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Eyes in the Fishbowl is a 1968 adolescent novel by author Zilpha Keatley Snyder, illustrated by Alton Raible. == Plot == Eyes in the Fishbowl is the story of an adolescent and a protagonist - Dion James. Dion is 15 year old teen-ager, a guitar player, former of the A-group at Randolph high school, a big dreamer and just a boy who wants to succeed in life. He lives with his father in an old Victorian house part of which is rented by the Grover’s family and students who usually don’t pay their rent - Matt, Phil and Duncan. Dion was raised by his father, Arnold Valentine James, and he doesn’t remember his mother. Arnold Valentine James, is a music teacher and philosopher of the neighborhood, moreover he is the worst business man and “the most famous soft touch” in the town. His father has all opportunities to live a good life but, parents of students he teaches privately fool him and don’t pay. Therefore, Dion is not satisfied by the style of life his father leads. Dion suspect that that was the reason of his mother’s leaving. Moreover, Dion works and usually buys food. Thus, he feeds not only his dad, but also Matt, Phil and Duncan - students who rent the attic of their house. Since Dion was eight he started his shoe shining business, right across Alcott Simpson’s Mall and his friend Jose let him place right next his flower cart. During the time main character grows his business, he made a lot of contacts, so he starts to have pretty rich costumers who shined shoes only at Dion. The main character loves Alcott-Simpson’s Mall and in cold days goes inside of the store just to warm up. Therefore, when all troubles started at Alcott-Simpson’s he was right there and saw everything with his own eyes. Being permanently around the mall he had met Madam Stregovitch a clerk in cosmetics and Dion’s old friend, who have supernatural power, but in the beginning of the story Dion didn’t even know about it. Madame also was providing the main character with articles for his scrapbook. Thus, one day she gives him a page of a page of the newspaper where there was an article about Alcott-Simpson's but on the other side an article about a foreign country where kids were in famine and a picture of eyes that somehow attracted Dion but he didn't pay much attention. It was January when he encountered Sara for the first time, it was a beautiful girl with big black eyes and long black hair. Sara was chased by security guard because she wore a stolen sweater. However, before that incident, Jose told a rumor to Dion that he heard from a security guard about a group of vandals who still clothes from Alcott-Simpson’s. From this very time Dion started to pay attention to what was going on at Alcott-Simpson’s. A few day later Dion visits Alcott-Simpson’s just to verify the atmosphere in the store when suddenly he hears a “scream from hell” in the mezzanine. Being curious he tries to find out what is going on in there, unable to see something and scared being catch by security he goes to the six floor in order to use the elevator and leave the store quietly. Waiting the elevator long time Dion hears some sounds, scared to be caught he runs to the mall's furniture department and hides under a bed. Later on when the store closes and everything calms down, Dion plans imperceptibly leave the store. Nevertheless, he was found by Sara, who saves him from detectives and securities of the store. Sara is taciturn but her smile and appearance charm Dion. Moreover, it turns out to the main character that Sara stays at Alcott- Simpson's very often furthermore she is not alone but with the Others. Sara tells Dion that she is not a thief, she just wear clothes and then put them back. Dion have never seen anyone except Sara. Now Dion has many question and he is looking for answers to everything. He wants to know who is the others, how she appeared at Alcott- Simpson’s, but Sara doesn’t want to answer his questions. When Dion asks her how old she is, Sara answers indefinably that she is almost as him. Everything is strange to Dion. However, in order to meet with Sara he often goes to the Mall and spends time with her. Dion thinks that Sara is a daughter of one of the executives of the Mall that’s why she stay’s there and wear everything she wants, because he cannot find any other justification to what is she doing at Alcott-Simpson’s. Few days later Dion learns form Myrna about very strange happenings at the store, that last for weeks. Myrna, shared that “They” let the canaries and parakeets out. Moreover, before that “They” had made the mice and kittens out and that caused screaming and disappointment of the costumers. There also were sounds of running feet and laughter, and toys that moves by themselves. Later on it turns out that the Others are the kids form foreign country where there was a famine. Therefore, Madame Stregovitch using her supernatural power brought them to Alcott-Simpson’s. Every night kids were playing at the Toy department. therefore, toy department closes. They also get the animals out of the Pet Shop, and those screams were because of costumer who found a lizard at the fitting-room. Step by step Dion joined all pieces of puzzle and got the whole picture of happening at the Alcott-Simpson’s. Madame Stregovitch asks him not to go to the store until she gets everything done. But it has been long time that Dion haven’t seen Sara. Therefore, Dion goes there and hides under the bad and wait until Sara comes. When she finally comes Dion asks her to go outside just to have a conversation because he doesn’t want the Others to hear it, but she refuses and proposes him to go to the roof he accepts it. On the roof he asks Sara to stay with him, and leave the Others alone but Sara says that the Others are her younger siblings and she cannot be without them. Afterwards, Dion tries to leave the Mall but he meets Madam Stregovitch who sends The Others back to their homeland . After couple of days Dion learns from newspaper that Alcott-Simpson’s was closed. He goes to Madame Stregovitch and learns from her that she leaves the town because of the closing of Alcott-Simpson’s. Madame asks Dion to forgive her, because all those troubles was done by her. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「Eyes in the Fishbowl」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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