In Ariel Schrag’s first two books Awkward and Definition her
character enters her first year of High School at Berkley. This graphic memoir
follows her through all her awkward encounters, crushes, and her relationship
with alcohol/drugs.
The first time Ariel tried smoking weed was because a friend
was doing it and she didn’t want to stand out by saying she had never done it. Although
Ariel had never smoked weed before, she didn’t want her friend to think of her
differently so she did it just to fit in. I enjoyed this scene in many ways,
and find it extremely important to the book and her characters development
because it shows the struggle that every new high school student has; trying to
fit in, sometimes regardless of how you have to do it.
Throughout the whole book Ariel is meeting new people who
smoke weed and getting high or drunk with them, sometimes both. Ariels
character would hide this particular hobby from her parents by trying to avoid
them while she was drunk or high. During the book this caused a few problems as
sometimes when Ariel and a friend were trying to leave while smoking her Dad
stopped her and Ariel tried leaving in more of a rush causing her Dad to worry
and question her.
Ariel’s interest in weed and alcohol grows throughout the
book from her just simply trying it to her smoking up whenever she hung out
with her friends, and them drinking every weekend. For Ariels 16th
birthday a friend offers to buy her a new bong; this part shows the growth with
her relationship to drugs because now Ariel isn’t just doing while out with
friends, Ariel starts to smoke by herself, and is growing a ‘collection’.
Near the middle of Definition
Ariel and her two friends proceed to get really drunk and start running around
like man men through the city. Both of Ariels books include a couple times in
which Ariel and friends get drunk or high and do things that aren’t too safe,
such as; racing while under the influence, smoking down dark alleys, and taking
their clothes off in public.
Ariel’s exploration of weed and alcohol is a constant in Awkward and Definition, although Ariel isn’t always safe, she isn’t in any
horrid danger throughout the books. Ariels character also still does well
in school and maintains herself throughout the book which is an excellent thing
to see.
A page from Ariels book Definition
KB
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