In the time between middle school and high school there are special expectations, especially for girls, to be considered cool. These expectations create an image that if most girls don't follow them they are bullied or judged because of it. Although popularity should be about who you are, is it really? Not everyone is going to except you for you, but should you deal with that?
Girls are vain when it comes to their skin or body. Take it from me, I freak out every time there is a blemish on my face. If you have acne it plays a huge part on your appearance and what you do with it. Using make up like cover up or foundation to hide your real appearance is a trick most girls use. In the book stick figure, the main character Lori was made fun of because she wouldn't wear make up and that she was still a little kid.
Looking older is a key component to what most attention seeking girls want. It gives them power. Like they have a choice to do what they want because they look old enough so they're mature enough to. In stick figure, Lori was told that she was "still a child" because her parents still treated her like one. They never listened to what she said so she never got what she wanted. Therefore she wasn't mature enough to just do want she wants, and not be afraid of the consequences.
Weight is a problem many people struggle with. Mostly girls have disorders where no matter what they just feel like they need to lose more weight. This is a way to change yourself and make yourself seem apart of the mix. Or maybe to make yourself feel wanted or be noticed. Lori became anorexic because she wanted to look slim for a guy she liked. She wanted him to compare her and the "mean girl(s)" and let him be able to choose her because she had everything the other girl had. In the end she was hurt because it wasn't herself.
Changing yourself for someone else's approval is horrible. If they don't like you for who you are they aren't the right people to be around. Although half of the problem is their fault, the other half is yours. If you cannot accept yourself as you are then no one else will. You must depend on yourself first before anyone else.
Your book has a very interesting topic, one that is closely connected to the issues that we face today. Some people can connect to the way Lori was feeling while others can see that they were the people who would have been doing harm to her. I am interested in how the story progresses and ends, it seems like a very interesting book that i may look forward to reading.
ReplyDeleteI've read Stick Figure before and I love how you connected it to your life and your experiences. The comparison makes your claim a lot stronger because readers can trust you to know what you're talking about. However, you never really explain your idea that "changing yourself for someone else's approval" is a negative thing until the conclusion. Do you believe that what you do, like freaking out over a blemish (ha you're perfect though <3), is wrong also? Do you think you should change your actions? Great job on your essay!
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