So far, I feel very… disassociated with this book. I understand that the things that are happening to Piddy are terrifying - because of the bullying, heart breaking - because of the loss of her necklace, confusing - because of the story of her father, and lonely - with the moving schools and Mitzi moving away. And I can sympathize with Piddy, but I can not empathize with her or connect to her story. The narrative feels very cut and dry. If it were from Darlene's perspective I'm sure it would be much more colorful - due to her penchant for drama - but Piddy tends to just float through things. She says, as the narrator, that she is upset but we never actually shows that emotion. Until, that is, her “fight” with her mom which really doesn't sound all that bad. Three sentences of shouting vaguely hateful things and Piddy storms of and makes out with a guy we have seen her interact with twice? Seems very realistic…
Also, this book is supposed to be about bullying as the title suggests, but in reality Piddy is a very attractive and smart girl who has somehow offended Yaqui but I can't connect to her situation, because there doesn't seem to be much to react to. Chocolate milk was thrown at her and her necklace was stolen. Yes, the necklace bit was awful, but Piddy didn't show how awful it was.
I don't know, maybe I can't relate to these things because when I was in school, I was bullied a lot and it was never as simple as having milk thrown near me or an easily proved crime. None of what she has gone through so far meets my definition of bullying.
I agree with you. Piddy is a pitiful excuse for a main character. Her problems aren't relatable and she thinks feeling a little out of place (which is what most people experience at some points) is the same as going through soul crushing depression.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your assessment of Piddy. She does seem disconnected. Like the scene where her and that guy are making out and he makes a move that she is uncomfortable with, her emotion is absent. She seems very disconnected.
ReplyDeleteYeah there are lots of different kinds of bullying, I dont know, maybe as the book goes on she will develop a bit as a character
ReplyDeleteI agree that the situations seem awfully simple and unemotional. It seems more like a third person observation than a first person account. Maybe Piddy will write more and that will create more connections.
ReplyDeleteStacy- I agree with you. Maybe if the reader was more included in the book, more than reading about times someone got bullied would make it more real for us.
ReplyDeleteI can also sympathize with Piddy, she definitly has a lot on her plate. I can't imagine the stress Piddy is going through and being a teenager I can only imagine how often her emotions are changing. One thing I cannot stand about Piddy is the way she's been disrespecting her mother regardless of her situation.
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