Please Stop Laughing At Me Smore
by: Avery Campbell
Book Summary
Based on a true story, Please Stop Laughing At Me, is a story following Jodee Blanco throughout her years of growing up, of being bullied and tormented. We follow Jodee as she recalls her accounts fo feeling hurt and left out. This story takes your breath away, how cruel children can be to someone who is wishing to fit in. "I didn't know what was worse, the physical or the emotional agony." pages 116-117. All Jodee does is try and escape, but the pain keeps finding her wherever she goes. She is physically beaten for being friends with "retards". Now Jodee has to face her old tormentors at her school reunion.
Character Anyalasis
Jodee Blanco is a child, when she is bullied, going through school. Jodee is an only child, in the beginning of this book she is kind and a happy kid, but when she gets into high school she becomes depressed and somewhat suicidal. Jodee is insecure about her deformity that she has on her chest. Jodee eventually overcomes all of her conflicts and finally comes to peace with everything. "I feel as if I'm floating now. The weight I've been carrying around inside of me for so long has been lifted." page 268
Conflict/Resolution
Jodee's conflict is a character vs. society, because it is Jodee vs. everyone that bullies her, but also character vs. self. I think that it could also be character vs. self, because she get very depressed and tries to hurt herself and other. A quote from the passage that expressed her pain was "What a desperate , pathetic fool I was. Time after time, my "friends" had shown me there true colors. Yet, I still wanted to believe they were sorry for causing me pain."One thing that helped Jodee resolve her depression and also her society conflict was her getting the surgery, it helped her get her self-esteem back. Another thing that helped was her going to Greece and going to the writing camp over the summer. These both helped Jodee by letting her make friends away from school and letting her be herself around more people.
Theme
One of the messages you can take from "Please Stop Laughing At Me" is that you don't have to give in to peer pressure. Some of the kids in this book were pressured into bullying Jodee or just not to be friends with her. Take for instance Debbie, after what happened at the party she told Jodee that they had to keep being friends a secret. All of the kids at the schools didn't want to seem uncool or be ridiculed for being friends with Jodee. Kids should be able to stand up to peer pressure instead of being forced to do thing they don't want too.
Textual Evidence
My favorite quote from this book is "Everyone at this table is human and vulnerable, the same as me. They can't hurt me anymore. I think we may finally even become friends. Relief washes over me." I think that this is the most important quote because it shows that Jodee has finally forgiven all of the people that had bullied her. It explains that they have all changed, also it shows that when ever Jodee looks back at her past, she doesn't have to feel bad. Now Jodee knows that she has forgiven all of them and she can finally have peace.
Book Review
I would give "Please Stop Laughing At Me" a 5-star rating. I believe that this book is a very good book, that shows kids how there words and actions effect people. Many kids throughout the world are getting bullied and this book can help many people know that they can get through it. Jodee's experience can help people stop getting hurt and bullied.
Citations
Prevention Info-graphic - http://www.childrenscolorado.org/wellness-safety/parent-resources/kids-teens/how-to-prevent-bullying/bullying-infographi
Prevention Article - http://health.usnews.com/health-news/health-wellness/articles/2013/10/15/how-to-spot-and-stop-bullying-2
Video - http://www.pacer.org/bullying/video/player.asp?video=58&local=true
Bullying Quote - http://quotesgram.com/bullying-quotes/
Summary Photo - http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/giveaway/please-stop-laughing-at-me
STOMP Bullying - http://www.stompoutbullying.org/index.php/information-and-resources/about-bullying-and-cyberbullying/stomp-out-bullying-student-participation-toolkit/