The Landry News

This section of the novel consolidates the three major themes and further develops and cements the characters in their roles as the narrative arc arrives at its climax. The increase in tension is largely supplied by the detail of Dr. Barnes’s dislike of Mr. Larson and his role as the antagonist, increasingly pointed as the collaboration between Mr. Larson, Cara, and the other students flourishes. Dr. Barnes’s deliberate search for a reason to fire Mr. Larson in connection with the newspaper enables these chapters to drive the plot and character development through an exploration of The Ethics of Journalism, especially the freedom of expression, control, and the misuse of argument for corrupt or insincere purposes.

The Ethics of Journalism is explicitly brought to the forefront in the classroom discussion around types of words and their impact in Chapter 12, in which the reader again participates vicariously. The class finds that editorials use far more negative and positive words than neutral ones, and between negative and positive, there are more negative words. The novel again provides a practical lesson, this time on the nature of opinion pieces to lean toward negative controversy rather than constructive criticism. The discussion in Mr. Larson’s class introduces the reader to the benefits and drawbacks of using charged language. There is no blanket rule for or against the use of such language in editorials, and through this conversation, Clements urges readers to consider the implications of their word choice and the potential actions those choices could have. In the context of an amateur newspaper, these effects are shown to be personal rather than legal or professional and form part of the novel’s wider lesson on treating others with kindness and respect. The featured text of Cara’s editorials shows what happens when a newspaper shifts from negative to positive or neutral words, and the change in her editorial style further demonstrates Cara’s personal growth. Again, this important personal development engages with How Education Prepares Students for the World and in itself provides a practical life lesson for the reader.

The second discussion in Chapter 12 calls on what makes a newspaper and furthers the discussion of The Importance of Trusting Others. While The Landry News shares several qualities with professional papers, its low budget and limited staff make it a much smaller and less official affair. By opening up the paper to whoever wants to work on it, Cara invites collaboration on a scale that leads to the quick and varied growth seen in Chapter 15. Cara also discovers the power a team can bring to a project. Not only does the paper grow, but Cara herself feels like she is doing something important and worthwhile, both by delivering the newspaper to more readers and by bringing people together to make something beneficial to all. The events of Chapter 15 counter this by showing how ultimate decisions must rest somewhere. Cara may have brought in many people to help with the paper’s production, but the decision to include her classmate’s story in the paper falls to her as the editor-in-chief. This dilemma explores the intersection of leadership and teamwork and also refocuses on Cara’s experience as the novel’s protagonist. Cara’s team trusts her to make the best decisions for the paper, which puts a level of pressure on her. She wants The Landry News to remain true to the mission she’s laid out for it—to tell the truth in an uplifting way—but she also wants to publish things that are meaningful to her and her readers. Cara’s thoughts also represent the power of shared experiences to help people grow, and, in symmetry, her own growth in the ability to empathize and connect with others. The novel focuses closely on Cara’s careful motivation and sense of responsibility here and shows her displaying newly learned humility in seeking guidance from Mr. Larson. This is important for the sympathetic portrayal of her character, as her decision will have risky consequences due to Dr. Barnes’s reaction. By tracing Cara’s internal process, the narrative can vindicate her from being partly responsible for the danger Mr. Larson will face in the last section.

The adult struggle between Mr. Larson and Dr. Barnes is prepared when Chapters 13 and 14 introduce the political and business side of creating a source of news, invoking a real Supreme Court case and the text of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. These chapters give the reader important knowledge to interpret the antagonist conflict that will follow. Again, the novel follows the pattern of using Mr. Larson’s classroom as a means to inform the reader in a natural way, this time with Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier (1998)—a case that gave school principals the right to decide the contents of a school newspaper, limiting press freedom in a school setting. Dr. Barnes weaponizes this information, using it to further his own agenda at the expense of Mr. Larson’s class and The Landry News. The ensuing narrative battle between Dr. Barnes and Mr. Larson will show in practice how laws and decisions are not as clear-cut as they may first appear. The end of Chapter 15 also introduces the idea of bad actors, as Dr. Barnes’s internal monologue reveals that he will proceed not due to a sincere belief that the newspaper is harmful but as an opportunity to win in his personal vendetta against Mr. Larson. In this way, the novel teaches the reader that a person’s argument and motivations can be at odds, suggesting that kindness and sincerity are more important than a formal adherence to rules.