Shaina+B

That Was Then, This is Now Questions
By: Shaina Boyce

1. Who are Bryon and Mark?
Bryon and Mark are best friends who consider themselves as brothers. These two boys live in the same household, which is with Bryon’s mother. The rebel, Mark, always seems to get away with things such as stealing. He is small, but is capable of things others may not think he is capable of. Bryon is a built, sixteen year old who loves fights.

2. Who are the two young people Bryon meets at the hospital?
Bryon meets a very badly injured teen names Mike Chambers and M&M's sister named Cathy at the hospital.

3. What kind of relationship does Bryon have with Charlie?
Bryon and Charlie's relationship started back when Bryon started dating Charlie's sister. Although they broke up, Charlie and Bryon remained close friends. The age is a big difference, but there are advantages that comes with it. An example would be that Charlie owns a bar, and allows Bryon and Mark to be present in there even though there underage. However, Bryon may sometimes take their friendship for advantage. An example would be that Bryon owes Charlie money, but believe that since they are friends that he can keep putting it off. Charlie does not take this behavior though. He will not hesitate to beat Bryon up when he doesn't pay his bill.

4. What happened at the dance?
At the dance, Curtis and Mark were sitting in Terry Jone's car, when suddenly a guy that Angela had hired started a fight with Curtis. Mark decided to get involved in the fight, and that resulted in Mark being struck in the head with a beer bottle. Because of this, he found himself in the hospital unconscious and with stitches in his head.

5. What does Bryan discover about his good friend Mark?
Bryon begins to discover that Mark was sensitive but hid it very well. He did not show his feelings at all. Bryon also learns how Mark really felt about why they did the things they did and how they've both grown and changed. Bryon starts to understand Mark and uncover things that no one could've ever guessed about him.

6. What happened to Charlie? How do Bryon and Mark feel about it?
On their way home from the bar one night, Bryon and Mark encounter the Texans, the people who had lost their money to Bryon and Mark, who then begin to try to beat them up. Just as they're about the be beaten up, Charlie comes in to save them. This now turns into a battle and they both bring out their guns. Unfortunately, Charlie was shot just above the eye and had died. Unlike Mark, who believes that things happen and that's all there is to it, Bryon feels sad because it had been his fault that Charlie had died. If they had taken his advice to be careful and not get carried away, they would not have been in this mess in the first place.

7. What do Cathy and Mark think of each other?
Cathy and Mark do not get along well at all. This is because Mark feels that Cathy always judges people or has a remark about everyone. This bothers him because it is mostly done to him. It is not just this that is the reason for their poor friendship. Cathy also feels that Mark's actions hurt people and that he should not do the things he does, or at least think before his actions.

8. What does Mark do to Angel? Why?
As payback for her actions at the dance, Mark cuts off her blue-black when she fell asleep in the car. Because of her poor choice of sending this guy to fight Curtis, Mark could've been killed by the gash he had on his head.

9. In chapter 7, what does Bryon begin to discover about his good friend Mark?
In chapter 7, Bryon begins to discover that Mark is oblivious of how the things he does affects others. He doesn't think that the things he does are bad or that bad things happen/have happened to him. Bryon thinks that Mark believes that his actions don't hurt others, such as Bryon and that Mark doesn't care about anyone. Bryon soon comes to the conclusion that his friends are only his friends because he is dangerous. Lastly, Bryon learns that the night Mark parents shot each other, Mark knew that Bryon's mom would let him stay with them.

10. What happens to Bryon at Terry Jone's house? How does his attitude change?
While at Terry Jone's house, Bryon is beat up by Curly and Tim Shepard because he admitted to cutting off Angela's hair. Bryon's attitude changed after he "admitted" to cutting off Angela's hair instead of playing their game. While talking to Mark, they decided that he would not fight Curly and Tim Shepard to get even with them because Bryon wanted to be the bigger and better person.

11. In chapter nine, what happens to M&M? Why does this move Bryon?
At the free-lovers' house, M&M kept having visions from the LSD drug he was taking. These visions were about large spiders eating his stomach and holding him down. There were colors that were eaten by the large spiders. The one color accused him of eating too many carrots. M&M tried to jump out of the window and became more suspicious and scared because of these visions. Bryon is moved because he always thought of M&M was a good kid, and as a little brother. His trusting spirit and his innocence was what made Bryon love him. Now that he is very suspicious of everything, Bryon feels the worst he has ever felt about someone.

12. What shocking discovery does Bryon make in Mark’s bedroom (chapter 10)? What does he do?
In Marks bedroom, Bryon discovers drugs underneath Mark's mattress. Bryon has been wondering where Mark has been getting the extra money and then Bryon puts the pieces together. Bryon figures Mark is just selling them because he knows that hes not using them. In result of Bryon finding drugs in Mark's mattress, he calls the cops on Mark.

13. How does Bryon’s relationship with his friends and his attitude toward life completely change?
Bryon's relationship with his friends has greatly changed. Bryon and Cathy have gone separate ways because the love they had for each other before was not there anymore. Also, just seeing M&M upsets him because he feels sorry for him. Because of Mark's hatred toward Bryon, Bryon feels uncomfortable around him which results in the both of them staying away from each other. Bryon really doesn't hang out with anybody anymore. Bryon's attitude toward life completely changes. School, work, and home is all a blur to him and he couldn't remember a lot. Bryon doesn't have feelings toward anyone, especially Cathy. Whether it be love, hate, jealous, or many more. He can only feel a little bit of hope, and that's it. He doesn't hold grudges or anything. He has no emotion at all and turned away from who he truly is.

14. How does Bryon feel at the end of the book?
At the end of the book, Bryon just gave up. He gave up on caring about others. He lost interest in everything and it resulted in his lack of adventure in life. Bryon wish he knew all the answer to his questions, but he didn't take the chance to find out. He wishes that he could just be a kid again, where everything was simpler.

15.What do you think about this book? What life message does it teach?
I thought that this book was very intense, but it also taught me a lot about life in the 1960's and also how much my decisions and actions make a difference and how they affect other people immensely. This book was written very well and continuously kept me interested. You never knew what was going to happen next and i was always surprised by their actions. It also surprised me how things that were not a big deal then are such a big deal now, such as gang fights, smoking, and drinking. This book also showed me how you think you know someone, but they turn out to be completely different people. Many times we are too vulnerable to see the bad in people, but we should be careful because you may make a bad decision that can affect your whole life. Lastly, this book taught me about change. It taught me how much things can change by a single action. The life message in the book was this. Change. Change is a thing that everyone experience either in themselves or in others. You cannot stop it, you can only except it. This book is a very good example of change and how to learn about it and except it.