Prom

Alyssa Paolella


__ Prom __ is a //New York Times// bestseller, was nominated for A LA Best Book for Young Adults, and has received many state awards.


 * __ Biographical Data __ **

Publisher: Penguin Group Publishing Year: 2005 Hardcover: 215 pages Type: Fiction ISBN: 0-14-240570-1


 * __ Author Biography __ **

 Born in Potsdam, New York, Laurie Halse Anderson is the writer of several remarkable young adult literature novels and children’s books. A lover of writing since second grade, h er debut novel, __ Speak __, became a National Book Award Finalist as well as a // New York Times // bestseller and a Printz Honor book. Her book even made it into several school curriculums at numerous middle schools, high schools and colleges. The book even became a film that starred the very popular Kirsten Stewart from the Twilight Saga movies. Since then, Anderson has written several books in which have become bestsellers and award winners. Anderson continues to write and lives with her family in New York.


 * __ Summary __ **

The high school prom is something every teenage girl dreams about. The flawless dress, the stretch limo, heeled shoes, fancy hair and makeup styles are all things that a girl dreams about years before the prom, except for Ashley Hannigan.

Ashley Hannigan is different from your typical teenager; she is a trouble maker, dresses up in a rat costume for her part-time job, and thinks the prom is “stupid.” From the first page of the novel we are introduced to Ashley Hannigan and her high school. We find out right away Ashley is not your typical teenager. The novel begins with this description, “//Once upon a time there was an eighteen-year-old girl who dragged her but out of bed and hauled it all the way to school on a sunny day in May.// That was me” (1). From a first glance, readers may see this as a fairy tale about the high school prom by the use of “Once upon a time” but are then provided with information that this character is not your typical teen. Ashley’s friend Nat however, happens to be the head of the prom committee. After numerous problems such as the math teacher stealing the prom money, the prom, the biggest event at this Philadelphia high school, may be called off. Ashley transforms from not caring at all for the event to trying to make the best low-income prom possible.


 * __ Review __ **

<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ashley Hanigan: barely allowed to graduate, trouble maker, uninterested in school activities and events that plans to move in with her boyfriend TJ who was kicked out of high school. Interestingly enough, her best friend Nat is the head of the high school’s prom committee. What happens when the prom funds are stolen and prom may be called off? Laurie Halse Anderson writes __Prom__ through the eyes of a high school girl. From the description to the language itself, Anderson reaches out to her audience and makes them feel as though they are back in high school. Not just any high school, but right there with Ashley herself. As the prom is on the line, Ashley begins to realize who she really is and gains a new perspective on the prom. The hope for a prom and Ashley’s change in character make Anderson’s novel a page turner and enjoyable read.


 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">__ Analysis of Literary Elements: Writing Style __ **

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Laurie Halse Anderson’s __Prom__ is a story that is told through the eyes of a teenager named Ashley, a novel in which the language is something any teenager can to relate to. First, it is notable to look at how her book is structured. She uses short sentences and short paragraphs as well as simple language. Rather than writing with complexity, she simplifies it down to what is going on in the mind of a teenage girl going to high school.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">__Prom__ is told in the present tense making readers feel as though they are going through this high school experience with Ashley. For example, when Ashley brings the audience to school with her in the morning, she says, "I didn’t pay attention to the announcements in Homeroom on Monday because I had to analyze another poem for English. This one was about the moon-dumb, but very short. Poems are short because nobody can keep up that level of stupidness for more than one page" (132). <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">In this passage, many teenagers can relate with assignments that we may find “dumb” or one of “stupidness.” This is where Anderson adds humor to her story. The use of “I had to analyze” shows that it is in the present. This story works well in the present because readers go along the journey of the end of Ashley’s senior year with her. Anderson also uses a dash to separate what Ashley is doing to how she feels about it. Readers figure out that she is analyzing poetry and are then forced to pause and then read on to figure out Ashley finds it dumb. Through this passage, Anderson uses the present tense to make readers feel as though they are experiencing this with Ashley.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Anderson makes the audience feel as though they are right there at the high school. One instance of this is when Ashley is annoyed listening to “prom gossip.” Anderson provides dialogue that Ashley hears around her: <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> “…because he is sweet.” <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> “Sweet’ is another word for fat…” <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> “…then Patrick took that baby slut of his…” <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> “How many calories do French fires have?” (17). <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is only an excerpt of the passage and Anderson takes almost the entire page using snippets of conversation. These clauses work well in this story because the reader can visualize the conversation going on around Ashley. Anderson repeats this pattern on a few pages in her novel making readers feel like they are right there with the character.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The dialect in the novel works well for what Anderson is trying to accomplish. For example, examples of dialogue in the novel are “‘Cut to the chase, hon, whattyouwan?’” and “‘Ugottabeouttayourfreakinmind’” (99). I was first surprised by seeing “Ugottabeouttayourfreakinmind” as one word; however, the reader can visualize someone saying this. Anderson also uses slang throughout her novel whether it is in dialogue or Ashley’s thoughts. The use of this slang helps contribute to Anderson trying to show the story through the eyes of a teenager.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Anderson’s story is one that is written for the interest of young adults. The diction and sentence structure are created in a way that is relatable to teenagers. The story is told in the present tense and through the thoughts of Ashley making readers feel like they are right there with Ashley in her experience. All these ways Anderson writes her story contribute to a novel that is one that any teenager can relate to.

**__Related Links__**

 * __[|To visit Anderson's personal website, go here]__**
 * __[|For more about the author, go here]__**
 * __[|For Prom's personal webpage that includes a teachers section, questions, and links go here]__**