DAZ 4 ZOE
-ROBERT SWINDELLS-


Background of the Author:

Robert Swindells left school at the age of fifteen and joined the Royal Air Force at seventeen-and-a-half. After his discharge, he worked at a variety of jobs before training and working as a teacher. He is now a full time writer and lives with his wife, Brenda, on the Yorkshire moors. Robert Swindells has written many books for young people, and in 1984 was the winner of the Children’s Book award and the other award for his novel Brother in the Land. He won The Children’s Book award for the second time in 1990 with Room 13, and in 1994 Stone Cold won the Carnegie Medal and the Sheffield Book award.



I. SETTING OF THE STORY

1. Where did the story happen?

- The setting of the story is in the Silverdale Subdivision.

2. When did the story happen?

- The story happened in the year 1995.

3. Do you like the setting of the story? Why?

- Yes, because the setting of the story is quite complicated. There were two places involved in this story, first,the subdivision of the rich people called Suburbs or Silverdale and the place of poor and criminal-looking people. They call each other Subbies and Chippies and literally, they hate each other. Subbies living in Suburbs cannot leave their place without permission and Chippies can only go to Suburbs if they have work there. Oftentimes, they say the Chippies kill Subbies because they're jealous of them - their cars, houses and other stuffs.

4. How did the setting contribute to the atmosphere?

- The setting contributes a lot for the story because the story was just all about the competition and anger between the two different places of two different people regarding their way of living and standards in life.


II. PLOT

1. What is the main problem of the story? How was it solved?

- The main problem of the story goes like this. When Zoe went to the place of Chippies, she had encountered guy, Chippy guy who caught her attention. And so was Daz, they both cannot help to think about each other. They fell in love really fast with each other. And that's the problem, Subbies cannot love Chippies and vice versa and go with each other. But because of love, they took all the risks and fight for their love against Zoe's parents and the Policemen.

2. If you were the main character. Should you have done the same thing? Why or why not?

- Yes, because for me, love is everything. And I think it can change everything in this world.

3. What events made the story realistic?

- The event is very realistic because as we all know, everybody can do anything for the sake of love. Love is the most realistic thing in this world. All can happen in just a click.

4. What is the most interesting part in the events of the story?

- Probably, the most interesting part was when Zoe went to her grandmother and asked for advice. Her old grandmother knows well about her granddaughter and she is a good adviser.

5. Are the events in the story can happen in real life?

- Yes, because this novel is a love story between two different teenagers who risked their life because of their love for each other. This story can probably happen in real life. It’s a simple yet tragedic and complicated love story in which teenagers can relate to.


III. CHARACTERIZATION

1. Who are the main characters? Describe them.

MAIN CHARACTERS

Darren/Daz – a chippy or poor teenager who fall inlove with Zoe; He wants to join 'Dred', a subbie-killing gang, to get revenge on the subbies for murdering his brother Del. He is in the Blue Moon nightclub, speaking to the gang leader, Cal, when he spots Zoe. When he sees that she is in trouble, he rushes over to help her and, taking Larry by the arm, leads them outside and instructs them to run. Zoe quickly gives a kiss to Daz's cheek.

Zoe May Askew – a subby who went to the poor place just to be with her love, Daz; She lives in Silverdale, a large, rich gated community. Her dad hates Chippies but she has completely opposite opinions, when she meets Daz these opinions become much stronger.

2. Who are the other characters?

OTHER CHARACTERS

Grandmother of Zoe – Zoe’s defender and adviser
Father of Zoe – strict father of Zoe who dislike Chippies very much
Mother of Zoe – a kind mother who only wants the safety of her daughter
Mother of Daz – an old mother who lost her eldest child
Tabitha – Zoe’s best friend
Mr. Wentworth – father of Tabitha

3. Who among the characters do you like best? Why?

-The character I liked best was the grandmother of Zoe because even though she’s a hundred and four years old, she is very knowledgeable and she sees the realities in life. She’s an example of a great grandmother and adviser at the same time.

4. Do you like or dislike the main character? Why?

- Yes, because Daz and Zoe have a very good outlook in terms of love and are willing to die for the one they truly love.

5. Is there any change in the attitude of the main character?

- None. The main characters stick to their attitudes and practiced being a good role models for teenagers and youngsters.


IV. POINT OF VIEW

What point of view did the author use in narrating the story? Give some lines to illustrate the answer.

The author used the first person narration, a narrative or mode of storytelling in which the narrator appears as the ‘I’ recollecting his or her own part in the events related, either as a witness of the action or as an important participant in it. Moreover, Daz and Zoe were the story tellers of this novel.

“And it wasn’t only that. If it had been I could have it, but there was something else. It was like he’d gotten inside my head and I couldn’t get him out. His smile, I only saw it once across my crummy room, but it must’ve printed itself on my eyelids or something because everytime I closed them, there he was, smiling. I even saw him when my eyes are open. In fact, if you want the truth, I wasn’t seeing or thinking of anything else.”


V. THEME

1. What is the central idea of the story?

- Daz 4 Zoe a great realization on teen behavior and how the younger generation goes about living with very different backgrounds and how this affects their young love story. Daz is a broke city hard living mother’s boy who tries his best to help his mother and keep her safe. Zoe is a normal, well behaved teenage girl who lives in the suburbs and wants something more out of life. It was love at first sight after the first meeting they had to see each other and couldn’t stop thinking about each other. They both went through various events and Zoe decided to leave home and live with Daz and his mother in their poor home. This book shows great drama and real life situations.

2. What main idea/message does the author want to convey?

- Love can have the best of both worlds collide. ☺

3. Do you think the ideas or values affect our dealings with our fellowmen?

- Yes, because as we grow old, we will all experience how to love and how to be loved back.


VI. PERSONAL REACTION

1. Do you like the ending of the story?

- No, because the ending of the story lacks in what happened to Daz and Zoe when they left their homes.

2. If not, what ending do you wish the story be?

- It would be better if they will come home and see that the two places have been good to each other and had reconciled. And t last, they will realized that it’s because of them and their love for each other. I want the novel to be ended happy ever after.

3. What values could you derive from the story?

- Be good to other people even if they are poor or not in good condition. Love, just love with all your heart and you will attain happiness in your life. Be optimistic to things that you think are impossible for you to get it.


VII. SUMMARY

This book is based on a love story that happens to be prohibited because their lives are different. It is about forbidden love between Daz and Zoe. They both live in two different environments that hate each other. Daz lives in poverty while Zoe has the luxury of dwellings and a proper education. 'Subbies' live in the suburbs of Rawhampton, a large fictional city. 'Chippies' live in the run-down city. The subbie children like to go out 'chippying' (visiting nightclubs in Rawhampton). This prompts adverts on TV about the dangers of chippying. Meanwhile, Zoe is friends with Tabitha, the daughter of a very wealthy property developer. She encourages Zoe to go chippying with her, Ned and Larry. Ned drives them to the Blue Moon nightclub, where Daz is as well. In order to leave the suburb, they tell the guard on duty that they are visiting Zoe's cousin in the next suburb and are made to show their ID cards to the bouncers who guard Silverdale. When they are misunderstood by the Chippies, They attack them. Daz save Zoe From Bad people in that place. After that incident, they couldn’t let each other out of their minds. Zoe went to her grandmother to ask for advice regarding her love for Daz. On the other hand, Daz made a plan to get inside Silverdale to see Zoe. When Daz and Zoe fall in love, they come up against not just the prejudices of their own communities, but armed and dangerous security forces. Zoe went to daz’s place and hide against her parents and the authorities. The whole world is against their love for each other even their own families. They are on the run from the authorities trying to stay together. Their teenage love is a battle against all odds that make them believe that we can do all those things by just being in the side of each other and for each other’s sake as well. This is the kind of young love that made it through it all.


VIII. LANGUAGE GROWTH

1. VOCABULARY

a. ought - used to express obligation
You ought to know these things.

b. scarce - intentionally absent; deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand
The varieties of products are in scarce.

c. grin - to draw back the lips so as to show the teeth especially in amusement or laughter broadly
The girl grins at her friends very happily.

d. creep - the slow change of dimensions of an object from prolonged exposure to high temperature or stress; an unpleasant or obnoxious person
Why does she act like a creep?

e. alibi - the plea of having been at the time of the commission of an act elsewhere than at the place of commission; the fact or state of having been elsewhere at the time; an excuse usually intended to avert blame or punishment (as for failure or negligence)
Darel always has her alibis whenever she had done something wrong.

f. stump - to go about making political speeches or supporting a cause
The guest stumps in the crowd.

g. agony - intense pain of mind or body; anguish, torture; the struggle that precedes death; a violent struggle or contest; a strong sudden display (as of joy or delight)
It’s just an agony of being in love.

h. bleak - exposed and barren and often windswept
The cat bleaks on the floor abruptly.

i. dilapidated - to bring into a condition of decay or partial ruin
The whole town has been dilapidated.

j. kidnap - to seize and detain or carry away by unlawful force or fraud and often with a demand for ransom
He has been kidnapped because his family is rich and famous.