Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles is told in two separate points of view: Kiara and Carlos. Kiara, a senior at Flatiron High, has had a nervous stutter her entire life, and it is in her senior year she is determined to become less shy and overcome her stutter. Carlos, a transfer to Flatiron from Mexico, wants nothing less than to have to attend school. With gang affiliations in both Mexico and Flatiron, he just wants to carry on a family tradition that was broken by his older brother Alex, when Alex decided to leave the gang life behind and pursue his girlfriend and his dreams of going to college.
Carlos is perfectly fine finding his own way, and only finds his path impeded by his student aid, Kiara. She was asked to help him around his first week of school and in that first week, they form a friendship that is more than slightly dysfunctional. In trying to shake the attention of one of the most popular girls at school, who has friends who may be part of a gang rival to Carlos' he asks Kiara to become his fake girlfriend. After major internal battling, she agrees, only to find herself falling in love.
Carlos does not believe he can ever fall in love. Being stalked by, and then unwittingly jumped into, a new, more powerful gang, means dating Kiara would be putting her and her family, whom he had come to live with after being falsely accused of possessing drugs, in danger. But he did not want to stay away from her.
1.) Carlos and Kiara try to battle the odds by being a couple...her the quiet, unsocial introvert and him the gang-related bad boy. Realistically, would there relationship be able to survive? Explain.
2.) Kiara's best friend, Tuck, has never liked a boy she dated, until Carlos. Carlos is mean to Tuck, but by trying to protect Kiara, they form an unlikely friendship. Should Tuck have held a grudge against Carlos for all the times Carlos had been mean to both him and Kiara, or should he be as forgiving as Kiara, if for nothing else than for her? Explain.
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12 comments:
1. I think that they could work it out, if they really did love each other. Plus, the saying is that opposites attract.
2. Tuck should have tried to accept Kiara's boyfriend, even if he did not like him. If Tuck really is Kiara's friend, he would not keep insiting on being mean to her boyfriend. He should have forgiven Carlos for once being mean to them, since it is unbecoming to hold a grudge.
1. While differences set people apart, these differences also play a big part in attraction, because they are what keeps things new and interesting in a relationship. People tend to be fascinated by things they don't fully understand. On the other hand, while two people can be very different, they should still have things in common and find other reasons to relate. Opposites attract, but those with common interests stay together.
2. I think that Tuck should be able to trust Kiara's judgment and accept that she's with someone who he may not like. However, it is good for him to be cautious; it seems like Carlos may not be the safest choice for her.
1) I think that there are no set rules for the compatability of any two people. Even if Carlos and Kiara appear to be very different people, there is obviously something that connects them, that sets them apart from their stereotypes. Their relationship could thrive or fail, based both on their personalities and random events outside of their control.
2) I think that though Tuck has reason to be suspicious of Carlos, if he is able to become friends with him, then he should trust him with his best friend. If logically he believes that Carlos has both good intentions and the ability to be good for Kiara, he should trust their choices.
1) I think that there are exceptional people and exceptional circumstances of love that would allow these two to be together, but with two normal people in this circumstance i would say no their relationship would not survive. Not only would it be hard for them to be together because their friend are different, but they as people are different in many ways which would cause them to have conflicting views and interests leading them to fights that would destroy their relationship.
1) i believe they would be able to work it out because if they loved each other enough to put their families in danger their love must be strong enough to make anything work
1. They would be able to work it out because their love would keep drawing them together. Sometimes differences start hardships but if the two truly love each other they can work through their differences
2. He should forgive Carlos but still maintain suspicion because after all he is affiliated with gangs.
1. I agree with Avi, if they are in love they should be able to work out their differences.
2. I also agree with Avi for this question, he should forgive but not forget.
1. I agree with Avi, if they are in love they should be able to work out their differences.
2. I also agree with Avi for this question, he should forgive but not forget.
I agree with Josie that opposites are said to attract. If love truly was what they were feeling for each other, they would find a way to make ir work for them.
I agree with Lisa that although Tuck should try to be accepting of Carlos he should also be cautious. He seemed to have her best interests in mind.
1. I think they could work it out. There would be some complications but I am sure they could get around them.
2. It depends what Carlos did to Tuck. If Carlos hinted that he was only trying to protect Kiara then Tuck should forgive him. Carlos should apologize for being mean too.
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