But when nicks anger and jealousy overtake him, things begin to spiral out of control and nick realizes that hes more his fathers son than he. Shes living through the aftermath of an abusive relationship, she has a youthobsessed mother who just doesnt understand her, and shes on a constant yoyo diet to live up the standards of her nitpicking friends. This book is written so well that it becomes the hook for my nonreading students. Nick has never told anyone about his fathers violent temper. We will explore quotes from the novel while learning about 16yearold nick. Flinns use of nick as narrator is unusual and provocative, and theres impact as.
This is the kind of cycle that needs to be broken, before more young people like nick repeat the only thing they know. Publishers weeklyintelligent, popular, handsome, and wealthy, sixteenyearold nick andreas is pretty much perfecton the. Breathing underwater begins with nick going to court. Breathing underwater by alex flinn is a young adult novel that examines the main character the abusive relationships the main character, nick, has with his father and with his girlfriend. Breathing underwater quotes by alex flinn goodreads.
In this first person narrative, nick tells the story himself. Locate at least three details in the first chapters that reveal the setting of the book and the lifestyle of the characters. For 16yearold nick andreas, these words from his violence counselor ring true. Breathing underwater by alex flinn is about healing from abuse and achieving personal growth. In diva, the companion to alex flinns ya novel breathing under water, caitlin is dealing with a lot. External conflict nick s drunken father physically abuses him. During law school flinn interned at miamidade state attorneys office, where she tried many domestic violence cases. It shows his feelings, his stories, and his struggles. Breathing underwater by alex flinn breathing underwaterbreathing underwater by alex flinn is written as a series of journal entries. A truly informative book, breathing underwater is not to be missed. This is the unit anchor book test for the novel breathing underwater by alex flinn.
This contemporary novel written by alex flinn is published by harper collins publishers and is written for kids ages 14 and up. Breathing underwater sixteenyearold nicholas andreas is called before a judge after his girlfriend, caitlyn, seeks a restraining order against him. Nick s father is distant and abusive, and caitlin only stays with nick because of his controlling actions. In this lesson, we will get to know the characters in alex flinns novel breathing underwater. Alex flinns 2001 novel breathing underwater examines the issue of domestic abuse through nick andreas, an abused teenage boy who in turn abuses his girlfriend. She studied at the university of miami and later went on to become a lawyer. Breathing underwater by alex flinn 7,795 ratings, 3. Read breathing underwater by alex flinn by alex flinn by alex flinn for free with a 30 day free trial. Nick comes across as an arrogant, full of himself teenager who doesnt want.
I went to the library and took out books on writing. Her experience there led to her first novel, breathing underwater. The electrifying followup to alex flinn s critically acclaimed debut novel, breathing underwater, breaking point is a tale of school violence that explores why and how a good kid can go bad. As flinns first novel opens, nick finds himself in court, facing a restraining order by his girlfriend, caitlin.
Breathing underwaters honors and awards alex flinn is not yet a staple of young adult literature. Seuss i am nicknick is sicknick tells debbie to well, you get the idea. This book doesnt seem believable because looking from nicks. External conflict nick abused his girlfriend because that is all he has ever known.
Once i got this focus, it took me less than a year to write the book in nicks viewpoint. Flinn wastes no time in getting right to it in this book. Breathing underwater is a 2002 young adult novel by alex flinn. Breathing underwater, book by alex flinn paperback. In breathing underwater, nick andreas is an average rich white kid living in key biscayne, except for one thing. Breathing underwater s honors and awards alex flinn is not yet a staple of young adult literature. Buy a cheap copy of breathing underwater book by alex flinn. Set in miami and told in a split narrative, the novel juxtaposes nicks journal entries. How did they end up in court with a restraining order being issued against him.
Alex flinn has written a very important story, that of family violence and the toll it takes on everyone involved. Reading group guide for breathing underwater alex flinn. In your own words, write a brief summary of what happened between nick and caitlin. Alex flinn takes you on a roller coaster in this coming of age tale of a boy with a lot of pent up frustration. International reading association young adults choices, 2003 year published. This contemporary novel written by alex flinn is published by harper collins. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of breathing underwater by alex flinn. Breathing underwater by alex flinn harpercollins, 2001. Breathing underwater 9780064472579 by flinn, alex and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Grade 9 upnick, an upperincome, popular, straighta high school student, not only copes with his fathers verbal and physical abuse, but his own abusive behavior toward his girlfriend, caitlin, in this novel by alex flinn harpercollins, 2001. I had met judy kitchner, their teacher, at a summer. We will explore quotes from the novel while learning about 16yearold nick andreas, his strained. His exgirlfriend caitlin is taking the stand against him, accusing him of hitting her, and after being found guilty, he is sentenced to family violence classes and must write 500 words a week in a journal. Internal conflict nick is fighting himself about how he treated caitlin.
The novel uses the epistolary form, with portions of. The journal is written by nick as an assignment from the judge who also sends him to anger management after the girlfriend he beat up finally presses charges. Sixteenyearold nicholas andreas is called before a judge after his girlfriend. His exgirlfriend, caitlin, put a restraining on him for hitting her while they were dating. To his friends, popular and handsome sixteenyearold nick andreas has led a charmed life. She claims that nick beat her, but he insists he only slapped her once when she provoked him during an argument. Apr 24, 2001 breathing underwater by alex finn is about a sixteen year old boy named nicholas, also known as nick. Intelligent, popular, handsome, and wealthy, sixteenyearold nick andreas is pretty much perfecton the outside, at least. The beginning of the book, nick thinks of his abuse of caitlin. Atrisk ninth graders dive into literary analysis i looked out at the english class before me, a group of 21 ninth graders deemed atrisk, and wondered if i was in over my head. Its certainly rare perhaps unprecedented to read of an abusive relationship from the perspective of the abuser. When nick meets caitlin, he thinks that she is the answer to all his problems. In a harrowing journey of selfdiscovery, nick learns the truth about himself and that the phrase like father, like son can carry terrifying.
The main character, nick, is abused by his father and abuses his girlfriend in turn. Breathing underwater by alex flinn is a young adult novel that examines the main character the abusive relationships the main character, nick, has with his father and with his girlfriend, caitlin. Alex flinn, breathing underwater having screwed around the last hour trying to decide whether to write in the style of isaac asimov that version featured caitlin as a venusian chick with one eye and three breasts or dr. Breathing underwater by alex flinn 766 words bartleby. It was originally published in 2001 and was chosen a top 10 ala best books for young adults for that year. He is sentenced to six months of counseling and to write. I personally like the book because the author, alex finn, makes the story based on the abusers point of view. Like youre trying to be a man when youre just a scared kid, trying to keep under control when.
Alex flinn grew up on new york and also in miami florida. Breathing underwater by alex flinn the teen book club. Publishers weekly intelligent, popular, handsome, and wealthy, sixteenyearold nick andreas is pretty much perfecton the. Now nick must confront his inner demons to stop the history of violence from repeating itself. Identify the major characters in breathing underwater. And maybe nick used his fist at the end when the anger got out of control. Caitlin is everything nick has ever wantedbeautiful, talented, and in love. Breathing underwater by alex finn is about a sixteen year old boy named nicholas, also known as nick. It tells the story of nick, a sixteenyearold from a comfortable background, and his devoted girlfriend, caitlin. Download teachers guide for breathing underwater alex flinn.
907 997 1276 1585 1109 641 1226 32 1558 790 1602 986 944 749 1280 1401 433 283 89 1075 925 269 88 1303 678 1522 1386 605 1408 1413 810 969 1361 1114 797 342 1254 1325 780 1230 966 205 1152 453