured into his is like. As I began reading, it went more into depth of each of the main characters than the movie did.
4. I found this book very realistic. The family bond showed by the players on this team and how hard they pushed eachother so hard is something I've always wanted to be apart of. This year I know our team isn't on the same level as the team I read about but its without a doubt the closest bond I've ever had with a team and I consider all my team mates my brothers.

1. Yes the author did have some affect on how the characters were portray but for the most part, the story is almost given in a type of report. The story jumps between the lives of the different players and I feel that the author accurately describe each ones life. You can also in a way compare them to what happened in the years following to get a better idea of if these portrayals were correct.
2. Brian Chavez- He loves to play football for the excitement it brings but unlike most the others he doesn't plan to have a career in it. He is the only Hispanic on the team and is more focused on his grades because he plans to get into Harvard after graduating his class of 88' as valedictorian.

          Boobie Miles- By far the best athlete on the team. He can do it all on the field, no matter what
          it is. He is one of the most highly recruited players in Texas but unfortunately, all he has is
          football and nothing to fall on. Being black in a racist community, he escapes it for the most
          part because of football. But after a career ending injury in a scrimmage. He is lost in life not
          knowing what to do next.
     3.  This is only a few of the players covered in the story but what makes them interesting to write
          the different backgrounds they come from and how they choose to live their lives. For instance
          Boobie Miles and Brian Chavez have two completely different looks on life. Chavez is looking
          For his future to continue in his education while Miles is completely reliant on football.

1. Examples of direct characterization is when they are telling you how big one of the players are and their appearance like when they point out that Brian Chavez is the only starting Hispanic on the team. Most of the indirect characterization comes when the author takes you into the life outside of football like the problems faced at home and how they react to them or how other people around Odessa talk about them.
2. When the authors attention shifts from the football field to the life of each player. There's a more serious tone that follows it. Each player has their struggle like Jerrod McDougal. There are intense periods of fighting between him and his dad and it is made apparent in front of the rest of the team. The author really has an intense tone when describing his life because it is his dad trying to live through his son.
3. It's hard to focus in on one protagonist but I would say that they are dynamic. After they all graduate, you see even if they move on in football or leave it, they end up having to change to life. Boobie Miles tried giving football another go on a lower level college but his injury held him back from being the player he used to be. Without football, he was forced to eventually leave it and find a new calling.
4. After reading the story, I wish I could not only meet the players of the story, but play with them. I want to know what that experience is like and how being around people like that would affect my life.

1. The author of the novel wrote in a journalistic report. Not only is he the author but he narrates the story because he was in the town of Odessa, Texas during the 1988 season. Surprised by what he found in this town he began following the Permian Panthers and their lives in Odessa. He tells the story from his viewpoint of the situations unfolding infront of him because he is considered an outsider to the town.
2. There is more of a focus on the action and dialogue unfolding in the town. There is many different things to see and here from the intense and emotional games and practices on the field where the entire town shuts down to watch the games on Friday night to the arguments and struggles that are the players over come like Boobie Miles fighting with doctors trying to prove them wrong.