#ouaoegoaerg

[bookwyrminspiration]

Her teachers and classmates didn't like her very much (which I think is unrealistic but that's another rant

I saw this in one of your posts, and I wanted to know what you meant by it? I think I could understand her classmates disliking her, or at the very least avoiding her, but I guess it makes sense that the teachers would probably be at least fond of her.

Okay okay okay so!! I have thoughts on this--and these are all my personal opinions/critiques of the situation, so you are fully welcome to disagree with me entirely this is just me!! that being said kinda ranty post ahead so here's your warning if you don't want to read that!

Her being disliked is set up almost immediately with, "[Her classmates] weren't exactly fans of their resident child prodigy" (pg 5, book one). But I find it incredibly hard to believe that Sophie, a high school senior going to a typical school as far as we know, would be hated by everyone. Going with a typical high school, she probably has like seven different classes and a few hundred people in her grade (senior). If my numbers are off it's because I don't go to a typical high school and am basing this off what I loosely know about my partner's high school.

But either way, you're (general you, not you specifically nonsie) telling me that out of the 100+ people Sophie sees on a regular basis and goes to school with, all of them hate her? None of them like her even a little bit? And on top of that, her teachers as well? Maybe Mr. Sweeney was just a bad teacher, but we certainly didn't see any other comparisons where she had a nice one. I find it incredibly hard to believe that all of Sophie's classmates and teacher's disliked her. This is a 12 year old amongst 18 year olds who is clearly uncomfortable and anxious and doesn't want to draw attention to herself, and you're telling me not a single person in that school empathized with her?

here's the fun thing about humans: they've got empathy built in. And if they don't have it preprogrammed, they notice it's what other people do and find ways to connect to achieve similar results (meaning you can be kind and caring without being empathetic). Humans are naturally inclined to group together. They find people like them and form groups. When we see people not caring for each other or people in need we tend to think something's wrong with them. Like Singer's pond example: if a child fell into a pond and starting drowning and a witness didn't do anything and yet was fully capable of helping without loosing something of equal or greater value, we would think they were wrong! that the correct and natural response was to help! that's an extreme but take that general idea and apply it to Sophie ehre

It think that if in the real world Sophie, a 12 year old among 17-18 year olds, would be cared for and looked after by at least a few if not the majority of her peers. Some of them could be bullies, yes. I'm not saying everyone has to love her, but I think at the very least there'd be a few students who were nice and looked out for her because that is a child. People aren't inherently mean and awful. If they weren't friends with here they'd be nice to her and try to make her feel comfortable and welcome because she's so out of place.

As someone who has been in classes with people older than me, ranging from a grade above to entire adults with kids while I was 14, people were not mean! yes, not all of those situations were high school and some adults might be more mature, but also! There were 17-18 year olds! Also in that class! And you know how me and the other 14 year old were treated? Same as everyone else.

People don't automatically hate the kids who are ahead. At most they just...ignore them. And not because they don't like them but because they have no reason to interact and are focusing on their own work. A 12 year old high school senior may be unusual, and they might be disappointed that they don't get the benefit of curved grading, but I don't think they'd dislike her as intensely and Shannon seems to be making them. Sophie might not fit in with them but that doesn't mean they'd all hate her.

And the thing with the teachers?? I have yet to meet a teacher who sees a super smart student and hates them for it. I think Mr. Sweeney was an outlier. Teachers with kids younger than they usually teach are so nice! They like it when you succeed and hope you'll do great things! The vast majority of them are nice to kids like Sophie and encourage them. And you're telling me that all of Sophie's teachers were rude and unlikeable? It's never stated that they were all awful but we only ever see Mr. Sweeney as an example. I just don't believe that all 7 of Sophie's teachers were jealous that she was smarter than them.

Based on my own experiences as the resident star student at every school/class I've been in, everyone hating her just doesn't feel realistic. Some people aren't going to like her, yes. There are going to be students upset they aren't at the top or that she busts the curve. But all her classmates and teachers adamantly disliking her? Sorry, but I don't believe it.

I think a few students would instead look out for her, be nice and ask how she's doing. And if they don't, then they'd be friendly with her and amicable. Those that don't interact with her would stay concentrated to their own friend groups and work, not silently judging a smart 12 year old. Humans care for each other.

And I think her teachers would be doting and look out for her and recognize how out of place she seems and try to make sure she's alright. They'd want her to do well and be happy to be part of her education and help her.

I just!! ahgaue!! Instead of being the hated social outcast for being smart, she'd at most be the social recluse who just doesn't talk to people but who everybody knows. They'd be friendly with her in passing and leave her to her own devices.

Maybe I've just had really good experiences but I simply don't think that an entire senior class would dislike her.