Stargirl_Essay

Louise Sutters #21 March 30th, 2010 Stargirl Essay on Differences In his book Stargirl, Jerry Spinelli displays many themes upon which one can reflect upon. The theme of differences is very apparent in both the characters and the plot. The students from MAHS and Stargirl are immensely different. Most of the characters at MAHS are “normal” and when Stargirl comes along, everything changes. Firstly, the two characters Hillari Kimble and Stargirl show striking differences that automatically place the two girls into different “cliques”. Hillari Kimble is in the popular clique where people like her are and Stargirl is in the rather odd clique where people who don’t fit into the “popular clique” go. Hillari Kimble is extremely different from the new “odd” girl who arrives to MAHS in the beginning of the book. She is popular, and Stargirl is not. Hillari wears popular fashion based clothes whereas Stargirl wears odd unique styles of clothing. Hillari is mean and Stargirl is nice. Hillari really cares about what other people think, while Stargirl really couldn’t care less. These differences between the two girls also help to show how judgmental people can be. Secondly, Stargirl is extremely different from the students at Mica Area High School. When she comes into Mica Area High School, she really struggles to keep up with all of the new concepts, customs, and routines in this new environment. Stargirl owns a pet rat named Cinnamon, while no one else in the school would be caught dead owning a rat. Stargirl is not afraid of standing out from the crowd. This is really important and unique because everyone else is absolutely terrified of not being popular and therefore standing out. When Stargirl became popular, everyone started to wear clothing like hers and acting as she did. “Girls liked her. Boys liked her. And—most remarkable—the attention came from all kinds of kids: shy mice and princesses, jocks and eggheads.” Stargirl’s uniqueness and individualism starts to wear off onto the other students at school and people slowly start trying to stand up for what they think is right instead of what others think. Thirdly, the theme of differences creates a novel full of surprising turns. Stargirl arrives at Mica Area High School, where she is immediately judged and placed into a category. Then, later in the book, Stargirl becomes popular and causes students to follow in her footsteps. Following these two events, Stargirl tries to fit in after Leo tells her that she has to change. This example shows how much the plot of Stargirl and the students of Mica Area High School’s live change. The same surprising twists and turns happen with the character of Leo. In one part of the book, he is popular and in the next the whole school shuns him. Overall, the book Stargirl is a story about accepting other people’s differences and looking beyond appearances and prejudices in order to truly understand the person. This work also teaches the reader that one person could affect the lives of others and change the future of many. In conclusion, Jerry Spinelli really shows the stereotypical reality of daily life in an American high school. The author is extremely aware of the hardships children go through in high school and is trying to present them to the reader. Overall, differences can both help and harm teenagers in a few ways. Differences can help teenagers feel unique and learn many of the lessons life has to learn. Though also, teenagers can learn that being different is odd. In the end, teenagers have to choose which aspect of being different they would like to choose. Just like Hillari and Stargirl.