93 pages • 3 hours read
Big Mouth & Ugly Girl
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
Big Mouth & Ugly Girl is a young adult novel written by Joyce Carol Oates. Published in 2002 after the high-profile Columbine High School shooting and attempted bombing in Columbine, Colorado, Big Mouth & Ugly Girl recounts three months in the lives of two 16-year-old high school juniors, Matt “Big Mouth” Donaghy and Ursula “Ugly Girl” Riggs.
Plot Summary
The first protagonist introduced is Matt Donaghy, a high school junior accused of threatening to blow up the school. Matt is a budding writer who, like many teens, is plagued by insecurity; he uses his loud, joking Big Mouth persona to garner the attention and affection of his peers. After a few students overhear him joking about blowing up the school with friends and report him, Matt is questioned by the police, which substantiates the rumor that Matt intended to commit arson. As the rumor spreads throughout the school, Matt becomes the object of much fear and trepidation. Matt and Ursula’s paths collide here.
Ursula Riggs, also a high school student, is above average height. While she is not the typical model of a teenage girl—petite, charismatic, or charming—Ursula has made peace with her seemingly abnormal body. An ideal student, she portrays herself as the “Ugly Girl” in school, becoming foul-mouthed and wearing rough clothing.
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By Joyce Carol Oates
