Bullies Suck
Can we please just talk about how Jason deals with his
bullies? The way he acts with Ross Wilcox is so amazing because it takes so
much self-control to not lose your temper when people are treating you like
that. At least for me, if someone threw my backpack on the top of a bus, I
would’ve lost it. The thing is though that it’s obvious that Jason knows that
if he were to act that way, then he would give the bullies what they wanted- a
reaction. So the poor boy just holds everything in and acts completely
indifferent towards them, which is something I really admire because it takes a
LOT of maturity to do that.
Me, on the other hand, I never acted that mature with my
bullies. There’s one incident that I remember very clearly because it was the
first time I got in trouble at school. I was in third grade and there was this
guy that was constantly picking on me. He would make fun of my hair, my
friends, and basically everything I did and I would ignore him. Then on the way
back to the classroom after art class, he walking behind me and I heard him
making fun of my artwork. Art was something I took VERY seriously so when I
heard him talking about it, I turned around and yelled at him. Then he kept
making fun of me and then we kept going back and forth until I had it and then
I pinched his arm—hard. He threatened to tell the teacher on me and I told him
to, thinking that he actually wouldn’t do it and he was bluffing, but he did
and I got my first ever red card that day. Till this day, thinking about it makes
me mad because I was the one who ended up in trouble while he just got away
with it.
Jason never gave his bullies that kind of satisfaction, and
in the end he was able to get his revenge and he finally gave his bullies what
they deserved. I wish I could get the chance to give my bully revenge.
Yeah, agreed. I think that Mitchell does a great job of illustrating how Jason is able to learn how to deal with bullies through his experiences of both being the bully and being bullied. When he sees the bullies as kids, just as vulnerable as he is, he's able to remain cool.
ReplyDeleteI mean it takes Jason some help to get to this point. From the different methods given to him by his teachers, Norman Bates, and words from Holly Deblin. It wasn't exactly a one-man process, but at the end of the day, Jason achieves his endgoal and is definitely more equipped to deal with bullies than the Jason of the first january man.
ReplyDeleteI was so proud of Jason at the end of the chapter Maggot. Even though his bullies were acting like animals and insisting on giving Jason a "grundying", he stayed calm and informed Ross that he has halitosis. It may have been a simple statement, but Jason showed Ross that he isn't afraid of any physical violence that could be inflicted on him. Jason has the superior moral position because he refuses to contribute to his bullies' violence.
ReplyDeleteYou're right - Jason's maturity is admirable and rare. But he didn't do it on his own. I think having Dean Moran and Julia in his life helped him keep perspective about what really mattered. When he was approached by bullies, he was able to keep his cool not only because of his maturity, but because he knew that's what these mentors in his life would've done.
ReplyDeleteyes I would definitely blow up at anyone who treated me that way. i think jason may have been worried that if he tried to retort, his stammer would come out and he would just embarrass himself further. In many ways his speech impediment has shaped him as a person, and i think it was good for his character in that he is patient, observant, and appreciative. What a mean 3rd grader! Is it possible he liked you? lol ;)
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