The Parent Trap
By: Shelby Marshall Author: Hallie Marshall Skinner Block 2
Summary
Annie James and Hallie Parker are just two ordinary girls attending summer camp in Maine. Annie is from London, England and is proper and has wonderful manners just like any other English girl should. Annie also lives with her Mother and Grandfather. Hallie Parker is from Napa, California and is a country girl at heart. Hallie also lives with her Father and Nanny. Exact opposites, they end up in a cabin together. The girls soon get to know each other very well and the funny thing is that they look very similar to each other. You are probably thinking, could they be twins? Yes! Separated at birth, Annie and Hallie are long lost twins. Their plan is to switch on their parents and meet their opposite parent. They will have to make each other look exactly alike. The girls are going to slowly work to get their long- divorced parents back together again. The problem is that Nick Parker, the girls' dad, is engaged to Meredith Blake. A nasty woman who fakes her love for Nick for his money. At last minute before Nick's wedding, the girls tell their parents that they are not who they think they are. They schedule to meet up at a resort in California to switch back. When they get there, Nick is reunited with Elizabeth James, his former wife. Nick realizes that Elizabeth is his real true love. They are married again and forevermore shall be together. All thanks to Annie and Hallie.
Theme
The theme of The Parent Trap is that if you want something, you have got to work for it. Annie and Hallie really wanted their parents to get back together. so they can be sisters again. This lesson is the truth. If you really, really want something such as the girls did in the book, then you are going to have to work for it. Hallie and Annie switched places with each other, brought the couple together, and they thought of the plan all by themselves. I call that hard work! I came to understand the theme when I thought to myself, " Wow! Annie and Hallie really want Nick and Elizabeth to get back together! They must really want this." then it hit me, that is the theme! That is the lesson of the story.
Setting
The setting in The Parent Trap is in the 90's which was about 25 years ago. This story is taken place in the past. There are actually 3 settings in The Parent Trap. The first setting is Camp Walden. Camp Walden is the summer camp that brought Annie and Hallie together. The summer camp is located in Augusta, Maine. This setting has an affect on the character because the plot would have never been created and the twins would have probably never met. The second setting is Napa, California. Instead of Hallie going back to meet with her dad, Annie did. Napa is in northern California less than an hour away from California's capital, Sacramento. This setting has an affect on Annie because she is used to the cool and chilly weather of London. Not the dry, motionless heat of California. Nick notices that she is not outside as much and he finds this suspicious. Annie also has a bit of a British accent and uses words and phrases such as " You gave me quite a a fright!" and " It's a horrid habit." the third and final setting is London, England. London is located in the deep south of the United Kingdom. London is a beautiful city with busy streets and fascinating sights. the setting has an affect on Hallie because she is used to long, open meadows and a country lifestyle. She also uses lots of American slang words such as, "dang it!" and " whats up?" In London, they use words such as "posh" which means upper class and "proper" which means fancy. These settings are very important to the story.
Symbolism
Have you ever heard Taylor Swift's new song, Blank Space? Do you know the line, " Baby I'm a nightmare dressed like a daydream." This exactly describes Meredith Blake. Nick Parker is engaged to Meredith, a rotten, cruel soul on the inside, but gorgeous on the outside. Meredith wants Nick for his money, not for him. It's true, Nick has lots of cash, but he uses it responsibly. He got his money from selling his wine from the grapes of his vineyard. Anyway, Meredith Blake does not have a very big part in the novel, but the symbolizes something much greater. Meredith symbolizes the greed and evil of the world. She is greedy for Nick's money and evil for it. The girls realize this too, but not Nick, because Meredith is a very good at hiding it. Behind her back, the twins call her Cruella De Vil.
The Main Characters
Annie James - Protagonist
Annie James is the long-lost twin of Hallie Parker. She is one of the protagonists. She has long red hair, Freckles on her cheeks, and is a little bit shorter than Hallie. She was born in the United States but soon moved to London, England when she was a baby. She is neat, proper and has a faint English accent, She is also the champion fencer at camp, with Hallie right behind her.
Hallie Parker - Protagonist
Hallie Parker is the long-lost twin of Annie James. She is the other protagonist. She has shoulder-length red hair, crystal blue eyes, and pierced ears. She has lived in northern California all her life on a ranch right next to a vineyard owned by her dad. She is a natural at horseback riding and grape picking. She is also the champion poker player at camp beating Annie with a royal flush.
Nick Parker and Elizabeth James - Supporting Characters
Nick Parker and Elizabeth James are a long-divorced couple. They are the supporting characters. Elizabeth was pregnant with Annie and Hallie when they started to disagree on thing. When the girls were born, Nick kept Hallie and Elizabeth took Annie to London. They promised to not let the girls know that they had a twin sister. Nick lives in a two story ranch house on a horse ranch next to a vineyard. Elizabeth chose a suburb-style mansion in the city. They had no idea that the girls have switched on them. Nick was engaged to Meredith Blake at the time of the switch and he thought that she was wonderful until Annie informs him that she only wants his money. Elizabeth on the other hand, has been single since the divorce. They finally realize that they have the wrong kid and they meet up in California to switch back. Nick realizes that he has made a big mistake and and once again is in love with Elizabeth and Elizabeth is in love with Nick. They get married again and stay married for as long as they shall live.
Book Recommendation
The Parent Trap is a fun and exciting adventure of two very clever twins switching places and meeting their opposite parent. This book was amazing. This book was a page turner. I seriously read the book in one, long marathon sitting. It is truly incredible how Annie and Hallie are so determined to get their parents together again. Surprisingly, before the girls got to know each other, they hated each other. It all started when the girls got paired together in the same camp activity, fencing. They were a perfect match. Hallie had Annie in a tight spot, but Annie found a way and beat Hallie. The war has begun! Day after day, week after week, the girls pranked each other, beat each other and fought with each other until they both got sent to a special cabin on the top of Walden hill. The Isolation Cabin. They were forced to move in with each other for the rest of camp. They got to know each other and BAM!!! Best friends. This was a great book and I recommend it for everyone.