Tuesday, May 18, 2010

The Face on the Milk Carton (Page 1-62)

Title: The Face on the Milk Carton
Author: Caroline B. Cooney
Page 1 to 62

Summary
Almost no one looks at the back of any milk carton. If you do, then you might have notice some advertisements of some famous celebrities, interesting life facts, and pictures of missing children, right? The book’s exposition begins with the act of looking at the back of the milk carton. The life of Janie Johnson changed dramatically since the moment of looking at it. Janie Johnson is the average 16 years old teenager, a sophomore, wanting to have a driving license. Her close friends are Sarah-Charlotte Sherwood and Adair O’Dell. Her childhood friend is the unreliable yet friendly Reeve Shieldses, also her neighbor. He is a senior in her high school. Janie and Reeve develop a sense of attraction which led to be a couple. So, there is romance in Janie’s life. One day, in lunch time, Janie drank her milk carton and saw a missing girl. That girl had a huge resemblance of herself. The milk cartoon stated that Jannie Spring lost at a New Jersey Shopping Mall at the age of 3. Ever since then, Janie pondered whether Mr. Johnson and Mrs. Johnson were her really her parents or just some kidnappers. Throughout the story, she faced an internal conflict to whether to tell everyone she was kidnapped or just ignore that fact. It is unbelievable to know that her loving caring parents were some imposters and criminals. A major mental and emotional impact Janie felt all over the fact that she might had been kidnapped for over 13 years, without knowing. Janie had to choose a decision to whether live on in a fake home or just return back to her real family and her genuine home. By just dialing a phone call reporting her location and abductors, her life could be alter.

Quote
“I have a mother and father…I have a childhood…I was not kidnapped…kidnapping means bad people… I don’t know any bad people…therefore I am making this up” (Cooney 14).

Reaction
Caroline Cooney’s writing style is really intriguing. The plot is dramatic and unique. The narrator is in third person point of view. Oddly, the narrator is capable to read the main character’s thoughts, an omniscient narration. The quote above described the self denial Janie faced after reading the back of the milk carton. Notice all the ellipsis Janie’s reaction had, she became uncertain of whether thinking or not. Her reaction reflects the fact that her life was complicated from then on. The question is whether Janie will call the police or stay quiet and live on with a fake family and a fake happiness.