Question

name:
period. 1
the jacket
by gary soto
who’s to blame?
directions: in \the jacket,\ several people or things might be responsible for how gary feels—his mom, the jacket, society, classmates, or even himself. your job is to decide how much each one is to blame.
determine how much each person or thing is to blame by dividing up the pie chart below. correlate each section with the amount of blame you think it deserves. label it with a title and a percentage. then, on the next page, explain your thinking.

Explanation:

This analysis is based on the text The Jacket by Gary Soto, focusing on the factors contributing to Gary's negative feelings:

1. Society (35%): School culture enforces rigid, unkind beauty standards that mock "uncool" clothing, creating a hostile environment for Gary.
2. Classmates (30%): Their direct teasing, exclusion, and mockery (like calling the jacket "camouflage" and avoiding him) directly hurt Gary's self-esteem.
3. The Jacket (20%): The ugly, ill-fitting, hand-me-down jacket is the physical trigger for the bullying and Gary's sense of shame.
4. Gary Himself (10%): He internalizes the negativity, letting the jacket make him feel unworthy instead of pushing back against the teasing.
5. Mom (5%): She had limited financial means and chose the practical jacket, not intending to cause harm, so her blame is minimal.

Answer:

Pie Chart Breakdown (Title: Blame for Gary's Negative Feelings in The Jacket)

• Society: 35%
• Classmates: 30%
• The Jacket: 20%
• Gary (Himself): 10%
• Mom: 5%