Darkness Before Dawn by Sharon M. Draper

Analyze the poem at the very end of the book. In Chapter Fourteen of Darkness Before Dawn, the kids are at Rhonda's house doing homework on poetry. Discuss how they manage to control their emotions, as well as their reactions to those feelings, in spite of the intensity of the feelings they have for each other. What was the effect of her name change on how she dealt with the problems she faced? Did changing her name really make a difference? Explain how she managed to crash her father's car, and why you think she did it.ĭiscuss the characters of Rhonda and Tyrone. What makes him a positive character? Why is he good for Keisha, and why does she initially reject him? How did his background affect his personality?ĭiscuss Joyelle and what you thought about her name change. Does he have any redeeming qualities, or is he purely a negative character? What might have made Jonathan the person he became?ĭiscuss the character of Leon. Can't nobody take that away from you.'?ĭiscuss the character of Jonathan Hathaway.

Why is she significant, even though she is a very minor character? What does she teach Keisha and Jalani about people who are homeless and/or needy? What is meant by her statement, 'Yo spirit is a shinin' silver star, chile. Explain how this occurs, and discuss whether you think Keisha's mistakes are realistic.ĭiscuss the role of Edna. Trace the references to the use of the word 'silver' in the novel, and explain how silver is important to the development of the story.Įven though Keisha is intelligent and mature, she is easily entangled in Jonathan Hathaway's trap. What is the advantage of having a story told in first person? What is the disadvantage?Ī motif is a word or image that is repeated throughout a novel that helps to highlight or unify a central idea.

It is told in first person, from Keisha's point of view. Darkness Before Dawn begins at the end and then takes the reader back to April of the junior year in high school.

Darkness Before Dawn by Sharon M. Draper