View a FREE sample

Chapters 1 - 5 (Pages 9 - 33)

• The novel begins with a remembered conversation between Lisa Shilling and her parents. Lisa's little sister Tracy and friend Mary Nell Fickett witness the conversation. Lisa tells her parents she needs professional help for mental illness. Her parents ignore her.
• Betsy Goodman is introduced as the narrator and secondary protagonist of the novel.
• Lisa is established as one of the most-popular girls in school; Betsy is established as a distant acquaintance of Lisa.
• Mary Nell confides in Betsy that she believes Lisa might be mentally ill.
• Elizabeth Frazer is introduced as an acquaintance with some type of special connection to Lisa.
• Lisa mutilates her arm by repetitively poking holes into it with a pin while at school.

Chapters 6 - 10 (Pages 33 - 60)

• Lisa is sent to a Florida rest home for six weeks' relaxation by her parents to treat what they perceive as stress; she...

(read more Chapter Abstracts)

This section contains 492 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample