The novel Nineteen Minutes is written by Jodie Picoult, and explores a high school shooting in a poignant and thought-provoking

way. Seventeen year-old Peter Houghton has suffered verbal and physical abuse for most of his school life. A final humiliating bullying incident pushes Peter over the edge, leading to the high school shooting that brings the characters of this book face to face with reality. I enjoyed this book because I found it fascinating the way the author delved into the idea that everyone is hiding something; whether it be parent-child relationships, or the way Josie had to feel fake, to remain popular. The first idea I found fascinating was the relationship the author describes between parents and their children. That once reality sets in, parents may realise that their child is not who they want them, or who they expected them to be. One of the main relationships was between Peter and his mother Lacy. After the shooting Peters mother is in shock, as she realises that her precious son was not as perfect, or fine, as she had thought. Peters actions cause the town to point the finger and blame Lacy for raising a monster, when in reality she had done all she could. Crying in the hospital, she tells Detective Jordan, He didnt do this because of how we raised him. He did it in spite of that. She then continues to ask What if [your son] became a suicide bomber? to which Jordan replies I really dont want to think about something like that, which is when she replies, No, Neither did I. This discussion showed me how parents may overlook their childrens faults because they only want to see the best in their children, until like Lacy they are faced with the truth, One of her sons had been doing drugs. The other was a murderer. However after the brutal reality sets in, Lacy begins to judge her skills as a mother, had it been all her fault? She realises too late that taking credit for what a child did well also meant accepting responsibility for what they did wrong. This showed me how expectations a parent has of their child can lead them to overlook faults, and on the other hand puts pressure on the children to live up to this. For example, Peter thought he was always doomed to be a failure because he couldnt match up to his brothers Golden Boy image - Acceptance started at home, but so did intolerance. By the time Peter had been excluded at school, Lacy realised, he was used to feeling like an outcast in his own family. From these ideas I gathered that how children present themselves to their parents will probably be somewhat fake, because they wont want to disappoint their parents expectations. However I especially liked this idea because the author also points out that, Most people grow up and realize these incidents, in the grand scheme of things, are just small pieces of the puzzle that moulds us into what we are today, while others who can't see the whole picture turn out like Peter. I think that every teenager feels put under pressure by their parents, but I also know that a parent only wants whats best for us. I think expectations are a good thing; it means parents care enough to want the best for us, so that once theyre gone, we can provide for ourselves and our family, and be happy with what weve achieved. Another idea I found relatable was the peer pressure to come out on top, and the sacrifice some people make by hiding their true selves, or destroying someone else, to achieve this. Josie is the character in this novel that really expresses this, and she described herself as, a fake who had nearly forgotten what it felt like to be real. She describes being popular as having alliances, not friends. You could be on the right side of the line one day, and the next be knocked down by the same people who laughed with you at lunch an hour ago. If you even doubted your right to be one of the privileged, popular set, then you didnt belong there. For Josie, being popular was an ultimatum, Either Josie was someone she didnt want to be, or she was someone who nobody wanted. This really shows how to come out on top, Josie had to hide herself under a fake persona, someone who dressed the right way, who laughed at all the right jokes, and who went along with the bullying against all the right people, even her old friend. After the shooting, when Josie protests against Drew bullying a classmate, he says What? Youre the one who wanted to go back to normal. This really drove home for me, how much bullying and popularity is engrained into high school. To come out on top, some people, especially teenagers, deem it necessary to elevate themselves above others by tearing down the people around them. I found this novel showed me how much some teenagers find it necessary to fit in with the social norm, so that they dont get bullied for being different. Although I do think that this has improved with all the anti-bullying campaigns, this made me realise that to break the system, a teenager has to give up their place as being accepted as one of the popular kids, which is a lot to ask of a teenager who just wants to fit in. Josies actual fear of crossing that popularity line, made me realise that though it may not seem a great deal, fighting against peer pressure means facing a crowd who most likely will tear you down in their

own desperation to move up in the social ladder. I think it takes a certain ruthlessness to stay on top, a practice that probably doesnt just apply to teenagers. But as Josie demonstrates, it may also mean painting on a fake persona to fit in, and possibly losing yourself in the process. 19 Minutes is quite a surprising book, as it explores the emotional ties between parent and child, while also delving into peer pressure in high school. I wont say this book opened my eyes and helped me mature, but I did find these ideas relatable and very real. I know bullying is wrong, and I also know that my parents only want whats best for me. This novel reminded me of this fact, but for me most importantly, reminded me of how lucky I am I dont have to deal with these problems every day, like unfortunately some teenagers do.