Throughout Sticks and Stones, Bazelon presents the readers with evidence to break through bullying stereotypes. In order to clarify the situations that occur with bullying, Bazelon chooses to provide the readers with facts to determine what stereotypes are true and which ones are deceiving. In Sticks and Stones, we see how Aaron bullied Jacob because Jacob was gay. However, bullies target others for different reasons, but “kids like Aaron are the ones who are called bully-victims in the psych literature...sometimes they lash out because they’re frustrated over how they’re being treated” (Bazelon 71). Bullies are always viewed as the bad or mean kids in stereotypes, but what we do not always realize is that the bully could be suffering in some
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Bazelon decided to use these students’ narratives to offer real life stories that we might be able to relate to, so that we are willing to reconsider some of these bullying stereotypes. Bazelon points out that “often girls are cast as the popular bully, in life and in the movies, but in fact most victims, boys and girls report they’ve mainly been bullied by boys” (Bazelon 33). It is common for people to think that girls are most often the bullies, however that is not true. Based on how Bazelon uses these narratives, it changes the readers thoughts on some of these bullying stereotypes and creates a lasting impact on the readers. As Bazelon expressed, boys are more commonly the bullies. Most of the time when bullying occurs the bully, the victim, and others might not even view it as bullying. Teenagers tend to say cruel things and they think it is funny or they act like they are just messing around. In Sticks and Stones, Bazelon does not have a narrative with a masculine point of view, even though she expressed the fact that boys are more commonly bullies. When it comes to bullying, most people already have their idea of how these situations play out, but we normally do not realize that there are different factors and circumstances that affect each bullying scenario. Phoebe’s father claimed that “the image of Phoebe as depressed and self-destructive is a picture I don’t recognize” (Bazelon 92). When situations such as Phoebe’s are going on, the people closest to the victim may not even realize these underlying problems. Majority of the time victims of bullying are portrayed as weak, helpless, and innocent. However, this is not always the case. With Phoebe, we learned about all the previous struggles and drama in her life. This is important to realize, because it points out how the victims act in these
Bazelon decided to use these students’ narratives to offer real life stories that we might be able to relate to, so that we are willing to reconsider some of these bullying stereotypes. Bazelon points out that “often girls are cast as the popular bully, in life and in the movies, but in fact most victims, boys and girls report they’ve mainly been bullied by boys” (Bazelon 33). It is common for people to think that girls are most often the bullies, however that is not true. Based on how Bazelon uses these narratives, it changes the readers thoughts on some of these bullying stereotypes and creates a lasting impact on the readers. As Bazelon expressed, boys are more commonly the bullies. Most of the time when bullying occurs the bully, the victim, and others might not even view it as bullying. Teenagers tend to say cruel things and they think it is funny or they act like they are just messing around. In Sticks and Stones, Bazelon does not have a narrative with a masculine point of view, even though she expressed the fact that boys are more commonly bullies. When it comes to bullying, most people already have their idea of how these situations play out, but we normally do not realize that there are different factors and circumstances that affect each bullying scenario. Phoebe’s father claimed that “the image of Phoebe as depressed and self-destructive is a picture I don’t recognize” (Bazelon 92). When situations such as Phoebe’s are going on, the people closest to the victim may not even realize these underlying problems. Majority of the time victims of bullying are portrayed as weak, helpless, and innocent. However, this is not always the case. With Phoebe, we learned about all the previous struggles and drama in her life. This is important to realize, because it points out how the victims act in these