Stargirl was the protagonist of the story. Stargirl was a name that
she bestowed on herself. It was only one of several names that she gave
herself over time. The name given to her at birth was Susan Caraway. She
began attending Mica Area High School as a tenth grader. Before that she
was homeschooled. She tried to make people, both those that she knew and
those that she did not know, happy. She usually noticed and remembered
details. However, she seemed not to notice or to be concerned about what
other people thought about her.
Leo Borlock was the narrator. He was an eleventh grader at Mica Area
High School. He was fascinated by Stargirl. He produced a show at the
school that was aired on the local public access television station. It
was called Hot Seat. Producing the show rather than moderating it worked
well for him because he was shy. Stargirl loved him and was willing to
sacrifice for him.
Archie Brubaker helped explain Stargirl to us. He explained other things,
too. He was a retired professor. He was a paleontologist. He sat on his
porch every Saturday morning and taught the students who gathered there
about bones, ancient history, the desert and other topics that arose.
Hillari Kimble was the antagonist of the story. You may have met her
at your school. I am quite sure that she attended mine, using a different
name, of course. Hillari knew from the first minute that she saw Stargirl
that she did not like her, and did not want her at the school. She tried
to lead the other students and usually succeeded. Once, she tried out
for the cheerleading squad, and then, after being accepted, turned down
the opportunity. That incident was later referred to as Hillari's Hoax.
Her boyfriend was Wayne Parr. She was demanding and spiteful, the opposite
of Stargirl.
Most of the story took place in one school year at Mica Area High School in Mica, Arizona.
The author tells the story through the eyes of one of the characters, Leo Bordock.
The author uses one of the characters, Archie Brubaker, a retired professor, to give insight into what is happening in the story.
Short chapters, between three and ten, mostly between three and seven, pages divide the story up nicely into easily digested morsels.
The story begins with the other students not accepting Stargirl because she is so different. It proceeds to her being accepted, then not accepted and shunned, because, among other things, as a cheerleader, she has too much sympathy for the opposing teams. She tries to act more acceptably, because it is important to her boyfriend, Leo, the narrator of the story. But they continue to be shunned and she goes back to the way that she naturally was. Then, in the climax of the tale, she goes to the Ocotillo Ball by herself, and has an enjoyable time leading a large number of the other students in the bunny hop. The next day, she is gone, not to be seen again. But some of her ideas, such as cheering for the first score of the other team, linger on.
The chapters include two that are not numbered, the first and the last. The
first, Porcupine Necktie, takes place years before the rest of the story,
but ties in with something that happens in a later chapter. The last,
More Than Stars, tells how the school changed due to Stargirl's influence.
Clapsaddle, Diane. "TheBestNotes on A Long Way Gone".
TheBestNotes.com.
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