Response to Cole Stuart's "Status Quo"

Cole –

            This story is about Jake Blackwell, a boy in high school, who is very analytical and derives pleasure from the reactions that people have to his odd clothing choices. Because of his choices, Jake is seen as somewhat of an oddity, and consequently, people don’t want to be associated with him. However, this changes when, as a result of too many late arrivals, Jake receives in school suspension, where he meets Phil, Jordan, and Tanner, who, however tentatively accept him into their little group of social outcasts.

            My favorite thing about this piece was the repetition of buzz buzz. I thought the choice was interesting and helped to connect everything in the story. It also made the ending much more powerful, because the buzzing finally stops and there is only silence. However, whether this is the result of the drugs or the fact that Jake finally has a semblance of friendship is open to interpretation.

            My first suggestion is to expand Jake’s motivations. I get that he dresses the way he does in order to get reactions out of people, but I want to know what led him to doing that in the first place? Does he not have any friends, and decides that if people aren’t going to associate with him anyway, that it should be for a reason, and that’s why he dresses the way he does? Or does he not have any friends solely because he’s weird? I think providing more motivation for his actions would help me understand his character, especially since in the beginning, he says that he wishes he “could think things through in [the] normal way of doing things.” This, to me, indicates that he wants to be normal, so why doesn’t he just try to be normal?

            Also, I’d like to see some exploration of his so-called friends. With Dave, I want to know why Jake considers Dave his best friend? Are they really friends, or does Jake only think that because Dave will actually talk to him? I’d also like to see more of the guys in suspension with him, since they are the ones who help facilitate his change. Right now, I only have this vague notion of what they are, but nothing concrete.