The Year I Turned Sixteen - By Diane Schweem - Blog Post #2

Kennedy Tavares

806

October 20, 2014

Blog Post #2

                                         The Year I Turned Sixteen - Blog Post

“You have to love yourself, before you can love another"  – Kennedy Tavares

Do you think, being a sixteen year old girl, who has recently lost her father, been told of that her family was going broke, and stuck in acquisitive relationship while taking on the rough task as an older sister, is easy?  

The Year I Turned Sixteen by Diane Schweem, Is about four sisters, Rose, Daisy, Laurel, and, Lily, and what happens on the year they turned sixteen. I read about Rose Walker and how when she turned sixteen she dealt with her father’s death while managing relationships with her family, friends, and boyfriend(s). As I continued to read more about Rose Walker and her sixteenth birthday, I learned that, that you have to have a certain amount of respect for yourself and your family, because if you don’t, you will be miserable.

            In the beginning of the book, Rose Walker was portrayed to be insecure yet selfish, especially around her wealthy boyfriend; Parker. And you begin to see more of that when her mother announces that the family was going broke, Rose begins to feel ashamed of her family’s financial status which sends Rose in to a whirlpool of shame as she begins to distrust herself. When her mother asked Rose to get some groceries using food stamps. “’Need help carrying in the groceries?’ … ‘I’m so sorry, choral practice ran over and I was late picking up Daisy … I’ll run back out’ I offered praying she wouldn’t call my bluff.” (55), this evidence proves her insecurities and the fact that she is embarrassed about her family’s new financial status.

            Shortly after Rose’s breakup with Parker, Rose began seeing Stephen; a peer of Parker’s, Rose’s attitude about life began to change as her relationship got more serious. When Stephen took Rose out on a date Rose learned that even though Stephen comes from money he isn’t like Parker. After their unexpected breakup, however, Rose was left in a rut and if it weren’t for the help of her family, she wouldn’t had gotten over him, and her after that, Rose had a newfound appreciation for her family and connected with them on a different level.

            In conclusion, I leaned from Rose Walker’s sixteenth birthday that you need to be comfortable with yourself and your family before you engage into any romantic relationship. And this was proven as the story unfolded and her feelings evolved and Rose matured, we as readers, were able to see where Rose developed.