Book Title: Bend it like Beckham
Author: Narinder Dhami
Year of Publication: April 2002
Number of pages: 176
The Plot. Tell in a few sentences what happens in the story and how it ends.
The story is about an Indian girl names Jesminder, but most of her friends and family
call her Jess. Jess idol is David Beckham, a professional football player. Jess herself
does love football a lot too, even despite her family doesn´t want her to play. They
want her to be a ‘excellent’ Indian girl, which means she needs to go to study and
become a lawyer. Playing football does not fit into their idealistic image. However,
Jess does not listen to her parents and plays football in the park with her best friend
Tony, who is also an Indian boy. While playing football in the park she gets potted by
Jules, someone who plays in the local women’s league. Jules suggests Jess to come
over and maybe even join their football team. Regardless her parents rules, Jess
accepts Jules offer and trains and plays football in secret.
Joe is Jess’ and Jules trainer who helps them to that helps them overcome all
obstacles they run into. He also is very attractive to Jules and Jess. Despite Jess
knows Jules has a big crush on Joe, she can’t help slowly falling in love with him.
Jess is training very hard and she gets better and better at playing. When Joe asks
Jess if she wants to take part in a competition in Germany she can’t say no. Together
with her older sister Pinky ( Who now found out that Jess is secretly still playing
football ) she makes up a lie towards her parents. Once in Germany the whole
football team goes to a party. Jules dresses Jess up and Jess looks like a completely
different but in her eyes more beautiful person. Because of her confidence and a little
help of the alcohol she starts flirting with Joe and she eventually kisses him in front of
Jules’ eyes. Jules is furious about it. How could Jess do this to her when she knows
Jules has a big crush on Joe? Back home, her parents found out about Jess’ her
secret and Jess gets grounded.