Brief Summary Of Tilt By Ellen Hopkin

The novel “Tilt” by Ellen Hopkin is a breathtaking story about the lives of three young teenagers. All going dealing with issues that no teenager should have to experience. They try to overcome their situations, later realize that the situation that they are now in is beginning to consume their lives. Hopkins has an interesting style of writing her text. As opposed to used the standard she writes in verses, giving off the appearance that they are poems when in fact she is writing heart felt true to life stories that are loosely based about people that she has encountered over the years. The three young stories that were told in this novel were that of Mikayla, almost 18, is completely engulfed in the love that she has for her boyfriend. He

He comes to terms with who he is and tells his parents that he is a homosextual. The timing in which he does this is less than ideal as his sister had recently died from a chronic illness. After telling his parents about his sexualy orentation, he is faced with the chocie to either move out or “get over” his feelings. Shane choses to move out with his years older boyfriend who, had contracted HIV. Have dealt with his sister’s condition he realizes that he can help to take care of Alex. The last, character that is brought into the storyline is 14 year old Harley. A sweet girl with a youthful innocence is on the hunt for love. However this search leads her down a path that she won’t be able to return from. After she changes her look, she begins to receive the attention that she was once seeking.Once she received this attention she became a destructive and careless mess which lead to her drinking, smoking and getting raped by someone she felt she could trust. all of these stories are interconnected through their

One of the central topics in this particular novel was trying to make the decision. For each of the teen, their struggle required them to make a decision that would change their lives for the rest of their lives. The situations that they have been put into seem unrealistic but, are sadly very real. After reading their stories i started to wonder whether or not my peers were going through these problems? And if they are, what help is being made available to them. Starting with Shane’s problem it is made clear that many teenagers and adults alike have to deal with an uncountable amounts of adversity. Next we see that the decision Mikayla had to make was no easier. In the novel she had made it blindingly clear that the love she had for her boyfriend was more powerful than the love that she had for herself and her future. “I never finished nursing school” this proved that though she does want a future for herself she is willing to give it up to have a family and become a mother at the young age of 16. “Damian insisted I keep the baby. Swore he’d take care of us, and i had to believe him. I loved him. That was enough. For a while” this quote is powerful and heart breaking which is why I feel that it captures the true essence of all of Ellen Hopkins