Information on the Novel

:D Hello hello hello! Now for information on the novel!

Plot summary: T.J. Jones is an American, Japanese, Black guy flying through high school. Then his Journalism teacher suggests an idea that's out of the question-or is it? He wants to start a swim team to get out of coaching wrestling, and he wants T.J. to help him. Sure, T.J. is an athletic guy, and he was on a swim team. But that's the key word: was. A long time ago. And what's more, they don't even have a pool. The nearest one is at a fitness club on the edge of town, but even that's too small. Thinking about how to break it to his Journalism teacher that he doesn't want to be on a swim team, or want a letter jacket, he sees someone he knows, Chris, helping a little girl swim at the fitness club where the hypothetical swim team would swim. Then T.J. gets an idea: what if he could help Chris, and other outcasts from the school earn letter jackets? That would really set Barbour, the football jock, off. And there would be nothing he could do about it, either. Putting out flyers, T.J. gets calls from just the people he wants: Cutter High outcasts. They train and get to know each other in a broken down bus one winter's night after a swim meet. At home, T.J. meets a very angry little girl. He finds out she's Rich's wife's daughter, the guy who helps with the school's football program. She moves in the T.J. and his family. The Athletic's Council for the school decides the letter jacket standard for the Cutter High swim team. It's a scheme T.J. has come up with: it's easy for swimmers to improve their times every competition, and as long as the team keeps improving, they all get letter jackets. While T.J. and the team is away at a State competition, the Council turns the tables on them. T.J. and his Journalism teacher go back and call a re-meeting with the Council. They win, and the entire swim team gets letter jackets: all except T.J., because he came in dead last at State. With the swimming season over, and the street basketball competition coming up, the swim team gets together to compete. After the final match up between T.J.'s team and another's, Rich pulls a deer rifle on his ''daughter'', and tries to kill her. T.J.'s dad throws himself in front of her, and saves her life. T.J. holds his father as his life slips away. At the funeral, Barbour appologizes, and they can be on somewhat easy ground. T.J. and his mother watch the videos of Humpback Whales singing their songs that his dad used to watch when he was depressed.

Setting: Whale Talk takes place in Montana....I think?

Character Description and Development:
T.J. Jones: T.J. isn't in any sports, though he could be M.V.P. on any team if he wanted to be, and had anger issues as a child. He is a pretty mellow person when he's not losing his temper, and is good with kids. He doesn't talk about any real friends accept his girl friend, Carly Hudson. T.J. is trust worthy, kind, chivalrous, and some-what crafty and sly. He goes through changes over the course of the story. For one, he joins the swim team, and thus ends his streak of not playing sports. And then he also gets friends (big change). He starts the story out being one who doesn't really care, and then he ends up with a bunch of friends to care for and protect. He matures, and comes of age, learning to stick up for his new friends, I can say that for sure.
Simon: Simon the fat kid....Well, sadly I think his major character development was losing a few pounds. He really didn't change all that much, except for having a few new friends.
Andy Mott: Andy's major development, in my mind, is that now he might not (key word: MIGHT) rip anybody's head off for just looking at him the wrong way. I think talking about his problems, and telling people about his 'bionic leg' helped him.....a little.....with his anger issues. Otherwise, Andy still yells and swears all the same. -,-
Jackie: Jackie's major development? He SPEAKS! Who would have known?! The boy can talk by God!!!!! By the end he is much less inward and isn't worried about the team deciding to kick him off. Of course, by the end of the book, the swim season is over.
Tay-Roy: Tay-Roy's development....he's even MORE ripped, and he also made new friends. He really didnt' seem to change much-he was always caring and kind.
Dan Hole: Dan really changes his vocabulary...He doesn't seem to be as much of a-for lack of better words-prick, and (which i TOTALLY don't get...) he uses less big words! What's wrong with a large vocabulary?! Also, like most of these characters, he got friends.
Chris: Chris got friends, and he is now understood. He really doesn't undergo much development, besides the fact that now he is less shy, perhaps?
Icko: Well, Icko still lives at a fitness club, but now he has a reason to go on, besides his son of course. He seems a little less grumpy, otherwise, not much character deveopment to be seen in Icko.
Barbour: Mike Barbour started the book as a stuck up football jock, and ended in a sort of peace-making way. He appologizes to T.J. at his father's funeral, and swore he had no idea that Rich was going to do what he did. I guess he's alright, in the end.
Rich: EVIL!!!! EEEEVIIIIIL!!!! Rich started out as a -BLEEP-, but he ended as the freakin' devil incarnate!!! His anger and his rage just grew throughout the story and finally exploded in the end.
Georgia: Georgia wasn't a major character, and we see no character development. She's still the sensible, down to earth therapist (sp?) that helps children overcome their problems.
Heidi: Heidi......ooooh major character development here. She started out as this scared, enraged, little girl who believed she was below her father just because of her skin color. She realizes differently when T.J., his famliy, and Georgia help her. She is a sweet little girl once she gets past her problems.
Heidi's mom: Heidi's mom is insecure, and we see lots of change in her. She becomes more responsible in the end, and more trustworthy. She also learns she has to protect her children, even if that means ditching her husband.
T.J.'s dad: A kind and caring man who tried to make up for running over a small child on accident. He lived self-inflicted pennance every day 'til the day he died, and showed no development.