#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.

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.