Popularity #2

[maxdoelling]

Max Doelling
Period 10
English 2
Message Board Essay 2

Popularity #2
In Nineteen Minutes the most important theme is popularity. Peter was not the most popular kid in the school. The reason he brought the gun to school was because he was bullied by the popular kids like Matt, who believe beating on the kids who are “different” is the cool thing to do. Josie thought being popular was one of the most important goals to achieve during high school, which is why she stopped hanging out with Peter. I don’t think being popular is the most important thing, as long as you are happy with yourself.
To me, popularity is not as important as dying of thirst. I think if you have friends who like you for who you are and you have fun together, there should be no reason to change that. Why would you try acting like someone else just to gain friends who you won’t enjoy hanging out with? Popularity is just temporary though. If you think about it, after school is over through high school there is no more popular and unpopular kids. You don’t see your parents getting bullied around by the popular kids of their high school because popularity is so juvenile and most people have moved on past it.
Belonging to a group and being popular are two, very different ideas. Fitting in could mean that you have what it takes to become friends with the people of a certain group. This group may not always be the popular kids though. You could fit in to the skaters clique or mathletes, but that might not be where the popular kids are. Being popular means that you have to like certain things, dress a specific way, and act a certain way.
I do not think it is possible to have a school where everyone is popular. The chances of everybody being into the same stuff, all dressing the same way, and acting all alike is very slim. There will always be at least one different person. A lot of it has to do with parents. Some parents raise their children to play sports every year, and they become considered a jock in high school, while others may raise their kids to focus completely on school, making them a geek or a nerd.
High school popularity is not what makes or breaks you in the real world after school is finished. As long as you have friends and are comfortable with yourself, you should have a good time. What really matters is the school work and college. I wouldn’t mind being called a science geek if it meant owning a giant mansion when I get older.

[barryrubino]

Try to compare a little more to the book and how Josie was forced to stop hanging out with Peter. Very good i like how you verify that if someone is successful, it does not matter how they dress or act.

[alexholder]

You did a very good job on locating specific points with popularity and diffrent clicks. You should focus more on how josie and peters relationship was and the book nineteen minutes all together. With the way you compared popularity and success in life was a very good topic. All together i feel that your essay was very good.

[lloreallbam]

i like how you put your own opinion when you said "I wouldn’t mind being called a science geek if it meant owning a giant mansion when I get older.", also how you said alot of it has to do with the parents, but saying that in the book peters mom tryed to get him into sports, he just never stuck with it.