Different is Interesting

Different. To normal people, different is what makes you unique. Especially now that it's the 21st century, being different is actually a necessity in order to "make it". But, in high school, different is weird. Being different makes you an outcast; it's like social suicide. Fitting in is all any teenager wants to do. They would rather change who they are to be socially accepted, than be themselves and have less friends. And to be honest, I don't blame them. I blame society. Society is the biggest bully of all time. Because ultimately it is society that gives teenagers this idea that fitting in is better; that fitting in is what makes you cool. And no matter how many cheesy movies we watch, or the countless number of pep talks we get from teachers or parents, this expectation to fit in is still relevant to every teenager's life. But instead of listening to the haters and critiques, teenagers can realize that different is interesting. 

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan is written from the point of view of two teen boys, both named Will Grayson. The first Will, (Will¹) is trying to live his life under the radar, which is hard with a best friend like Tiny Cooper. Tiny is big, loud, very gay, and is constantly drawing attention to himself and those around him. The next Will, (Will²) is chronically depressed, and seems to have nothing going for him besides his online romance with a boy named Isaac. When Will² makes a date with his secret boyfriend, he finds that Isaac is really just a girl from school cat-fishing him. These two Wills meet right after Tiny has had yet another breakup, and Will² has just found out about his boyfriend's true identity. This coincidence changes their lives forever. In Will Grayson, Will Grayson, John Green and David Levithan explore the struggles of relationships and self identity that all teens understand. Through their characters they show that you should never be afraid to be true to yourself or to stand out. They teach that different is interesting.


The stereotype jock: tall, handsome, vain, and straight.
Tiny: tall, handsome, vain, but gay, and 100% proud of it.
Many TV shows, movies, and books portray the gay kid as a freak in the closet. Although Tiny has his faults, he is an amazing role model to teens everywhere that those TV shows, books, and movies don't have to be the reality. Throughout the story, both Wills look up to Tiny for advice. Tiny, given his size, automatically doesn't fit in. And being openly gay doesn't help him blend in at all, so Tiny learns to accept that he will always be different. He uses his uniqueness as a way to speak his mind, and sharing his opinions. He writes a play to express his emotions and to educate people on what it is like to be gay. Instead of holding himself back from being who he really is, he opened himself up and showed both Wills that being true to yourself isn't something to be scared of. Being gay, your self confidence is knocked down because society tells you that you are different in a negative way. But, Tiny never let society tell him what to do, and he understood that for him to be completely happy in his own skin, he had to be honest to himself and the people around him. Tiny sets an example, not only for the Wills in the book but for people everywhere, that fitting is boring. Standing out is Fabulous.

Will¹ has two rules of life:
1)Don't care too much
2)Shut up
He says that "everything unfortunate that has happened to me has stemmed from failure to follow one of the rules." Will may pretend to shrug off his emotions but I think he really does care. He has this deep fear of being alone that he is willing to do anything in order to stay cool. He lets Tiny's emotions get in the way of his own, so buries them deep down. If Will was open about his feelings, and let his guard down, I think that people would see him as himself, instead of the person he tries to be. He has this carefree "whatever" type of attitude, but really he is just as sensitive as Tiny. Will¹ wants to go through high school going unnoticed, but in the process becomes boring to be around, and a bit of a drag. Tiny shows him that being himself is better than being under the radar, and that different is more fun. Will¹ shows the more guarded readers that everyone has feelings, and you shouldn't be afraid to show them. He teaches readers that in the end, one else has the power to change you unless you let them.

Will² is so afraid of being different that he would rather shut everyone out, than be himself. The nagging questions about his sexuality lets Will think that shutting everyone out is the way to cope with his depression. I understand that coming out is a very courageous and brave decision, but I also know that coming out is when you need your loved ones the most. He needs to ask himself, "Would I rather be myself around other people, or alone and lying to everyone?" His broken family issues and lack of friends makes Will feel isolated, so he becomes used to being someone he is not in order to please others. From Will, readers can learn that pretending to be someone you are not in hopes of making others feel happy, only ends up making you feel bad about yourself. Because, if those who you are trying to please really love you, than they would rather you be you, than be a fake. And if they don't love you, then they aren't worth your time. Will² shows readers that being true to yourself is key to self confidence. He shows readers that lying to yourself and others about who you are only effects your self image, not how your loved ones really see you.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson proves that accepting who you are is worth standing out. Through their characters, John Green and David Levithan show that standing out is a lot more fun than being like everyone else. Teenagers try to be people they aren't, because they think it will please others. From this book, teens will realize that you should always put what you think of yourself before what others think of you. Accepting yourself is the only way you will fully live. Tiny, Will¹, and Will² show readers that different isn't an insult, but a compliment. Because think of how drab it would be if everyone was the same. We need authenticity to spice things up.

Getting Help

One of the many things I love about reading is learning difficult life lessons without actually having to live through the particular difficulty giving rise to them. As examples, I wouldn't want to experience bullying or racism, but there are certainly things I can learn from those who have. We all could. Because no matter how far we've come, bullying and racism are still very relevant in many American lives. Almost every teenager can relate to bullying. And despite how many anti-bullying talks we are given at school or by our parents, it continues, especially now with social media. And the state of racism in our country is even worse - it is like bullying on a very large scale. It has been 150 years since the end of the Civil War and 47 years since the Civil Rights movement, and racism is still a topic relevant in our country. The controversy around the Confederate flag and the Black Lives Matter movement show that we haven't eliminated it yet. 

That's why I loved reading The Help by Katheryn Stockett. The three main characters had the courage and self-confidence to succeed despite the racism, sexism and cultural expectations of 1960’s Mississippi. Miss Skeeter, the rich white daughter of a plantation owner, decides to write a book from the help’s perspective, to fight against the extreme racial barriers of her Southern society. Minny, a young black maid, risked the lives of her family in order to help Skeeter write her book. And Aibileen, another black maid who helps Skeeter, learns that she doesn’t have to accept living under the harsh conditions in Jackson. And even though I'll never know what it was like to be a poor black maid in the 60's, or a white Southern woman of that time, I was still able to learn an important lesson from them. Standing up for what you believe in, even though difficult and sometimes perilous, can change not only your own life, but the lives of many others. 

"Ever morning, until you dead in the ground, you gone have to make this decision... 'Am I gone believe what them fools say about me today?’” - Constantine

Constantine, Skeeter’s maid, tells this to Skeeter after she was bullied for being tall. Such words of wisdom can be very empowering to readers who can’t stick up for themselves. This quote addresses the issue of stereotyping and bullying, that is relevant in many teen lives today. Constantine shows how everyone has insecurities, and how you should never let other people doubt yourself. When this poor, black maid in the South turns bullying into a self-empowering message, young readers can learn that you are more than what others think of you. When Skeeter, Minny, and Aibileen stand up to the stereotypes, like how whites and blacks can’t be equal, that women aren’t as smart or as powerful as men, or that people should just step back and accept their pre-decided future, it tells teen readers that people’s criticisms don’t say anything about you, but rather something about them. The Help shows how many people who like to bring others down have insecurities of their own.

"Minny could probably lift this bus up over her head if she wanted to. Old lady like me lucky to have her as a friend" - Aibileen

Aibileen and Minny were poor black women - they had every social disadvantage of the time - and the fact that they could muster the courage to speak out against the racially divided community they were living in, shows that anyone can stand up for what they believe is right. This quote expresses the differences between these women, and how their opinions on the Civil Rights movement changes the course of the book. When they were faced with the opportunity to change the unjust world they were living in by helping write a controversial book on the topic of race, both were aware that there would be consequences and risks. Over the years, Aibileen had come to accept the life society had given her. It wasn't until the death of her son that she realized she didn't have to step back and let her life be ruled by others. She came to see that if every oppressed African American in the south was a bystander, racism would last forever. However, Minny was determined to speak her mind, even if it cost her a job. Although hesitant at first, she knew that the book Miss Skeeter was writing would bring change to her community. Minny understood the risks she was taking for her own family, but she would rather change the unfair life she was living in than stay quiet. These two maids help encourage each other find their voices. Opening up your life and soul to a complete stranger is difficult for anyone, especially when your opinions are against your superior. Opening up your life and soul to a complete stranger is difficult for anyone, especially when your opinions are against your superior. This friendship shows how important it is to speak up instead of stay quiet, despite the risks. Their courage, selflessness, and honest belief in the Civil Rights campaign shows readers how you shouldn’t only think of the effect of your actions on yourself, but how you can change others’ lives for the better.

"All my life I’d been told what to believe about politics, colored, being a girl. But with Constantine’s thumb pressed in my hand, I realized I actually had a choice in what I could believe.” - Skeeter

Here, Skeeter tells readers they don't always have to behave the way they've been told, or live the life that's been planned for them. Skeeter was taught that because she was white, she was better, but because she was a girl, she was worse off. Her life plan was to marry rich and have kids. When Skeeter starts to defy the restrictions given to her, she learns there's a whole new world outside of the protective bubble her parents had trapped her in all her life. Her determination to pursue a career in writing, and to have a life without marriage, shows readers that marriage isn’t all you should aspire to. Skeeter’s courage to have a life that she wants, instead of the one other people want for her, tells teens that no matter what people pressure you to do, you ultimately have the power to do what you believe is right. 

The Help shows that that vocalizing your opinions is worth the risk, that breaking the barriers built for your life can change you for the better, and that standing up to stereotypes and bullies can provide an example for others. Teenagers may not be able to connect with the elements of the book concerning the year, but almost all teens can relate to being bullied or put down. Through the eyes of three incredibly different women, she is able to teach readers that everyone has a voice worth hearing. I think that anyone who reads The Help can learn something about courage and self confidence from each character.