a. What challenges did you overcome throughout this story project? How did you go about
overcoming these challenges?
I experienced challenges like actually writing part of a speech for Faye to recite. I wanted to depict something realistically related to youth crime, and it was kind of hard to link youth crime and bullying in the introduction, but the rest of Faye’s speech has a smoother transition. I was also challenged by writing a realistic reaction of the teachers and her classmates. Originally, I wanted them all to be shocked and side with her after her speech, but then realized that it would be too calm a reaction for a class of high schoolers. An immediate commotion seemed more realistic, and I realized that I was writing Faye’s ideal reaction of the class rather than a realistic portrayel.
b. How did writing and researching this story change the way you think?
Writing and researching expanded my knowledge on many things. I was originally going to focus on public shame as well as bullying, but then got caught up in Faye’s appearance, which isn’t even really described in the story. It really made me appreciate how much effort and planning goes into her execution, as simple as it seems. Things like a convincing backstory, good record, and unassuming appearance all play a part in Faye’s story of standing up to herself using unconventional means.
c. What impact will this story have on others locally and/or globally?
I hope that this story will shed some light on the issue of bullying and the consequences of morally grey actions like public shaming. Bullying is a personal issue for me, and in my opinion it is talked about too little. Seemingly harmless actions can have long lasting impacts. Bullying has many forms, and when some of them aren’t recognized, victims may turn to villains like Faye by taking matters into her own hands.