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. Nick andreas changes from an aggressive and abusive adolescent to controlled and thoughtful. Buy a cheap copy of breathing underwater book by alex flinn. This book shows that when you keep things in and grow feelings quickly it could impact your life. In diva, the companion to alex flinns ya novel breathing under water, caitlin is dealing with a lot. At the beginning of breathing underwater, nick andreas is a loving boyfriend but turns into an aggressive and abusive person.
Breathing underwater is a contemporary young adult novel telling the story of nick and caitlin and their volatile relationship. But now caitlins family has procured a restraining order to keep nick away, and. 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. This is the cover of the book breathing underwater. 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 wants to be. Will nick stick to his punishment or will he violate the terms of his parole. Now that its out of the way, i can go on to say that i loved breathing underwater and even came, in some small way, to understandif not actually like nick s character. Now nick must confront his inner demons to stop the history of violence from repeating itself. Nick vs society after nick hits caitlin his whole group of friends no longer talk to him, including his best friend.
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. Nick slaps caitlin across the face for grabbing the wheel and alnost killing them, when nicks the one swerving. Jan 29, 2012 i recently read a book, it was called breathing underwater by alex flinn. Nick is the main character, and is also a dynamic character. The main character in this book was nick, he was the usually teenage kid, good grades, popular kid, he owned a car, and most importantly nick had the girl of his. Nick s father is distant and abusive, and caitlin only stays with nick because. It also shows us that there are better ways to manage our anger such as writing about it. My dads been different since i stood up to him, not nice, but he hasnt. How did they end up in court with a restraining order being issued against him. In fact, nick s father sells nicks car without telling him, even though it had been given to him as a birthday present.
Since nick s dad is abusive it effects nick s life and how he acts towards others. Breathing underwater nick andreas november 2, 2001. Nick calls leo a christian martyr when he lies to the police about helping nuns move furniture. Nick alludes to being jealous of toms relationship with his parents. Leo talks about his brothers suicide and how a priest had prayed that his soul would be saved. Jan 05, 2003 nick and caitlin are in the car driving back from the key west trip. In this lesson, we will get to know the characters in alex flinns novel breathing underwater. In this first person narrative, nick tells the story himself. Nick vs society after nick hits caitlin his whole group of. In this lesson, learn how nick discovers that one negative action. Nick and caitlin are in the car driving back from the key west trip. We will explore quotes from the novel while learning about 16yearold nick andreas, his strained.
I think this book shows us that there are times when we feel as if we are breathing underwater. Once the conversation ended, i held up the novel and told the class, the reason i asked the question is because we are going to do an activity that relates to this bookalex flinns breathing underwater. 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. While in the car nick is driving really crazy, hes like swerving. 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. Nick says that he is tired of breathing underwater and by the end of the book he has stopped himself from drowning in his anger. Nick slaps caitlin across the face for grabbing the wheel and alnost killing them, when nick s the one swerving. At the beginning of the novel, hes in court being sentenced to counseling and receiving a restraining order for beating up his ex. External conflict nick s drunken father physically abuses him. His father makes a pretty good living and this allows nick to enjoy many luxeries. But then nick discovers that, just like his father, he has anger issues. Breathing underwater by alex flinn 766 words bartleby. Write a prediction guide for a new reader of breathing underwater.
Almost like nick andreas in the novel breathing underwater by alex finn. In breathing underwater, nick andreas is an average rich white kid living in key biscayne, except for one thing. The questions are due the first week of classes in september. Nick vs self nick struggles to avoid his violence issues when it comes to his girlfriend caitlin.
Hes in an anger management class now and if he can only get caitlins love back he knows he can change. Since nick s dad is abusive it effects nick s life and. When nicks father confronts him about having a condom, nick thinks to him that hes been nailed, in the biblical sense of the word, meaning crucified. However, the guys in his anger management class and his exgirlfriend caitlin know differently. To find out how nick overcomes his anger, pick yourself up a copy of breathing underwater by alex flinn.
Nick vs his father this is one of the main conflicts in this story. Caitlin is everything nick has ever wantedbeautiful, talented, and in love. Why did nick get angry with caitlin when the group was planning their trip to. Nick andreas is the main character of breathing underwater. We will explore quotes from the novel while learning about 16yearold nick andreas, his strained relationship with girlfriend, caitlin, and their clique. Then he and caitlin fall in love, and nick thinks his problems are over. Breathing underwater by alex flinn breathing underwaterbreathing underwater by alex flinn is written as a series of journal entries. Its certainly rare perhaps unprecedented to read of an abusive relationship from the perspective of the abuser. In the book breathing underwater what happens at the end. Ever feel like youre breathing underwater, and you have to stop because youre gulping in too much fluid.
I was wondering what it means to breathe underwater. It tells the story of nick, a sixteenyearold from a comfortable background, and his devoted girlfriend, caitlin. He must also write 500 words a week in a journal about his relationship with caitlyn. He is a 16 year old football player at his high school in miami, florida. Reading group guide for breathing underwater alex flinn. Im going to say this once, and then well all forget iti spent 90% of this book despising the main character, nick andreas. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. He fell in love with caitlyn and they started going out.
In breathing underwater, alex flinn tells the story of nick andreas, a troubled 16yearold struggling with relationships, control, and abuse. Caitlin tries to talk to him but he wont listen, he just keeps doing what he was doing. This happens to be the tough life of nick andreas in the book breathing underwater by alex flinn. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of breathing underwater by alex flinn. Tom, who used to be my best friendsee me how i want them to.
Breathing underwater is a 2002 young adult novel by alex flinn. Monday, november 6 20 points after reading about nicks background, and after seeing how his former friends are treating him, take one of the following positions to argue. Now that its out of the way, i can go on to say that i loved breathing underwater and even came, in some small way, to understandif not actually likenicks character. In breathing under water, richard rohr shows how the gospel principles in the twelve steps can free anyone from any addictionfrom an obvious dependence on alcohol or drugs to the more common but less visible addiction that we all have to sin. Reading guide for breathing underwater by alex flinn answer all questions on a separate sheet of paper. External conflict nick abused his girlfriend because that is all he has ever known. The main characters in breathing underwater include nick andres, caitlin mccourt, mario ortega, and tom carter nick andres is the protagonist, and the novel. The story takes you all over the keys, but it takes place prominently at key biscayne high school and the anger management class. Nick has never spoken of his fathers violent temper, but when nick meets caitlin, everything changes. I went to the library and took out books on writing. Nick andreas is the main character of breathing underwater, a sixteen year old with issues whos in an anger management class after being found guilty of abusing his girlfriend. Nick s relationship with his own father is strained. The audio edition of this book can be downloaded via audible. The story starts off with nick in court getting a restraining order put on.
Breathing underwater by alex flinn harpercollins, 2001. Internal conflict nick is fighting himself about how he treated caitlin. However, things are not what they seem on the surface. Breathing under water analysis on nick andreas 999 words.
I recently read a book, it was called breathing underwater by alex flinn. This is the unit anchor book test for the novel breathing underwater by alex flinn. Seuss i am nick nick is sick nick tells debbie to well, you get the idea. It was originally published in 2001 and was chosen a top 10 ala best books for young adults for that year. The beginning of the book, nick thinks of his abuse of caitlin. Since nicks dad is abusive it effects nicks life and how he acts towards others.
Breathing underwater is about sixteen year old nick andreas who leads a double life, most of the time he is a charming, straighta earning football player. Throughout the novel its shown how he met caitlin and how he is doing after the fallout. But nick cant bear to lose the girl he says he loves. Sixteenyearold nicholas andreas is called before a judge after his girlfriend, caitlyn, seeks a restraining order against. There are some graphic scenes in here told through nicks journal of memories, but the book is well written. Caitlin took him to court and the judge grants caitlyns request and orders nick to attend counseling for anger management. For example, at the end of the jan 17 th chapter an appropriate question would be. Apr 26, 2011 in the book breathing underwater what happens at the end. Apr 24, 2001 breathing underwater is about sixteen year old nick andreas who leads a double life, most of the time he is a charming, straighta earning football player. Reading guide breathing underwater by alex flinn isbn. It tells the story of 16yearold nicholas andreas, a wealthy miami teen who is sent to anger management because his girlfriend, caitlin, takes out a restraining order against him.
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