How I bullied a girl in elementary school (Blog Post #4)

Hey guys! I’m here to explain my story by offering some more detail on how it will go and backing my points with some research.

Exposition: Laura, a young girl visiting Vancouver, Canada, for a short stay, finds herself in the unfamiliar environment of Chaffey Burke Elementary School. Raised in China and deeply connected to her cultural identity, Laura struggles to adapt to Canadian culture, particularly due to her limited English skills. Despite these challenges, she manages to form a small group of friends. Laura’s initial personality traits are competitive, confident, and quick to judge.

Point of Attack: The arrival of Sandy, a new student, threatened Laura. Sandy’s presence challenges Laura’s sense of control and social status, sparking feelings of jealousy and frustration. Laura’s competitive nature turns these emotions into a determination to maintain her dominance within her social group.

Rising Action One: Sandy’s seating placement in front of Laura becomes an irritation, as it blocked her view of the board. Laura’s frustration extends into criticism, which she shares with her classmates. Sandy overhears these conversations but chooses not to respond, deepening the tension.

Rising Action Two: The tension escalates during a recess activity involving a blue finger light. When Laura discovers that Sandy has taken it, she confronts her. Using cruel insults, Laura, with the support of her classmates, leaves Sandy visibly hurt. This moment solidifies Laura’s position in her social circle but deepens her descent into bullying behavior.

Climax: The turning point occurs when Laura overhears Sandy sobbing to her mother, expressing her misery at being bullied and her wish to leave the school. The realization of her actions strikes Laura with guilt. This moment of clarity forces Laura to confront her behavior and question the social dynamics she has perpetuated.

Falling Action: Determined to change, Laura resolves to stop bullying Sandy and even attempts to shift the class dynamics by refusing to participate in further teasing. However, her classmates turn against her, labeling her a hypocrite and isolating her. When Laura tries to apologize to Sandy, she is met with rejection.

Resolution: Laura returns to China without finding resolution with Sandy. Reflecting on the experience, she acknowledges the power of peer pressure and her role as a bully.

Researched themes:

1. Research shows that peer pressure significantly influences children’s behavior, particularly in group settings. The need for social acceptance often drives individuals to act against their better judgment, as seen in Laura’s story [1].
2. Bullying can have severe psychological effects on victims, including anxiety, depression, and a diminished sense of self-worth. Sandy’s emotional response highlights the profound impact of such behavior [2].
3. While personal growth is an essential part of addressing past mistakes, redemption is not guaranteed. Research on conflict resolution emphasizes that forgiveness often depends on the victim’s readiness to reconcile, which may not align with the perpetrator’s timeline [3].
4. Laura’s story underscores the social hierarchies that develop during childhood. Studies suggest these dynamics play a significant role in shaping behaviors and relationships, often leaving lasting impressions [4].

Reference List:

1. Brown, B. B. (2004). Peer groups and peer cultures. In R. Lerner & L. Steinberg (Eds.), Handbook of Adolescent Psychology. John Wiley & Sons.
2. Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do. Wiley-Blackwell.
3. Worthington, E. L. (2005). Forgiveness and Reconciliation: Theory and Application. Routledge.
4. Rubin, K. H., Bukowski, W. M., & Parker, J. G. (2006). Peer interactions, relationships, and groups. In N. Eisenberg (Ed.), Handbook of Child Psychology. Wiley.