How Do Different Looks Look?

Cover of Looks by Madeleine George

In Looks by Madeleine George, the story is told in the perspective of two different teenage girls who attend Valley Regional High School. Although the author tries to make it seem as if the two girls have very different views and lives, I think that their perspectives are actually more similar than they seem. They both have many traits in common. The two girls are Meghan, a very overweight girl, and Aimee, a somewhat anorexic girl. Although they almost sound as opposites (and I believe they are supposed to), I managed to find many similarities between their characters.

The main similarity I found is that both girls try to make their selves smaller, and not only physically (although they do), but mentally too. In school, both girls try to hide themselves. For Meghan, hiding is a matter because she is bullied badly, so she hides to find a safe and comfortable zone where she can just be her. I think this is because overall Meghan needs an escape, and that relates the story back to Aimee. Aimee mentions throughout the entire story that she needs an escape from not eating, and although I'm not exactly sure how because I've never been in that position, I can understand how having an escape might be necessary. They both need escapes from the ton of kids at school, and I see how that may end up causing stress on a person. Sometimes, I get nervous before tests or drama performances or interviews or even essays. A thing you can do is to take a break from stressing over what you are nervous of and instead have a relative escape. Things I like to do are read, run, play soccer or even just go on walks or be with my friends, simple activities, otherwise that anxiety can build up and overrule someone. I think that's how Aimee and Meghan both feel, how they both need an escape and something they can do but they just can't find one. Because of this, they both try to make themselves invisible and not noticeable, but end up feeling ignored and sad. This is a cycle they're both going around, just in different ways.

Although I notice similarities, I also noticed a few subtle differences. Throughout the plot I've noticed Meghan has tried to take everything in and in someway tries to get everyone to like her and be her friend. She tries hard to make everyone like and appreciate her. I noticed Aimee has a very different attempt on high school. Instead of trying to make everyone like her or try hard to make friends, Aimee pushes people away and they end up trying harder to be her friend. The first year at camp, when trying to make friends, many people tried to push others away because of many different reasons. Others tried harder to make pals so that they wouldn't have to be alone. I admit I was one to kind of let people come to me instead of being the outgoing one in the situation, but that may have just been because I was shy. This reminded me of the way Aimee lets people come to her, and Meghan tries harder to befriend many.