Not only does Bobby change in physical appearance by losing weight, his attitude and the way he views situations also changes throughout the novel. During the last third of the novel, he reacts differently to Willie and others on how they treat him. This is what really makes the novel One Fat Summer, by Robert Lipsyte, a determination type of story.
While Bobby is losing weight doing Dr. Kahns yard work, his confidence level increases tremendously. He starts to feel like anything anybody throws at him he can accomplish or complete. Not only is getting the yard work done easier for him in the last third of the novel, him standing up for himself is also easier.
Throughout One Fat Summer, Bobby starts to defend his rights by telling Willie “take a hike Rummie” (117). This shows me that Bobby has confidence in himself that he needs to keep Rumson off his back. Later in the story Bobby also starts to look at Willies threats as excitement. He feels like he’s in some kind of a 1930’s gangster movie and he’s the victim trying to hold his ground. Eventually all of this confidence building will allow Bobby to once and for all hold his ground by practically drowning Willie when they get in a fight.
Not only does Bobby stand up to Willie late in the novel, he also stands up to Dr. Kahn. Him asking Dr. Kahn for “a full dollar an hour” (230), tells me that Bobby will not stand getting cheated out of what he deserves. Him standing up to an adult that seemed to be so overpowering to him shows me that he can not only handle what anybody throws at him, he can overwhelm them by doing more than what he was asked.
Grade:
95
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Bobby changes immensely, throughout the novel One Fat Summer, by Robert Lipsyte. Bobby changes his physical appearence as well as his mind set.
Before Bobby started mowing lawns he was fat and very self–conscious. “In winter you can hide yourself.” (Lipsyte 1) In summer people can see how fat you are, and they laugh. (Lipsyte 1)
After Bobby started the job he started to lose weight. He didn’t notice until someone gave him a compliment. After he started to look better he started to feel better. He got much more self–confident.
When Willie (the bully) first picked on Bobby, Bobby would just ignore him. Towards the end of the novel Bobby starts to stand up to Willie. At the end of the novel Bobby actually holds Willie underwater. “But I had him. I had him good and tight. Under water. My territory.” (Lipsyte 225) “I felt a surge of triumph.” (Lipsyte 226)
Bobby also starts standing up to his employer, Dr. Kahn. Dr. Kahn wasn’t paying Bobby all he was earning and in the beginning Bobby was to afraid to tell him. In the middle of the novel Dr. Kahn catches his mistake and Bobby says “You owe me a dollar for last week and for the week before, too.” (Lipsyte 178) At the end of the book Bobby even asks for more money and Dr. Kahn gives it to him.
Bobby becomes more confident because he looks good. He wants to stay in shape and he takes care of himself. He starts to eat right and not so much. He is altogether a better more confident person.
Grade:
95
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In the novel, One Fat Summer, by Robert Lipsyte, Bobby, goes through some changes. His personality and his weight both change.
Bobby use to be someone that would sit on the sofa all day and do nothing. But then he became brave enough to call a man named Dr. Kahn. Dr. Khan gave him a mowing job, and suddenly he was losing weight and becoming more mature, in many ways. Because Bobby had taken the mowing job away from his enemy Willie, Willie then had a great deal of anger towards him. And Bobby was scared. But later on in the story Bobby was starting to stand up to Willie.
Along with standing up to Willie, Bobby starts to stand up to himself. Bobby starts to realize that he does need to loose weight, and he then eventually does.
Bobby character changes along with his appearance. Bobby becomes more brave and he matures.
Bobby changes for the good, maturing and standing up for himself.
Grade:
95
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In the novel ONE FAT SUMMER by Robert Lipsyte there are several times when Bobby hears a voice of Captain Marks. Captain Marks is Bobby’s way of feeling safe when he is not.
Bobby uses Captain Marks only when he is in serious trouble. For example when Bobby is stranded on “Makeout Island” he was thinking of letting himself drown. Captain Marks started to yell at him, to tell him to get off the ground and stop feeling sorry for himself. Bobby listened to “Big Bob Marks” and saved himself.
I believe that there is nothing wrong with Captain Marks. It is good that Bobby has some form of self confidence even if he has to use an imaginary friend to do it. He only uses Captain Marks about 4 or 5 times in the novel, but he used him when all hope was lost and he thought about dying.
Grade:
85
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In the story One Fat Summer by Robert Lipsyte Bobby is a heavy boy. There is many changes that Bobby has in the novel.
A change that I saw in Bobby was that he got a job. The job was with Dr. Kahn. Bobby mows lawn and lots of other things. When Bobby started this job he had a hard time being on time and being able to finish his job. But Bobby never gave up because he wanted to prove that he can do something besides be a bum, because he is working with Dr. Kahn.
When Willie threatens Bobby, Bobby at first was scared and didn’t say anything, but now Bobby sticks up for himself. Bobby starts to stand up to other people who pick on him. Also Bobby stands up to his father.
The changes Bobby makes shows that he can change and tire to loose weight and stuff. Bobby then started to show confidence in himself, knowing that he can do something if he trys.
As the story went on, Bobby started to change things about himself that he didn’t like. These changes gave Bobby self–convidence that he has needed. Before he was always down on hisself and now he has self–convidence which helps him be able to do more fun things that he never did before.
Grade:
70
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In the Novel “One fat Summer,” theres a boy named Bobby hes 14 years old and has one friend named Joanie, shes also 14 years old.
Other changes I see in Bobby besides losing weight is that hes become more talkative and more confident, He can act like himself how.
Bobby is scared of Willie, exspecially when Willie brought the 22 rifle by the lake. Bobby isn’t scared of Willie anymore because Bobby took him. Willies threats arent threats to Bobby anymore. Bobby isn’t afraid to stand up to someone anymore. hes stands up to Pete and Willie and anyone that gets in the way or pushes him around. Bobby made a lot of changes in his life this summer, he was fat, now hes losing weight, he want confident now he is, he never stood up for himself now he does. Hes changed, I think hes a better person.
Bobby made alot of changes he lost weight, has a job, hes more confident about himself. He acts like himself how, he will probably have more friends. He went for what he wanted and did it, he achieved all his goals.
Grade:
65
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