"Because teenage girls don't pray to God, they pray to each other. They clasp their hands over a keyboard and then they let it all out, a (stupid) girl's heart tucked into another girl's heart . . . I needed someone to hear my prayers and did Penny ever make sure of that when she forwarded my fucking email to everyone in school, (49).
Poor Romy. The email she wrote to who she thought was her best friend, Penny, was passed through the modems and routers of her high school classmates and even into the world of adults, as Sheriff Turner confronts her with a copy at the beginning of All the Rage. Her innermost desires are revealed to the world entire, when she meant them only for herself and another person.
This is perhaps the most commanding message of the novel: how technology can create false connection and the power it can wield over impressionable youth. One lonely email; one compromising photo; one recorded phone call and your misstep is broadcast to a hungry group waiting to devour and gossip. Romy is clamoring for affection while her classmates call for blood.
I came away from this novel grateful that this technology did not exist when I was young and vulnerable in high school. It seems to add another complicated layer to what is already a complicated and confusing experience. High school is miserable enough without the added pressure of having your mistakes made public.
I also took from this novel how important it is to have a conversation with youth I serve at my public library; about Internet safety and about privacy. I don't think children are taught how to use the technology they're given. We take it for granted that a generation of young people are walking around with devices that can be a ticking time bomb in the wrong hands. Access to information, so readily available and at hand, is a powerful and dangerous tool that we all should take care of and be aware of.
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
All the Rage Circa 1996
When I was Romy's age, it was circa 1995-96. There was no social media, no widespread cell phone use, and other kids I hung out with didn't have home computers. But, we were in a small town like Grebe, where gossip prevailed through the grapevine entwining the social structure of our one high school.
Of course, date rape happened then. And we all knew the girl who was blamed--because her skirt was so short or her lipstick was so dark. I remember a girl on the fringes of the in crowd who got pregnant and was shunned from then on by the popular, beautiful ones. As an adult, my heart aches for her, but in high school, we all wondered how she could have been so careless. Whispers preceded her in the halls and teachers shook their heads; she eventually dropped out and finished high school by mail. (Snail mail then too.)
If Romy's story would have happened in 1996, there would be printed photos passed around of her, but even then that would be risky, because you knew the tech at the photo shop who developed your photos, and they might get suspicious of an underage girl drunk at a party and tell your parents.
Thankfully in 96, social media didn't exist. It didn't mean there wasn't a social status--we had one and we knew our place socially. I do remember one of the prom chaperons took a photo of each of her students at prom and posted the pictures on a bulletin board. Looking back, it was kind of like Facebook; people just made their comments about your date's hair aloud instead of hiding behind a monitor.
Cell phones back then were expensive and cumbersome. There was no service in our small, one-traffic-light town, and even if there was service, only two families would have been able to afford the luxury. So in 1996, Romy wouldn't have been able to further her relationship with Leon by texting; he would have had to call her landline and probably make awkward conversation with her parents, unless she was lucky enough to have her own line. Judging from her parents, I doubt she would have.
She definitely wouldn't have had a home computer. Most of the kids I knew still had electric word processors--one step up from a manual typewriter. We still submitted handwritten assignments, so you had to have legible penmanship and it took hours to write an essay. Romy wouldn't have been able to pull out a laptop and search hashtags for clues her drunken memory refused to process. She would have either always been left with questions about that night or relied on the gossip at school the next day. (Hashtags--I think we would probably have thought that was something on the menu at Waffle House.)
Some of the elements of Summers' novel would have been different, yes. But the trauma Romy experienced and the social backlash of her behavior would have remained the same in the 1990s. She would have suffered the pressure and gossip of high schoolers back then just as she would now.
Of course, date rape happened then. And we all knew the girl who was blamed--because her skirt was so short or her lipstick was so dark. I remember a girl on the fringes of the in crowd who got pregnant and was shunned from then on by the popular, beautiful ones. As an adult, my heart aches for her, but in high school, we all wondered how she could have been so careless. Whispers preceded her in the halls and teachers shook their heads; she eventually dropped out and finished high school by mail. (Snail mail then too.)
If Romy's story would have happened in 1996, there would be printed photos passed around of her, but even then that would be risky, because you knew the tech at the photo shop who developed your photos, and they might get suspicious of an underage girl drunk at a party and tell your parents.
Thankfully in 96, social media didn't exist. It didn't mean there wasn't a social status--we had one and we knew our place socially. I do remember one of the prom chaperons took a photo of each of her students at prom and posted the pictures on a bulletin board. Looking back, it was kind of like Facebook; people just made their comments about your date's hair aloud instead of hiding behind a monitor.
Cell phones back then were expensive and cumbersome. There was no service in our small, one-traffic-light town, and even if there was service, only two families would have been able to afford the luxury. So in 1996, Romy wouldn't have been able to further her relationship with Leon by texting; he would have had to call her landline and probably make awkward conversation with her parents, unless she was lucky enough to have her own line. Judging from her parents, I doubt she would have.
She definitely wouldn't have had a home computer. Most of the kids I knew still had electric word processors--one step up from a manual typewriter. We still submitted handwritten assignments, so you had to have legible penmanship and it took hours to write an essay. Romy wouldn't have been able to pull out a laptop and search hashtags for clues her drunken memory refused to process. She would have either always been left with questions about that night or relied on the gossip at school the next day. (Hashtags--I think we would probably have thought that was something on the menu at Waffle House.)
Some of the elements of Summers' novel would have been different, yes. But the trauma Romy experienced and the social backlash of her behavior would have remained the same in the 1990s. She would have suffered the pressure and gossip of high schoolers back then just as she would now.
#WakeUp
"If I was as bad as Tina said I was--there's going to be something of myself, of my night, in the last place I want to see it . . . I need this part over with. So get it over with" (136).
In a conversation with a classmate, we discussed the ramifications of social media (she's reading another novel dealing with sexting) and young women. She asked me how I deal with sexting and social media with teens, and this is what I remind them: the Internet leaves a record. Be careful.
In Summers' novel, main character Romy uses social media in a very interesting way: to piece together the details of the night of her rape. She searches hashtags until she finds the Wake Lake details, which include #WakeUp. The night unfolds: photos of a table of shots, the lake, selfies at the lake, and finally finds a photo of herself. Someone describes her as a "sloppy drunk mess by the bonfire," and more photos and updates throughout that fateful night, but no definitive answers.
This information does help Romy get angry; outwardly angry. And as a result, she confronts one of her bullies, Tina, which results in a fight. Throughout the novel, Romy is full of rage, but in my opinion, it's rage that she has internalized and turned inward on herself, rather than using the anger constructively by showing it to those who hurt her. It's almost as if Romy hates herself, but sees herself through the mirror that's held by her classmates--an inaccurate picture of both her and her alcoholic father (the town drunk).
Romy is traumatized, not herself, and the novel feels like she's in a haze throughout the story. It's difficult to read as this tragic story unfolds, because there seems so little change in Romy's character until the end of the novel, when she decides to befriend her frenemy, Tina, to bring Kellan to justice.
In a conversation with a classmate, we discussed the ramifications of social media (she's reading another novel dealing with sexting) and young women. She asked me how I deal with sexting and social media with teens, and this is what I remind them: the Internet leaves a record. Be careful.
This information does help Romy get angry; outwardly angry. And as a result, she confronts one of her bullies, Tina, which results in a fight. Throughout the novel, Romy is full of rage, but in my opinion, it's rage that she has internalized and turned inward on herself, rather than using the anger constructively by showing it to those who hurt her. It's almost as if Romy hates herself, but sees herself through the mirror that's held by her classmates--an inaccurate picture of both her and her alcoholic father (the town drunk).
Romy is traumatized, not herself, and the novel feels like she's in a haze throughout the story. It's difficult to read as this tragic story unfolds, because there seems so little change in Romy's character until the end of the novel, when she decides to befriend her frenemy, Tina, to bring Kellan to justice.
Friday, July 10, 2015
YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING STUPID, DID YOU?
I felt that throughout All the Rage, author Courtney Summers used technology effectively and in a very natural way. Characters used their cellphones, sent text messages, and took photos, just as we do in our everyday lives. It felt natural and in no way interfered with the plot or storytelling. Sometimes, Romy misused technology, for instance in laying out her heart's desire for Kellan in an email, but overall technology was used naturally and appropriately.
The adults in the story are a mixed bag: Romy's parents do not seem very technologically savvy, and generally her hometown of Grebe seems to rely more on gossip and word-of-mouth for information. "Word travels. It gets slurred in bars, murmured over fences between neighbors, muttered in the produce section of the grocery store and again at the checkout, because the cashier always has something to add," (297). But Sheriff Turner, for instance, calls upon teens to check social media for clues about Penny's whereabouts when she goes missing.
Following are some examples of the use of technology in All the Rage.
Emails:
Emails are exchanged every day in our world; we email our deepest thoughts and insecurities to one another electronically, and sometimes our words can haunt us. This happened to Romy, as Sheriff Turner used an email she'd sent to Penny as evidence that she's "that kind of girl" who would be provocative in order to seduce his son (97).
Texts:
Romy's relationship with Leon was enhanced by the use of technology; they exchanged texts and calls as average teens do in our contemporary society. Throughout the novel, the couple uses calls and texts to set up dates and connect with one another.
Cell Phones:
Cell phones are used for more than conversation; for instance, Romy uses hers for searching the drug, Georgia Home Boy (GHB) that was used to drug her at the lake party. This is an integral part of most of teens' days--using cell phones for Internet searching and other applications.
Computers/Laptops:
Romy has a laptop, and uses it for Internet searching as well; it is crucial to remembering the night of her rape. She logs into Twitter and searches hashtags--the best way to filter information on the site.
Other Technology:
Leon owns his own website design company, and works Swan's to supplement his income until his business is more successful.
Overall, Summers integrates technology into the dynamic of her novel and creates an authentic and natural use of devices in teens' lives.
The adults in the story are a mixed bag: Romy's parents do not seem very technologically savvy, and generally her hometown of Grebe seems to rely more on gossip and word-of-mouth for information. "Word travels. It gets slurred in bars, murmured over fences between neighbors, muttered in the produce section of the grocery store and again at the checkout, because the cashier always has something to add," (297). But Sheriff Turner, for instance, calls upon teens to check social media for clues about Penny's whereabouts when she goes missing.
Following are some examples of the use of technology in All the Rage.
Emails:
Emails are exchanged every day in our world; we email our deepest thoughts and insecurities to one another electronically, and sometimes our words can haunt us. This happened to Romy, as Sheriff Turner used an email she'd sent to Penny as evidence that she's "that kind of girl" who would be provocative in order to seduce his son (97).
Texts:
Romy's relationship with Leon was enhanced by the use of technology; they exchanged texts and calls as average teens do in our contemporary society. Throughout the novel, the couple uses calls and texts to set up dates and connect with one another.
Cell Phones:
Cell phones are used for more than conversation; for instance, Romy uses hers for searching the drug, Georgia Home Boy (GHB) that was used to drug her at the lake party. This is an integral part of most of teens' days--using cell phones for Internet searching and other applications.
Computers/Laptops:
Romy has a laptop, and uses it for Internet searching as well; it is crucial to remembering the night of her rape. She logs into Twitter and searches hashtags--the best way to filter information on the site.
Other Technology:
Leon owns his own website design company, and works Swan's to supplement his income until his business is more successful.
Overall, Summers integrates technology into the dynamic of her novel and creates an authentic and natural use of devices in teens' lives.
Friday, July 3, 2015
#ToTheGirls: One of the Most Important Feminist Hashtags of 2015
I chose to read Courtney Summers' novel All the Rage for this blog project. I did a little research before choosing my book, and one of the deciding factors was that the author is very adept at using social media and technology herself to publicize her novels. I instantly connected with her on
twitter--she responded to a few of my #alltherage tweets--and the novel sounded interesting.
Summers used social media as a publicity tool, and to raise awareness of the way girls are treated in our society, by coining the hash tag #ToTheGirls encouraging a big warm hug on April 14 to every girl using social media. Here's the information from the author's blog, courtneysummers.ca:
#TOTHEGIRLS"On April 14th, 2015, for the release of All the Rage, Courtney launched the hashtag campaign #ToTheGirls, asking people to send a personal message of support, encouragement and positivity to girls across their social media accounts. #ToTheGirls was a resounding success; it went viral, trending worldwide on Twitter. Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda discussed it on The Today Show and it was featured on Annenberg TV News. It was written about at MTV, Mic News (where it was also named one of the most Important Feminist Hashtags of 2015), The New York Times / Women in the World, Sofia Vergara’s official site, The Huffington Post, Hello Giggles, Quill & Quire, The Debrief, and received a Twitter shout-out from USA Today and a shout-out in The Atlantic. You can explore the hashtag on Twitter,Tumblr and Instagram."
I searched the #ToTheGirls hash tag on twitter and found many responses and posts; it must have been a successful campaign. As mentioned in the blurb, #ToTheGirls was named one of the top feminist hash tags (so far) in 2015 by Identities.Mic. The article is a fascinating look at social media and feminism; I hadn't heard of many of the sites/causes.
As mentioned earlier in this post, I tweeted to Courtney right away, and she responded warmly. I asked her a few questions and she answered with humor and intelligence. So, this interaction set up my foundation for reading All the Rage. A social media savvy author and a well-written teen drama; what more could I ask for in a literature review assignment?
twitter--she responded to a few of my #alltherage tweets--and the novel sounded interesting.
 |
| Photo Courtesy of the author's website. |
Summers used social media as a publicity tool, and to raise awareness of the way girls are treated in our society, by coining the hash tag #ToTheGirls encouraging a big warm hug on April 14 to every girl using social media. Here's the information from the author's blog, courtneysummers.ca:
#TOTHEGIRLS"On April 14th, 2015, for the release of All the Rage, Courtney launched the hashtag campaign #ToTheGirls, asking people to send a personal message of support, encouragement and positivity to girls across their social media accounts. #ToTheGirls was a resounding success; it went viral, trending worldwide on Twitter. Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda discussed it on The Today Show and it was featured on Annenberg TV News. It was written about at MTV, Mic News (where it was also named one of the most Important Feminist Hashtags of 2015), The New York Times / Women in the World, Sofia Vergara’s official site, The Huffington Post, Hello Giggles, Quill & Quire, The Debrief, and received a Twitter shout-out from USA Today and a shout-out in The Atlantic. You can explore the hashtag on Twitter,Tumblr and Instagram."
I searched the #ToTheGirls hash tag on twitter and found many responses and posts; it must have been a successful campaign. As mentioned in the blurb, #ToTheGirls was named one of the top feminist hash tags (so far) in 2015 by Identities.Mic. The article is a fascinating look at social media and feminism; I hadn't heard of many of the sites/causes.
As mentioned earlier in this post, I tweeted to Courtney right away, and she responded warmly. I asked her a few questions and she answered with humor and intelligence. So, this interaction set up my foundation for reading All the Rage. A social media savvy author and a well-written teen drama; what more could I ask for in a literature review assignment?
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