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1-Page Summary of Dreamland
Overall Summary
Dreamland (2000) is a teen-oriented novel in three sections by Sarah Dessen. The first section, “Cass,” opens on the sixteenth birthday of protagonist Caitlin O’Koren, when it is discovered that her eighteen-year-old sister, Cass (Cassandra) has run away. Caitlin’s family forgets that it is her birthday. Making the situation more troubling for the girls’ parents is the fact that, in just two weeks, Cass is scheduled to begin her college education at Yale University. A search is mounted but before she’s located she calls to tell her parents that she’s with her boyfriend Adam and they’re not coming back home anytime soon because they don’t want to deal with their parents’ disapproval and anger about them being together so young. Meanwhile Caitlin’s best friend Rina persists in encouraging her to join the cheerleading team at school but Caitlin refuses until eventually she gives into peer pressure from Rina and makes the squad which pleases both of their mothers as each views this as a way for Caitlin to keep herself busy while dealing with losing Cass leaving home for college so far away from them all without having much contact or communication between herself and them anymore either now or ever again afterwards either after this point moving forward from here on out afterwards any longer going forward from here on out afterwards any longer beyond this time period later down the line somewhere down there further along down there someplace else completely different over yonder off somewhere else entirely elsewhere other than over there someplace else entirely elsewhere other than over there somewheres else entirely elsewhere other than over there someplaces elsesomewhere esleswhere eleswhere neswhers wherse scehres ercwhre erschre chesrs sehsr
Caitlin stays on the cheerleading team for her mother, but she does not enjoy it. At a game, Caitlin is in the middle of a pyramid formation when she hears Cass’s name being called. Thinking about her sister causes Caitlin to lose her balance and fall toward the ground. A teammate tries to catch Caitlin and none of them are seriously injured. Later, Caitlin meets Rogerson Biscoe at a car wash; he is a drug dealer who becomes her boyfriend after some time spent together at parties where they make out in cars near his house where his father hits him often.
Part II of the story is called Rogerson. Caitlin and Rogerson are becoming more physical, but they have not had sex yet. They get involved with drugs, and Caitlin meets Corinna, who is in her twenties. The two girls become friends after smoking pot together a few times. As time goes on, Caitlin neglects school and fails all of her classes. Rogerson tells her he will help her out with this situation as he knows everything about life and people in general. However, instead of receiving any real help from him, she finds that he becomes abusive when she does not account for every minute detail to him or when she talks to other boys or people at school. This leads Caitlin to start writing a dream journal which was given to her by Cass before she left home (Cass’s mother gave it to her). Later on in the novel we learn how much Cass misses Caitlin; because even though they’re no longer close friends anymore since Cass moved away from home, there are moments where you realize just how much Cass cares for Caitlyn still. When Part II ends, several new events unfold: On Christmas Eve, it’s revealed that Caitlin has decided that she’ll finally go through with having sex with Rogerson. Looking back on their relationship later in the book, we find out that during sex is the only time that she feels safe with him. Rina invites Caitlin over to stay at their lake house while Rina’s parents are gone for winter break. She fears going because of knowing what might happen if Rogerson finds out where she went ; however, when trying to call him up his phone doesn’t answer so then eventually decides ” screw it “. When returning home from Rina’s place after being harassed by some random guy (who happens be one of Rogerson’s friend), seeing an angry looking face coming straight towards hers makes things worse than ever before… After being pushed off his car multiple times & almost run over by said vehicle once again…Caitlins mother comes outside & helps stop all this madness between them both ! A neighbor hears all this ruckus going on outside & calls 911 which leads into cops arresting Mr bad boy himself!
