Literary Analysis (Walk Two Moons Ch. 35-44)

I think Gramps allowed Sal to drive to Lewiston all by herself since that's mainly what they came here to do, see their mother. Gramps knew that although Sal didn't want to leave Gram, she really wanted to go see her mother and wish her a happy birthday. Gramps wouldn't leave Gram at the hospital alone and Sal wanted to go to Lewiston to see her mom. It's a good thing Gramps taught Sal how to drive very carefully; she didn't have any problems on the road. I think Gramps made the right choice though, I would have done the same thing. I would have let Sal go by herself because I trust her and know that she really wants to go visit her mother. If I were Sal, I would have left and driven very carefully. Although I do not know how to drive a real car, I would have driven the car if I were Sal. I would have done anything just to see my mother again.

Since no one in the Winterbottom family knows when and why Mrs. Winterbottom is coming back, they all react differently. Phoebe is both mad and scared, probably since she knows that Mrs. Winterbottom is going to come bak with the "lunatic", Mike. Phoebe thinks that her mother is having an affair. Prudence, on the other hand, is very excited that her mother is actually coming home. I guess it's because she doesn't know as much as Phoebe. Mr. Winterbottom's reactions, however, are a mix of Phoebe's and Prudence's. He's scared and confused, yet happy.

Mrs. Partridge's visit with the girls shows that the messages in the white envelope were actually with good intentions. Mrs. Partridge had Mrs. Cadaver copy down the good quotes from the newspaper and put them into an envelope, which Mrs. Partridge then left on the front step of Phoebe's house. When Phoebe and Sal see that it was Mrs. Partridge leaving the messages, they know that it wasn't the "lunatic" trying to mess with the Winterbottom family. I think that the quotes were actually a good idea. However, I think Mrs. Partridge should have shown who it came from or that it had good meaning.

Literary Analysis (Walk Two Moons Ch. 19-36)

Phoebe's imagination is on the loose! She gets a little too creative on ideas for what could have happened to her mother. Even her sister and dad, who are also very curious about what happened to Mrs. Winterbottom, do not come up with ideas as far-fetched as that. If I were Phoebe, I might go a little crazy, but not as wacko as that! I might think something bad happened to my mom, maybe that she had to go away because of some personal business, but not because she got kidnapped. Prudence is kind of in a frenzy after Mrs. Winterbottom leaves while Mr. Winterbottom is a little hesistant and stressed out. Phoebe's father is right though, compared to everyone else and the facts, her imagination is running away from her. I completely agree with Mr. Winterbottom since if her mom was "kidnapped" she wouldn't have time to pack all those meals ahead of time and label them all. Mrs. Winterbottom wouldn't have had time to write a note for each person too. In general, I think Phoebe needs to take time to calm down and think everything over.

Sal, under the influence of Phoebe, was led to believe that Mrs. Cadaver murdered her husband and buried him in her backyard. One night, while Sal was having a sleepover at Phoebe's house, they saw Mr. Birkway and Mrs. Cadaver moving a rhododendron bush. Phoebe thought that Mrs. Cadaver was trying to cover up the area which she buried her husband and convinced Sal that that was true too. Phoebe convinced Sal that Mrs. Cadaver was a murderer. However, after visiting Mrs. Cadaver with her father, she also was mad at her for "taking her mother's place" in her dad's heart. After her mother left, only Mrs. Cadaver was able to put a smile on Sal's father's face. After hearing what really happened to Mr. Cadaver, Sal felt sorry for Mrs. Cadaver that such a terrible thing could have happened. This occurence completely changed not only Sal's viewpoint, but also Phoebe's viewpoint about Mrs. Cadaver.

Literary Analysis (Walk Two Moons Ch. 1-18)

Sal is rushing to Lewiston, Idaho to see her mother. She feels like she needs to get there on the day of the day of her mother's birthday. Sal feels like if she is there on her mother's birthday, she has a bigger chance of persuading her mother to come back. I agree with Sal's point of view: if there is any way to make her come back, asking her on her birthday would be the best choice. I probably would never survive without my mother, or my father. Her grandparents want to take her to Lewiston to see her Sal's mother, who was in Lewiston. I bet the grandparents were very anxious to go see their daughter again! Sal's dad was probably a tiny bit grateful for Sal to leave so he could be with Mrs. Cadaver. Sal didn't approve of Mrs. Cadaver very much, but I wouldn't either if I were her. It is very weird for a person to be named a word meaning "dead body". Sal's dad thought that her grandparents would behave much better if Sal went along. But, I bet Sal probably felt a little awkward being in a car with just her and her grandparents. I know I would.

The Winterbottom family is nothing like the Finney family. The Winterbottom is very civilized; I bet I wouldn't survive a minute in the Winterbottom family! Each Winterbottom keeps to themselves and always defends their family. The Finney family is very "social" and isn't as orderly as the Winterbottoms. Although I do always support my family, I am not used to being as civilized as the Winterbottoms. I like the freedom and fun-filled air at the Finney's place. Phoebe acts happy and proud of her family on the outside, but I think she envies the Finney family on the inside. Like Sal, I would much rather prefer living in the Finney family.