Part Four: Jack

"The thing is, there are always going to be kids like Julian who are jerks. But if a little kid like Jamie, who's usually a nice enough kid, can be that mean, then a kid like August doesn't stand a chance in middle school." (page 141)

I questioned Jack's motives in the beginning of this novel. I knew something was up with him and when he said those mean things about August to Julian and his little minions friends,  my thoughts were confirmed. Unlike Via and Summer, Jack ended up giving into the "cool crowd" and saying what they wanted Jack to say. But, that part isn't in this particular part of the book so I am moving on...

I believe the reason why Jack wants to be in the cool crowd is because he isn't rich like his other schoolmates are. Not having the wealth of being a high social class hurts Jack's chances of being "cool." In the chapter titled "Private School," Jack doesn't feel like the others because his family doesn't have money to have a house so they have to rent an apartment and cut out the air conditioning in order to save money. Maybe this is why Jack somewhat connects to August, but Jack already feels like the odd one out and he has found someone to share the connection with. 

The turning point in Jack's part of the story was when he punched Julian in the mouth. I was waiting for someone to do that the entire time. In my head, I was cheering him on. To feel so passionately about the characters in a book really says something about the way the authors writes and develops his or her characters. I feel as though Jack changed and evolved throughout the novel from phony to a true friend.

Finally, the part where Jack and August were texting each other and Jack apologized for saying mean things about August was great. It's truly something kids their age would do and that's what makes this novel very realistic.

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This quote relates to Jack in a way that he doesn't need to see that August is a good friend. Despite his abnormalities, August is a great friend to Jack.