Cartasia TyusDreamland

Author: Sarah DessenPublisher: The Penguin Group

Year of Publication: 2000

Introduction Cass, Caitlin’s sister has just runaway with her boyfriend only

leaving a note behind Since Cass is gone Caitlin feels that she can finally find out who

she is instead of always coming second to Cass This leads to her meeting Rogerson who seems nice from the start

with just a bad past but Caitlin soon finds out his past really isn’t the past

This leads to an abusive drug filled relationship Caitlin thinks about leaving but she can’t she feels Rogerson is the

only person there for her and she loves him The more abusive Rogerson becomes the more Caitlin drowns

herself in drug ciggarettes, and the longing of becoming invisible Caitlin tells no one about the relationship in fear of being

compared to her sister because she always was the stronger one She is eventually kicked off the cheerleading squad and finds

photography as a new passion

Protagonist Caitlin O’Koren is 16

when her sister runs away leaving Caitlin to find out who she really is without Cass. She then joins an abusive relationship with handsome yet mysterious Rogerson Biscoe while still trying to figure out who she is.

AntagonistRogerson Biscoe is

Caitlin’s abusive, drug dealing, genius boyfriend. Rogerson mainly beats on Caitlin because his father beats on him and in return he takes out his anger on Caitlin.

Central ConflictThe central conflict of Dreamland is Caitlin

trying to find out who she is when she isn’t already put in second place after her sister. But due to the misguidance and neglection of her parents since her sister has runaway she finds herself in the arms of someone who will never let her reach her goal.

Minor CharactersCass is Caitlyn’s older

sister who runs away. Caitlin always had to deal with the pressure of being perfect and people always counting on her to do good. Cass decided that she wanted to start a different life so she ran away with her boyfriend.

Minor CharactersRina is Caitlin’s best

friend. They have been friends since elementary school when Rina’s mom married her second husband. Most girls were jealous of Rina and her looks and didn’t include Caitlin in many things so Rina and Caitlin stuck together.

Minor CharactersCorinna becomes Cass’s

really good friend in the middle of the novel when she meets Rogerson. Corinna is a waitress at Applebee's who is always wearing pins that say crazy things, worrying about the bills, and living day to day with her boyfriend David. Corinna was always nice to Caitlin no matter what she was going through. She was always there for Caitlin.

What Critics Said…Dreamland by Sarah Dessen leaves readers

wanting more. http://www.sarahdessen.com/files/sdessen.pdf

Trying to be “perfect” now that her sister is gone leaves Caitlin in a mess with an abussive boyfriend, drug addiction, and the lack of knowledge of knowing who she really is.

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/sarah-dessen/dreamland-4/

My take on the novelI think Dreamland by Sarah Dessen is an eye opener to the real meaning of love and being perfect. This novel has taught me that even if you are hurting never just keep it inside because if you do you might find yourself hurting more than in the beginning. Also the novel taught me to never get caught up with being perfect. You may think someone has a perfect life but in the end they just want to be accepted and live their own way.