Elements of Literature in Friday Night Lights
12/6/2014
![Picture](/uploads/4/1/4/8/41486983/2532773.jpg?1418739308)
"The fixed, familiar looks of the players, Winchell furtive and nervous; Billingsley tapping his legs up and down, those beautiful eyes alive and electric and darting; McDougal biting down on his lip, wanting to get it on so badly, bring those Carter Cowboy motherf****** on; Christian trying to remain calm as his stomach boiled and churned, seething like a cauldron; Chavez stony and silently receding into his special, momentary world of violence." Page 306.
This is an example of Imagery in the novel. Bissinger describes all of the players as they are sitting int he locker room before their big playoff game (semi-final). The reader gets to witness all of the different thoughts of the players and what they are going through. Being that it is the biggest game of any of their lives thus far some are naturally either determined or in a nerve-racking state of mind.
"In the beginning, on a dog-day Monday in the middle of August when the West Texas heat congealed in the sky, it was the first official day of practice... It was a little after 6 in the morning when the coaches started trickling into the Permian High School field house. The streets of Odessa were empty, with no signs of life except the perpeutual glare of the convenience store lights on one corner after another." (Page 1)
This portrays one of the main settings in the book. It introduces the setting of Texas and more specifically, Permian high school. The fact that the football team is out at 6:00 am to go practice introduces the idea of the gritty hard work that the team takes part in.
"Asked what the purpose of school was at Permian, Don had a simple answer. 'Socializing,' he said candidly. 'That's all senior year is good for.' That, and playing football. If there was any angst about school, it was over the number of girls who desired to spend at least some part of their lives with him. They were everywhere. Girls in short leather skirts. Girls in expensive designer jeans. The perplexity of it all gnawed at him a great deal more than the meaning of Macbeth. As Don put it, 'There's so much skin around, it's hard to pick just one." (Page 126)
This is perceived in the third person point of view in the book. the narrator becomes the speaker and he essentially explains the day to day life of Permian students. It is a non-biased glimpse into the world of Texas high school football.
"Ranked number one in his class at Permian, he moved effortlessly between the world of the football and the academic elite. On the field he was a demon, with a streak of nastiness that every coach loved to see in a football player. Off the field he was quiet, serene, and smart as a whip, his passivity neatly hiding an astounding determination to succeed. 'He is 2 different people,' Winchell said of him. 'He's got a split personality when he puts on that helmet." (Page 128)
This passage is an example of irony in the novel. It is somewhat ironic that one of the meanest, nastiest players who can appear to fill the role of the dumb jock but is actually one of the smartest students in the school. Aside from the quote, to further the irony of this circumstance as the the novel concludes, Brian becomes valedictorian of his high school class and went on to further his education at Harvard university.
"Boobie played sparingly the following week in a 48-2 win over Dallas Jesuit that upped Permian's record to six and one. He ran the ball five times for fourteen yards and seemed even more tentative than he had against Abilene High. He broke to the right on one carry but had no acceleration at all and was easily tackled for no gain. He rumbled for five yards on another play but went down before being hit." (Page 187)
This is an example of foreshadowing in the novel. Boobie's sub par performance in his game after returning from an ACL injury signifies that his days of being the king of Permian high school football and playing on scholarship in college are all but over.
"As someone later described it, those lights become an addiction if you live in a place like Odessa, the Friday night fix." (Prologue, Page xvi)
This is an example of theme in the novel. The theme is the communities undying obsession and passion for the Permian Panthers football team. The status of the teams success (or lack thereof) often times determines the moods and feelings of the town. The mood of the whole town often times reflects that of the success of the team.
"Duncan hiked the ball and went into his pass block stance. He didn't look up, because the sound of the crowd would tell him whether the pass was complete or not. Winchell threw the ball. Duncan waited and listened. And he was exactly right, the sound of the crowd did tell him who had won and who had lost, a sudden, joyful eruption that came from one of the sides like a blast of bullets to hail a surrender. As Clinton Duncan later related it, he could also tell from something else. 'I saw a bunch of cocky niggers jumping up and down.' " (Page 324)
This is an example of suspense in the novel. The Panthers were down by 5 at the very end of the game. The hail mary attempt is the ounce of hope that remains in determining whether it will be the last play of the season (some of them their last play ever) or if they will become victorious. The quote he made at the end reiterates the fact that Dallas Carter won the game and that Permian's season of hope came to an end.
This is an example of Imagery in the novel. Bissinger describes all of the players as they are sitting int he locker room before their big playoff game (semi-final). The reader gets to witness all of the different thoughts of the players and what they are going through. Being that it is the biggest game of any of their lives thus far some are naturally either determined or in a nerve-racking state of mind.
"In the beginning, on a dog-day Monday in the middle of August when the West Texas heat congealed in the sky, it was the first official day of practice... It was a little after 6 in the morning when the coaches started trickling into the Permian High School field house. The streets of Odessa were empty, with no signs of life except the perpeutual glare of the convenience store lights on one corner after another." (Page 1)
This portrays one of the main settings in the book. It introduces the setting of Texas and more specifically, Permian high school. The fact that the football team is out at 6:00 am to go practice introduces the idea of the gritty hard work that the team takes part in.
"Asked what the purpose of school was at Permian, Don had a simple answer. 'Socializing,' he said candidly. 'That's all senior year is good for.' That, and playing football. If there was any angst about school, it was over the number of girls who desired to spend at least some part of their lives with him. They were everywhere. Girls in short leather skirts. Girls in expensive designer jeans. The perplexity of it all gnawed at him a great deal more than the meaning of Macbeth. As Don put it, 'There's so much skin around, it's hard to pick just one." (Page 126)
This is perceived in the third person point of view in the book. the narrator becomes the speaker and he essentially explains the day to day life of Permian students. It is a non-biased glimpse into the world of Texas high school football.
"Ranked number one in his class at Permian, he moved effortlessly between the world of the football and the academic elite. On the field he was a demon, with a streak of nastiness that every coach loved to see in a football player. Off the field he was quiet, serene, and smart as a whip, his passivity neatly hiding an astounding determination to succeed. 'He is 2 different people,' Winchell said of him. 'He's got a split personality when he puts on that helmet." (Page 128)
This passage is an example of irony in the novel. It is somewhat ironic that one of the meanest, nastiest players who can appear to fill the role of the dumb jock but is actually one of the smartest students in the school. Aside from the quote, to further the irony of this circumstance as the the novel concludes, Brian becomes valedictorian of his high school class and went on to further his education at Harvard university.
"Boobie played sparingly the following week in a 48-2 win over Dallas Jesuit that upped Permian's record to six and one. He ran the ball five times for fourteen yards and seemed even more tentative than he had against Abilene High. He broke to the right on one carry but had no acceleration at all and was easily tackled for no gain. He rumbled for five yards on another play but went down before being hit." (Page 187)
This is an example of foreshadowing in the novel. Boobie's sub par performance in his game after returning from an ACL injury signifies that his days of being the king of Permian high school football and playing on scholarship in college are all but over.
"As someone later described it, those lights become an addiction if you live in a place like Odessa, the Friday night fix." (Prologue, Page xvi)
This is an example of theme in the novel. The theme is the communities undying obsession and passion for the Permian Panthers football team. The status of the teams success (or lack thereof) often times determines the moods and feelings of the town. The mood of the whole town often times reflects that of the success of the team.
"Duncan hiked the ball and went into his pass block stance. He didn't look up, because the sound of the crowd would tell him whether the pass was complete or not. Winchell threw the ball. Duncan waited and listened. And he was exactly right, the sound of the crowd did tell him who had won and who had lost, a sudden, joyful eruption that came from one of the sides like a blast of bullets to hail a surrender. As Clinton Duncan later related it, he could also tell from something else. 'I saw a bunch of cocky niggers jumping up and down.' " (Page 324)
This is an example of suspense in the novel. The Panthers were down by 5 at the very end of the game. The hail mary attempt is the ounce of hope that remains in determining whether it will be the last play of the season (some of them their last play ever) or if they will become victorious. The quote he made at the end reiterates the fact that Dallas Carter won the game and that Permian's season of hope came to an end.
Themes: Friday Night Lights
11/29/2014
Racism: The theme of racism is portrayed throughout the novel Friday Night Lights. Any person from the outside looking in would feel as though they were envisioning a time warp. The town is stubborn to acknowledge or validate desegregation until it was absolutely forced upon them. When desegregation occurred, the races were still divided according to district. The predominantly white schools could no longer compete with the talent level of the competition they encountered. Talented black athletes such as Boobie Myles were accepted and even praised for all that they were doing as athletes. If these athletes were to ever have any type of slip up, for example an injury, then they would become expendable and therefore of no further use to the schools.
Educational Priorities (lack thereof): The theme of misplaced educational priorities is conveyed throughout the entire novel. the teachers of Permian high, which is meant to serve as a representation of the rest of Texas high schools during this period, are assigned with the task of attempting to teach and educate students who would rather be at pep rallies, football games of partying. The lack of educational foundation is worse for the actual athletes. A typical day in the life of Boobie Miles would be to goof around all day in every class, socialize in the halls, go to practice and repeat. Boobie is at least two years behind all of his classmates educationally speaking and is intellectually inferior. Bissenger clearly explains that he does not blame all of these flaws solely on Permian high school but rather the culture that Texas high school football has become.
Educational Priorities (lack thereof): The theme of misplaced educational priorities is conveyed throughout the entire novel. the teachers of Permian high, which is meant to serve as a representation of the rest of Texas high schools during this period, are assigned with the task of attempting to teach and educate students who would rather be at pep rallies, football games of partying. The lack of educational foundation is worse for the actual athletes. A typical day in the life of Boobie Miles would be to goof around all day in every class, socialize in the halls, go to practice and repeat. Boobie is at least two years behind all of his classmates educationally speaking and is intellectually inferior. Bissenger clearly explains that he does not blame all of these flaws solely on Permian high school but rather the culture that Texas high school football has become.
Character Analysis: Friday Night Lights
11/22/2014
![Picture](/uploads/4/1/4/8/41486983/81635_orig.jpg)
Boobie Miles: Boobie is one of the players that the novel focuses on. He is the star of Permian high school football team and one of the top recruits in the nation. Even as a junior, Boobie was highly regarded as one of the nations top prospects. Boobie comes from an impoverished background and was adopted by his uncle. L.V. Miles. Boobie suffers a career ending ACL tear and loses any hope of playing in college.
Brian Chavez: Brian is the only Hispanic player on the Permian high school team. Brian, not being a "dumb jock" has the unique ability unlike many of his teammates to go to college and earn a degree whether he is playing football or not. Brian won valedictorian honors as the top student in his graduating class.
Mike Winchell: Mike is the team's quarterback. He lacks a substantial amount of self confidence but coach Gaines recognizes him as one of the most dedicated and disciplined players on the team. Mike has aspirations to play football in college but had his dreams cut short with the recognition of the reality that he is not big or fast enough to compete at the collegiate level.
Gary Gaines: Gary Gaines is the football coach in the novel and is a very intriguing and honorable character. Being the head coah, Gary carrys most of the weight that comes not only from the expectations of the community, fans, and football team but the standards that he has set for himself. Gary works the long hours and endures the stresses of the town of Permian that relies on high school football for its collective joy.
Brian Chavez: Brian is the only Hispanic player on the Permian high school team. Brian, not being a "dumb jock" has the unique ability unlike many of his teammates to go to college and earn a degree whether he is playing football or not. Brian won valedictorian honors as the top student in his graduating class.
Mike Winchell: Mike is the team's quarterback. He lacks a substantial amount of self confidence but coach Gaines recognizes him as one of the most dedicated and disciplined players on the team. Mike has aspirations to play football in college but had his dreams cut short with the recognition of the reality that he is not big or fast enough to compete at the collegiate level.
Gary Gaines: Gary Gaines is the football coach in the novel and is a very intriguing and honorable character. Being the head coah, Gary carrys most of the weight that comes not only from the expectations of the community, fans, and football team but the standards that he has set for himself. Gary works the long hours and endures the stresses of the town of Permian that relies on high school football for its collective joy.
Book vs. Movie: Friday Night Lights
10/25/2014
In the novel Friday Night Lights, there is more of an emphasis on the storied tradition of Permian football and you get to see more of the complete story. In the novel you witness their journey as a team and get a more broad glimpse of their motives as a team and a community. Many of the changes were made in increase the cinematic experience.
- In the book Permian lost in the semifinals but in the movie they lost in the state championship.
- Many of the racial slurs that were present in the book were toned down in the movie.
- The book focused a lot more on politics and social value. the movie showed how supportive the community was but not on as high of a level that the book portrayed.
- Geographical setting changes was a difference as well. In the book the big game was at Memorial Stadium at the University of Texas at Austin while in the movie it was in the Astrodome.
- In the book one of the main characters, Brian Chavez played tight end but in the movie he played defense.