Paralyzed By: Jeff RUD

1. ParalyzedBy: Jeff RUD Created by: Ciara Hancock

2. Conflict and character • “ My celebration was short-lived. As I continued to dance around with the ball in my outstretched arms, I sensed a commotion on the field a few feet behind me. I glanced back. Nate Brown, the Milbury tight end, was still lying on the ground. Something wasn’t right (3).” • During this conflict everyone’s attitude changes in the story. Something is wrong with one of the characters, Nate Brown. He is still on the ground not moving. This event could effect his whole life.

3. Character and conflict • “ The paramedics brought a stretcher with them as they crossed the field. They had another device I recognized from TV medical shows. It was a “halo” used to keep an accident victim’s neck stable in the case of a spinal injury.(5-6)” • Didn’t have time to put pictures on the rest of the slides. • This incident is important because Nate Brown could have a spinal injury. This accident could change his life forever if it is serious. This doesn’t really change the characters attitude right now because he is unconscious.

4. Characters and conflict • “ I nodded. One of the first things my tackle football coaches had taught me in Pop Warner was never to lead with your helmet. It was illegal. They called it spearing. Still, I had seen plenty of kids do it over the years. But nobody had ever been paralyzed before.(8-9)” • This explains everything about the conflict. This conflict reveals that something serious could happen to one of the characters. This could change everything about Nate Brown’s life, he could never walk again.

5. Character and conflict • “ The crowd went wild. Everybody in the stadium, including the close to two thousand Lincoln fans dressed in black and white, stood and applauded. Nate Brown came from the Milbury sideline, walking with the aid of a cane. I couldn’t believe how quickly he made it out to midfield.(159) • This conflict reveals that Nate Brown can walk again and won’t be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Nate Brown’s attitude completely changes from the beginning of the story when he and everyone else thought he would never be able to walk again.

6. setting • “ The referee motioned for us to return to our benches. From the sidelines, I looked out to midfield where Brown still lay. He was surrounded by Milbury coaches and training staff. Dr. Steven’s , who was on-call for all out Lincoln home games, was out there too.(4)” • In this setting this is after Nate Brown gets hurt. He is just lying on the ground surrounded by coaches and training staff. This action reveals that something is wrong with Nate Brown, and he can’t get up.

7. setting • “ That’s the Intensive Care Unit. It’s on the third floor. But he can’t have visitors unless you’re family.(26)” • In this setting Reggie is trying to go see Nate Brown at the hospital. But he is not aloud to see him if he is not family. This reveals that Nate is in serious condition if he is in the ICU.

8. Setting • “ ‘Before we begin tonight’s game, I’d like to have your attention for a special introduction, ‘ the announcer continued. The crowd hushed. ‘Please welcome back to Miner Stadium to take the ceremonial kickoff, Milbury’s own Nate Brown!(159)’” • This setting is important because Nate is walking onto the field to do the kickoff, which means he can walk again. Since Nate can walk again this changes his attitude completely at the end of the story.

9. narrator • “ I leaped, stabbing out my right hand and batting the football from the air. It fell into my left arm, and I slapped both hands over it. Interception! Plays like this were what every high school middle linebacker lived for.(2)” • Reggie Scott is excited because of what just happened. He just made an interception, and every high school linebacker lived for one of those. So at that moment his attitude is positive.

10. Narrator • “ I was stunned. A few minutes earlier, we had all been full of adrenaline and emotion. Now we were silently trudging back to our locker room. This was a worse than a loss. A lot worse.(7)” • This reveals that something bad has happened. All the characters in the story are now silent, and they had to stop the football game. Everyone during this time is in shock and confused so everyone’s attitude has changed.

11. narrator • “ I mulled it over for a few seconds. I wasn’t really feeling hungry. In fact, my mind was not on food at all. It was on Nate Brown. I kept seeing him being carried off the field. I kept seeing his mother breaking down on the field.(13)” • This text reveals that Reggie’s attitude has changed completely from when he made his interception. He doesn’t have an appetite anymore. All he can think about is what happened to Nate Brown and how his mom started crying.

12. Author’s purpose • The author’s purpose of this novel is to show that if you play sports then play the way you should and the way you were taught. • One example would be that since Nate Brown tried tackling Reggie Scott and did it the wrong way by leading with his helmet that caused him to end up on the hospital. • Another example would be that since Nate Brown did that he caused himself to have a spinal injury which could have paralyzed him for the rest of his life. • The last example is that they always teach you how to do certain things and if you don’t follow what you were taught it could change your life, like Nate was almost paralyzed.