What Happened to Lani Garver?
Carol Plum-Ucci
Claire McKenzie
• What Happened to Lani Garver? is told in Claire’s point of view.
• The story focuses on both Lani and on Claire, mostly on her development after
meeting such a strange person.
• A sophomore at Coast Regional High School, Claire was diagnosed with cancer
three years previous and is currently in remission. After a dizzy spell in public, she
reluctantly befriends Lani Garver, despite her best friend advising her against doing
so.
• Why is she the protagonist?
– Simply put, the protagonist is “the central character in a story, generally synonymous
with hero. This character drives the plot and is typically changed the most based on what
he or she encounters” (August, “Glossary”). With Lani’s push, she begins to realize that
things are not as they seem and we, the audience, see her new view. Lani may have
started the events, but it is because of Claire and her reactions that we have a story.
The Clementi Brothers
and
Macy Matlock
“Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.” – Sir Walter Scott
• If the story was to be rewritten in their point of view, these three would most likely be the
protagonists. They genuinely believe that they are helping Claire by trying to tear her away
from Lani. In their eyes, he is nothing more than a gay kid who’s turning her into a loon.
• They completely oppose what Claire is doing and cause trouble. This makes them the
antagonists of the story.
• Macy was Claire’s best friend until Lani came in. While we understand that she is ‘trying to
help’, it is still very frustrating to see her insult a character that most grow to love.
• Tony and Vince Clementi are part of the Fish Frat. They are not meant to be very well-liked
(for a good reason) and stand out from the other members of the Fish Frat for reasons that
will spoil the story if included.
Lani Garver
• The title’s namesake, Lani Garver is an intriguing character that remains mysterious
throughout the entire story. The audience never even finds out if he isn’t actually a she.
• He is hinted to be a ‘floating angel’, a heavenly being that jumps from person to person in
their time of need. It’s never officially stated if he is or not; that’s up to the reader to decide.
• Lani is calm, street-smart, and kinder than he really needs to be. His sharp thinking and
knowledge on just about everything never ceased to amaze me.
• What grabs the reader is that Lani supposedly dies. This is stated at the beginning of the book
and the story leads up to the events and Claire’s thoughts after it happens. It’s heartbreaking
to fall in love with Lani while knowing he will not likely have a happy ending.
• Lani’s wisdom still sticks around long after you’ve finished the book. I stopped using labels
soon after reading this and continue to try and do so. He is one of my favorite literary
characters of all time.
Tony Clementi
• Tony is an alcoholic oaf with a head full of sawdust. He pulls
plenty of dare-devil stunts and nearly kills Claire during one of
them in the beginning of the book.
• He is more aggressive with Lani than the other members of the
Fish Frat. Tony causes a lot of the problems that Lani and Claire
face.
EXPOSITION
• We learn the setting, the month, and are introduced to the
characters.
• We learn of Lani’s death and how Claire feels after it happened.
• We learn some of Claire’s history:
– She had cancer three years ago and is currently in remission.
– She was picked on for it until Macy showed up and dragged her to
the popular table.
– Her parents are divorced and her father re-married.
RISING ACTION
• This part of the book takes up about 217 pages. The book itself
is 307 pages.
• A few new characters are introduced. Ellen and Mrs. Garver are
the most important.
• Claire and Lani build a strong friendship.
• They hit a few conflicts, but go past these.
CLIMAX
• Tony and Vince Clementi, as well as the rest of the Fish Frat,
come in to solve ‘the problem’ once and for all.
• Due to Claire coming in and out of consciousness and her
adrenaline rush, this section of the book is not as graphic as it
could have been.
FALLING ACTION
• Claire is hit with the after effects of the climax and attempts to
do something about it.
DENOUEMENT/RESOLUTION
• Things turn out rather well for Claire.
• The antagonists, on the other hand, end up with upsetting
endings.
Time Period
• The year is never actually mentioned. My best guess is that the
book is set around the same time it was being written (in the
2000s).
• The time period may not have any actual significance, but the
fact that we are still dealing with this type of prejudice in
modern days is ridiculous.
Place
• What Happened to Lani Garver? takes place in both Hackett
Island and Philadelphia.
• If a city could be a protagonist, Philadelphia would fill that role.
When Lani and Claire visit the city, they feel more at home and
safer than they do in the island. It is here that the best things
happen to the two.
• Hackett Island is a close-minded town that is basically run by
fishermen and their sons (the Fish Frat). Most of the story takes
place here.
Homophobia
• Lani is possibly gay. ‘Faggots’ are abhorred and feared.
• Cooper was beaten by his father for enjoying women’s hats.
• Macy’s cousin did not reveal his sexuality until he left the
town. He most likely feared being bashed/harmed.
• Tony Clementi gay bashes, but came on to Lani. This is most
likely because he cannot publicly show his sexual preferences.
FEAR OF Those we cannot define
• Throughout the book, Claire continually tries to put Lani in a
‘box’. He looks like a boy and a girl, he never tells anyone his
age, religion, sexuality, or most of his past. He does not behave
as most people do and stays mysterious.
• The natives of Hackett Island neatly categorize him as a peculiar
gay kid and immediately turn against him.
Convenient RECOLLECTION:
“A memory recalled inaccurately, to unconsciously protect against guilt, anxiety, or unwanted associations.”
(Plum-Ucci, “Lani Garver?” 132)
•
•
•
MACY
“… we were stopping to pick up Tony in front of the
Rod N’ Reel. Bartender took his keys again, and
someone had called Vince. Lani Garver was out there,
having an argument with Tony, who was plowed, as
usual.”
“… can he be a bit smarter about who he tries to pick
up?” (Plum-Ucci, “Lani Garver?” 124)
“… Tony was already in his face, loudly. Tony was kind
of slurring, but he was real plain in what he was saying:
‘Don’t you ever try that on any guys on this island ever
again. And especially don’t you come on to a Clementi!
Do you understand?’ And Lani Garver said back to
him, ‘If you don’t want anything, then you shouldn’t be
standing alone on a street corner, blowing smoke rings.
Didn’t you know that’s a gay thing?’ …” (Plum-Ucci,
“Lani Garver?” 125)
•
•
•
•
LANI
“Lani’s story started out like I figured. He had been walking
home from the library and passed by the Rod N’ Reel, not
knowing it was a shaky place for him to be. A very loaded
Tony had decided it would be a good idea to crash out in this
little patch of grass on the far side of the parking lot, which
was not a totally unusual sight.”
“As he told it, he squatted over to Tony and said, ‘Are you all
right?’ And Tony opened his eyes …” (Plum-Ucci, “Lani
Garver?” 138)
“He asked Lani, ‘You that new kid around here?’ Lani said
yeah. Tony reached up, and the rest lies between haze and the
unknown, because Lani would not be specific about it. …”
“Yet, like I always knew, Tony starts hatching intelligence when
it really matters. He made it look like he was fighting off Lani.
Hence, the speech Macy heard …” (Plum-Ucci, “Lani Garver?”
139)
RATING
(10 out of 10)
In the seventeen years, seven months, and something days that
I’ve been alive, I’ve read a lot of books. Some favorites have
come and gone, but there are some that remain on my
nightstand for years on end. They’ve been loved and they show
it. What Happened to Lani Garver? has only been read twice,
but I figure it will stick around for a long while.
The book goes over a lot of different subjects: stereotypes,
prejudices, cancer, emotional problems, alcoholic parents, etc. It
was written in the way that a teenager might have. It is
thought-provoking and melancholic at times. It is a book that I
could not put down, that I bought long before I finished. It is
honest and cynical and it’s not afraid to be itself. This is a
book that changed me a bit and I am forever grateful for it.
However, I would not recommend this book to everyone. Some
might find it confusing, while homophobic others would not
appreciate it.
LGBT HATE CRIMES
And
Discrimination
BY MELANIE PLUTA
Video
• Gay Hate Crimes - mrpinkthinker
STATISTICS
• 1,617 hate crime offenses based on sexual-orientation bias in
2008 were reported by law enforcement agencies. Of these
offenses:
– 58.6% were classified as anti-male homosexual bias.
– 25.7% were reported as anti-homosexual bias.
– 12.0% were prompted by an anti-female homosexual bias.
– 2.0% were the result of an anti-heterosexual bias.
– 1.7% were classified as anti-bisexual bias. (Johnson, “Hate Crime
Statistics”)
STATISTICS
• 2007 National Survey: Of 6,209 Teens In Middle and High Schools, Nearly 9
out of 10 LGBT Students Harassed:
–
–
–
–
86.2% of LGBT students reported being verbally harassed.
44.1% reported being physically harassed.
22.1% reported being physically assaulted.
73.6% heard derogatory remarks such as “faggot” and “dyke” frequently or often
at school.
– 60.8% reported that they felt unsafe in school because of their sexual orientation
and 38.4% felt unsafe because of their gender expression.
– The reported grade point average of students who were more frequently harassed
because of their sexual orientation or gender expression was almost half a grade
lower than for students who were less often harassed (2.8 vs 2.4). (GLSEN,
“Nation School Climate Survey”)
POSITIVE INTERVENTIONS
AND SUPPORT
• Students in schools with a Gay-Straight Alliance reported hearing
fewer homophobic insults, experienced less harassment and
assault, were more likely to report incidents of harassment or
assault, were less likely to feel unsafe, were less likely to miss
school because of safety concerns, and reported a greater sense of
belonging to school community. (GLSEN, “National School
Climate Survey”)
HOLOCAUST
• “The Nazi campaign against homosexuality targeted the more than one
million German men who, the state asserted, carried a "degeneracy" that
threatened the "disciplined masculinity" of Germany. Denounced as
"antisocial parasites" and as "enemies of the state," more than 100,000 men
were arrested under a broadly interpreted law against homosexuality.
Approximately 50,000 men served prison terms as convicted homosexuals,
while an unknown number were institutionalized in mental hospitals.
Others—perhaps hundreds—were castrated under court order or coercion.
Analyses of fragmentary records suggest that between 5,000 and 15,000
homosexual men were imprisoned in concentration camps, where many died
from starvation, disease, exhaustion, beatings, and murder.” (United States
Holocaust Memorial Museum, “Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals 19331945”)
Hate to Death
•
Lemon lights slant onto new fallen snow,
voices rise and fall in hymn within,
praise to the God Almighty in prayer,
together as an unbreakable community.
•
In the ambulance revelation occurs,
carved in his chest is a word of hate,
"FAGGOT" carved in deep, to the bone,
proof his death is no accident.
In a tree resides a dark shape,
maybe a bird, maybe a cat,
but crimson stains the white below,
a victim to the teachings never learned.
Everyone claims ignorance and innocence,
all eyes turn away at first chance,
no one wishes to speak of it,
but still his death stains the community.
The first from the church is a young girl,
her scream chills the evening air,
everyone rushing to see what is wrong,
more screams and cries echoing.
At last his body is laid to rest,
closed casket for looks no makeup can
hide,
his death a promise and threat veiled-You aren't welcome here
Paramedics arrive, cut the body down,
once a young man but not anymore,
a face crushed and purple,
cuts across chest and arms.
In honour of all who face prejudice and
crimes of hate for who they are.
- Aeron
Music Video
• Poster Child (for Matthew Shepard) – a balladeer
QUOTES
• "My father was a German Jewish refugee, and the hate he faced as a child in Germany is the
same hate that my son and these kids faced on that street by that school. And hate doesn't
grow in a vacuum. It can't grow unless we allow it to. It grows on fear and it grows on
silence." – Gabi Clayton, mother of Bill Clayton
• “Anytime there is an anti-LGBT initiative, we tend to see spikes both in the numbers and the
severity of attacks. People feel this extra entitlement to act out their prejudices.” – Avy
Skolnik, coordinator with the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs
• “Prop 8 and similar legislation not only deny civil rights to gays and lesbians, but they give a
green light to violent attacks against LGBT people. Anti-gay legislation gives credence to the
idea that LGBT people are ‘immoral’, ‘unequal’, and don’t deserve protection from hate.” –
Jessica Hansen-Weaver, reporter at SocialistWorker.org
• About her 11 year-old son hanging himself after bullies repeatedly called him gay: “I have been
homeless, but Carl and I made it through. I was a victim of domestic violence, and we made it
through. The one thing we couldn’t get through was public school.” – Sirdeaner Walker,
mother of Carl Walker-Hoover
QUOTES
• “Simelane had been gang-raped and brutally beaten before being stabbed 25 times in the face,
chest, and legs. … Despite more than 30 reported murders of lesbians in the last decade,
Simelanes’s trail has produced the first conviction...” – Annie Kelly, reporter for the Guardian
• “Every day I am told that they are going to kill me, that they are going to rape me and after
they rape me I’ll become a girl. When you are raped you have a lot of evidence on your body.
But when we try and report these crimes nothing happens, and then you see the boys who
raped you walking free on the street.” - A lesbian living in South Africa
• About staying in the closet: “… traumatizes people in a way … Number one, I’m taught the
honor code at West Point: do not lie. Units are based on honor code. But ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t
Tell’ says you have to lie. It forces people to lie, to hide. Hiding and lying aren’t army values.”
– Lieutenant Dan Choi
• “My subordinates know I’m gay. They don’t care. They are professional.” – LT. Dan Choi
• On the murder of Angie Zapata, an 18 year old transexual: “… he thought he had killed ‘it’,
referring to Zapata…” – Jim Spellman, reporter of CNN
QUOTES
(Murder of George Moriarty)
• “The murder of George Roy Moriarty on January 1st, 1965 is the first mention of murder that was so
callous, so horrific, that even The Salt Lake Tribune at the time had to print information that indicated
this homicide was a sex crime.” – Ben Williams, writer for QSalt Lake
• “… Dyer began to beat Moriarty so severely that blood fell all over a plastic car seat. However, Moriarty
managed to free himself and jumped out of the car where evidence showed that another struggle took
place. Moriarty was then either tossed or shoved over the edge of the parking area down a 140 feet
embankment, leaving a trail of blood in the snow. Moriarty somehow mangaged to survive the fall. After
climbing back onto the road, he staggered half a mile toward the mouth of the canyon. … surprised to
see him, ran into Moriarty with their car and fled back to the city…” Ben Williams, writer for QSalt
Lake
• “The all-male jury had deliberated for only four and half hours. As in many other gay murder cases, the
jury implicated the victim as being to some degree responsible for his own death.” – Ben Williams,
writer for QSalt Lake
• “You have won a legal victory, but not a moral one.” Judge Parley E. Norseth, judge for the case of G.
Moriarty’s murder
QUOTES
(Organized massacres of gay men in Iraq)
•
•
•
•
•
•
“The maimed bodies of the two friends had been discovered together in the vast Shia district of Baghdad named Sadr City ...
Mazen had had his pectoral muscles cut off. There were two drill holes in Namir’s left leg, below the knee. Both had been shot in
the head, apparently from close range.” – Matt McAllester, writer of New York Magazine
“After some ten hours of being whipped, kicked, and spit on, Fadi was told to pick himself up off the floor and get dressed. ‘This
is a warning for you,’ one of his tormentors told him. ‘Tell people like you what happened to you.’” – Matt McAllester, writer of
New York Magazine
“There is no way to verify the number of tortured or harassed, but the best available estimates place that figure in the thousands.
Hundreds of men are believed to have been killed.” – Matt McAllester, writer of New York Magazine
“Over the next three weeks, nine men, working in teams of three, took turns torturing Nuri. For three days, toward the end of his
captivity, the men put a bag over his head and raped him.” – Matt McAllester, writer of New York Magazine
“… he took out his cell phone and played me his favorite song: ‘Un-Break My Heart’. He sang along, in halting English, and I
asked him if he knew what the words meant. He said that yes, someone he knew who spoke English had once translated them for
him. The song was about a woman mourning his death of her lover. He looked out the car window and resumed his mumbled
singing.” – Matt McAllester, writer of New York Magazine
“Fadi and Sami are still living in the safe city abroad. … Nuri is living in a second city in Europe. Ahmed [a friend of Fadi’s] is
still living in Baghdad. Earlier this month I received word from Fadi that Ahmed had been badly beaten on the street a few days
earlier. He remains afraid for his life.” – Matt McAllester, a writer of New York Magazine
News broadcast
• Gay Beating – ABC News