Plot & Main Characters |
Allyson goes to Europe on a class trip and goes to an underground performance of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and the person playing Sebastian tosses her a coin(Forman 14). As the trip comes to an end she meets Willem(Sebastian from the play) on a train(Forman 20). Willem offers to take her Paris for a day and she agrees.(Foreman 28). (Side Note: Willem calls Allyson "Lulu", she reminds him of Louise Brooks, an actress). In Paris, Lulu and Willem have the most eventful day. When the day comes to an end, Willem and Lulu spend the night in an empty art gallery. (Forman 127). When Lulu wakes up, Willem is gone. (Forman 132). Allyson finds her way back to the United States but doesn't tell her parents about Paris. (Forman 137). The only people who know are Allyson's former best friend Mel and the tour guide in Europe. Allyson tries to live her life normally and forget about what happened. (Forman 145). She ends up going to college for a medical degree, as her parents had always planned for her. After a semester of college and a year of depression, Allyson's counselor helps her to realize that she needs to do what she wants to do, and not what her parents want her to do. (Forman 191). She ends up taking a Shakespearian class and realizes that she needs to find out what happened with Willem. (Forman 206). She gets a job, signs up for a French class, and looks into finding Willem. (Forman 262) Allyson finally finds herself at Willem's childhood home introducing herself as Allyson to Willem for the first time. (Forman 369)
The Main Character of Just One Day is ultimately Allyson, but they are many smaller characters who play a big part in the story. Allyson is an 18-year-old who just graduated from high school. In the beginning of the book, Allyson is a very shy, conservative girl who doesn't know her way or what she wants to do. In the end of the book, Allyson is a totally different person, she is very determined and headstrong, she knows that she wants answers and she stops at nothing to achieve that. |
Important Themes &One of the major themes of Just One Day is “No one is who they pretend to be.” Throughout the book Allyson finds out who she is a person, mainly through her trip to Paris. When in Paris she discovers a new side of herself. When she comes back to the United States she feels empty and depressed.
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