Analyzing Character
WHO ARE THE TWO WOMEN WHO INFLUENCE BILLIE JO THE MOST?
Polly (Billy Jo's Mom) and Miss Freeland
TELL HOW BILLIE JO'S MOTHER INFLUENCES HER. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT SHE LEARNS FROM HER?
- Polly (Billy Jo’s Mom) influences Billy Jo because she is her mother, meaning she has a high influence on Billy Jo. First, Polly teaches Billy Jo about being honest, for example, when Billy Jo received too much change from Mr. Hardly, and her mom forced her to return the extra money, "Ma would have thrown a fit if I'd taken a gift from him." (P. 19)
- Another way Polly influences Billy Jo is when she Billy Jo plays piano. Polly didn't want Billy Jo to play piano because she thinks school is a lot more important, "She says that school is important."(p.28), she doesn't like the type of music that Billy Jo plays, "I know she doesn't like the kind of music I play,"(p.28) Polly could've been jealous of Billy Jo when she plays and Polly isn't, "I think she's just plain jealous when I'm at the piano and she's not,"(p.28) Polly could've been afraid of Billy Jo playing music she couldn't follow, "And maybe she's little afraid of me going somewhere with the music she can't follow," (p.28), or she could be afraid of the music taking Billy Jo someplace far, and never coming back, "Or the music taking me so far away one day I'll never come home."(p.28)
TELL HOW BILLIE JO'S TEACHER, MISS FREELAND, INFLUENCES HER.
- Miss Freeland influences Billy Jo because she is her teacher for one, "My teacher, Miss Freeland," (p.42), and she acts like a second/substitute mother to Billy Jo.
WHO DOES BILLIE JO MEET IN THE BOXCAR?
Billy Jo meets a man who abandoned his family because he could not support them and did not want to see their faces when they thought of his failure.
HOW DOES THE PERSON BILLIE JO MEETS IN THE BOXCAR INFLUENCE HER?
The person Billy Jo meets in the boxcar influences her because it reminds her of her own dad and how she did not want to see him in a situation like the man in the boxcar, lonely and sad. This causes her to return home and stay with her father.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE MAN IN THE BOXCAR TO BILLIE JO'S FATHER.
Both the man and Billy Jo's father lost something precious to them, the man losing his family because he could not support them, and Billy's Jo's father because he lost his wife. Both feel lonely and regretting; the man regrets that he could not support his family with enough food, and Billy Jo's father regrets that he didn't have a better relationship with his wife.
Polly (Billy Jo's Mom) and Miss Freeland
TELL HOW BILLIE JO'S MOTHER INFLUENCES HER. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT SHE LEARNS FROM HER?
- Polly (Billy Jo’s Mom) influences Billy Jo because she is her mother, meaning she has a high influence on Billy Jo. First, Polly teaches Billy Jo about being honest, for example, when Billy Jo received too much change from Mr. Hardly, and her mom forced her to return the extra money, "Ma would have thrown a fit if I'd taken a gift from him." (P. 19)
- Another way Polly influences Billy Jo is when she Billy Jo plays piano. Polly didn't want Billy Jo to play piano because she thinks school is a lot more important, "She says that school is important."(p.28), she doesn't like the type of music that Billy Jo plays, "I know she doesn't like the kind of music I play,"(p.28) Polly could've been jealous of Billy Jo when she plays and Polly isn't, "I think she's just plain jealous when I'm at the piano and she's not,"(p.28) Polly could've been afraid of Billy Jo playing music she couldn't follow, "And maybe she's little afraid of me going somewhere with the music she can't follow," (p.28), or she could be afraid of the music taking Billy Jo someplace far, and never coming back, "Or the music taking me so far away one day I'll never come home."(p.28)
TELL HOW BILLIE JO'S TEACHER, MISS FREELAND, INFLUENCES HER.
- Miss Freeland influences Billy Jo because she is her teacher for one, "My teacher, Miss Freeland," (p.42), and she acts like a second/substitute mother to Billy Jo.
WHO DOES BILLIE JO MEET IN THE BOXCAR?
Billy Jo meets a man who abandoned his family because he could not support them and did not want to see their faces when they thought of his failure.
HOW DOES THE PERSON BILLIE JO MEETS IN THE BOXCAR INFLUENCE HER?
The person Billy Jo meets in the boxcar influences her because it reminds her of her own dad and how she did not want to see him in a situation like the man in the boxcar, lonely and sad. This causes her to return home and stay with her father.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE MAN IN THE BOXCAR TO BILLIE JO'S FATHER.
Both the man and Billy Jo's father lost something precious to them, the man losing his family because he could not support them, and Billy's Jo's father because he lost his wife. Both feel lonely and regretting; the man regrets that he could not support his family with enough food, and Billy Jo's father regrets that he didn't have a better relationship with his wife.
Polly and Miss Freeland Comparison
Polly
- Billy Jo’s Mom - She is pregnant - She used to play piano - She is honest - She focuses a lot on her apple tree - She is worried about Billy Jo - Worried about her life - Worried about her piano - Worried about future - She wanted Pa to stop farming wheat and move on - She lives in Panhandle, Texas with her family - She is reluctant to let Billy Jo play piano - She thinks that school is more important |
Miss Freeland- Billy Jo’s music teacher
- She sings - She is a teacher - She cooks - She is generous - She is smart - She was alive during the war |