Please Stop Laughing At Me
Ethan Griffith
Summary
The book, Please Stop Laughing at Me by, Jodee Blanco, is an Autobiography about the subject of school bullying. Everyone wants to fit in; everyone wants to be liked; and everyone wants to be apart of the "popular crowd". No one wants to go to school to be put down, excluded, and/or hurt physically and emotionally. But this was Jodee, and this book is her lifelong story which has helped millions of people from all walks of life.
In Jodee's elementary school years, things were great until fifth grade when she started volunteering with the special needs students at Holy Ascension Catholic School. Marianne, was one of the special needs classmates that Jodee got very close with. Jodee would make it essential for her and Marianne to be with each other outside of school, but Jodee's best friend, Jo Ellen didn't like that. Jo Ellen influenced Jodee to stop hanging out with the "retards"; otherwise, they could no longer be friends. That's where things started to escalate. Morgan Hills Academy was Jodee's chosen middle school. Jodee met new people, and had new friends. It was going to be a fresh start and a new beginning. She was in with the "popular crowd", for a short period of time. Callie and Debbie were her best friends, until that ONE mistake at Callie's party. That was when the name calling and harassing began. Jodee couldn't bear it any longer and decided to transfer to a different school district. Jodee's parents felt that she was depressed and needed to talk to someone. They had no doubts and took her to Dr. Jack Graff a psychiatrist; maybe he would be able to explain why Jodee was "misfit" and didn't fit in. Jodee's new school was Northwest Junior High, she moved to a new house, and was in a new environment with new people and new friends. Emily, Jim, Sam, Rickie, Robbie, Greg, Jason, Kim, Reese, Paul, and Jodee were together everyday of the summer. They told their secrets to each other, and were best friends. Unfortunately, it started to happen again. Just because she stood up for what was right. No one deserved to be treated the way Jodee was in the past years. Jodee was verbally, emotionally, and physically harassed by her so called "best friends"; everyday on the bus and at school. What did she do to deserve this torture daily? Soon, many others in school joined in on the harassment. A.J, Jacklyn and so many others, attacked Jodee just for appearing different in their eyes. Being depressed for Jodee was a normal thing; her bed quickly became her new best friend.Getting that one phone call from her father instantly changed her mood around. In two days, she would be flying across the country to go to Santorini, Athens. Jodee met Niko, Yorgos, and Vangelle; three men who made Jodee feel loved, especially Niko. Jodee and Niko had a close relationship. Jodee told Niko everything. Leaving him to go back home would be the worst, even though they would still keep in touch. Twenty years past all the harassment, Jodee was free, except she had to go back and face the cruel, old classmates at her class reunion. She wondered if they had remembered all the horrible things they did to her. Would they act the same at the reunion, as they did in high school? She was terrified but she knew she had to do it. She was a strong woman with an extreme amount of courage. "The bullies never remember, but the outcasts never forget"
In Jodee's elementary school years, things were great until fifth grade when she started volunteering with the special needs students at Holy Ascension Catholic School. Marianne, was one of the special needs classmates that Jodee got very close with. Jodee would make it essential for her and Marianne to be with each other outside of school, but Jodee's best friend, Jo Ellen didn't like that. Jo Ellen influenced Jodee to stop hanging out with the "retards"; otherwise, they could no longer be friends. That's where things started to escalate. Morgan Hills Academy was Jodee's chosen middle school. Jodee met new people, and had new friends. It was going to be a fresh start and a new beginning. She was in with the "popular crowd", for a short period of time. Callie and Debbie were her best friends, until that ONE mistake at Callie's party. That was when the name calling and harassing began. Jodee couldn't bear it any longer and decided to transfer to a different school district. Jodee's parents felt that she was depressed and needed to talk to someone. They had no doubts and took her to Dr. Jack Graff a psychiatrist; maybe he would be able to explain why Jodee was "misfit" and didn't fit in. Jodee's new school was Northwest Junior High, she moved to a new house, and was in a new environment with new people and new friends. Emily, Jim, Sam, Rickie, Robbie, Greg, Jason, Kim, Reese, Paul, and Jodee were together everyday of the summer. They told their secrets to each other, and were best friends. Unfortunately, it started to happen again. Just because she stood up for what was right. No one deserved to be treated the way Jodee was in the past years. Jodee was verbally, emotionally, and physically harassed by her so called "best friends"; everyday on the bus and at school. What did she do to deserve this torture daily? Soon, many others in school joined in on the harassment. A.J, Jacklyn and so many others, attacked Jodee just for appearing different in their eyes. Being depressed for Jodee was a normal thing; her bed quickly became her new best friend.Getting that one phone call from her father instantly changed her mood around. In two days, she would be flying across the country to go to Santorini, Athens. Jodee met Niko, Yorgos, and Vangelle; three men who made Jodee feel loved, especially Niko. Jodee and Niko had a close relationship. Jodee told Niko everything. Leaving him to go back home would be the worst, even though they would still keep in touch. Twenty years past all the harassment, Jodee was free, except she had to go back and face the cruel, old classmates at her class reunion. She wondered if they had remembered all the horrible things they did to her. Would they act the same at the reunion, as they did in high school? She was terrified but she knew she had to do it. She was a strong woman with an extreme amount of courage. "The bullies never remember, but the outcasts never forget"
Getting Past Bullying: Man vs. Society
Jodee fought through bullying all throughout her school years, and it never let up. Everyone bullied her because she was different, because she didn't want to get in trouble when everyone else thought it was fun. The conflict in the story, is Man vs. Society
Theme
This book, I think, is a celebration of the 'inner outcast' in all of us, and a humble attempt to inspire tolerance, understanding, and acceptance for everyone who is bullied.
Work's Cited
"It's NOT Just Joking Around! - A Survivor's Guide to Joking and Peer Abuse :: Jodee Blanco." It's NOT Just Joking Around! - A Survivor's Guide to Joking and Peer Abuse :: Jodee Blanco. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 May 2016. <http://www.jodeeblanco.com/book_1.htm>.
"Stop+bullying+marvel - Google Search." Stop+bullying+marvel - Google Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 May 2016.
"Please+stop+laughing+at+me - Google Search."Please+stop+laughing+at+me - Google Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 May 2016.