83 pages • 2 hours read
Erika L. SanchezA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
The winter passes “like a slow and anguishing blur” for Julia (124), and in April, her class goes on a field trip to Warren Dunes. She always enjoys these nature field trips because she finds beauty in the outdoors. Julia wanders the forest with Lorena and Juanga, and she tries to remain patient with him so that he can connect her with Jazmyn through Maribel. When they stop for lunch, Julia is stunned by the beauty of the lake, but her mood quickly changes when Lorena embarrasses her in front of Juanga by talking about Julia’s sexual inexperience. Lorena accuses her of being stuck up and compares her to her sister and mother, which deeply upsets Julia. Julia storms off and tries to calm herself down by lying in the sand.
When she opens her eyes, her classmate Pasqual is standing above her, and he asks her about Olga. When he compliments Julia, she gets annoyed, and he tells her: “You shouldn’t hate yourself so much. Everyone is messed up, even when it doesn’t seem like it” (131). After he leaves, she tries to read her book, and Mr. Ingman soon joins her. He asks her about her well-being again and offers to help her find a therapist.