Pretty Ugly

“Darcy. Jamee felt as if something hot and prickly had been dumped over her head. Mrs. Guessner was still talking, but once she said the D word, Jamee couldn’t hear her anymore.”

The use of sensory imagery in this quote gives the reader a strong sense of how powerfully comparisons to Darcy affect Jamee. She has a physical response to the mention of her sister. This shows that it is more than just annoying when others compare her to her sister. This opening scene also quickly sets up the internal conflict for the protagonist, who will struggle to establish her individual identity throughout the story.

“Dad’s return and promise to make up lost time to the family. Grandma’s sad death in her sleep early in the summer. The sudden announcement of Mom’s pregnancy.”

References are made throughout the early chapters to the tumultuousness of Jamee’s home life and the possible connections to her poor academic performance. This quote lists the many major changes that have happened in the Wills home and provide context for why Jamee may have struggled. It also provides a foundation for her feeling of insignificance in her family, as it shows the many serious issues that distract the family from Jamee.

“Jamee sometimes felt as if she had become invisible. Cheerleading was an anchor that stopped that. It was hers, not Darcy’s. It was stable, not changing. She looked forward to it like an old friend.”

Cheerleading functions as a symbol of freedom and self-expression for Jamee. Here, the novel explains why it is important to her: It is not tainted by Darcy’s accomplishments, and it is not chaotic like her home environment.