In Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, Stargirl has a habit of cheering for both sides at the basketball games and when she does this, her side wins. When the other cheerleaders convince her to only cheer for her own side, they lose. This anomaly presented by the author is clearly about more than basketball. Stargirl’s behavior, not only in this scenario, but throughout the entire book, shows that you should give of yourself to everyone rather than only your friends. The author lets us see this exhibited in Stargirl through her penchant for giving people thoughtful presents and notes of congratulation of encouragement, in the fact that Stargirl doesn’t cry for herself often, and lastly Stargirl’s appearance at the Ocotillo Ball.
Stargirl’s practice of giving people little cards and gifts is a prime example of her penchant for giving of herself. She doesn’t even stop at gifts on holidays. She reads the fillers in the newspapers and uses the information garnered…show more content… The ball was the event of the year (it was like their prom) and it was similar to what we now refer to as Palm Sunday when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem for Passover on a donkey, the lowliest form of transportation, with palm leaves and flowers on the road before him. Everybody loved him and celebrated with him. Similarly, Stargirl came to the ball on a bicycle adorned with flowers and palm fronds, while everyone else arrived in limousines or other fancy cars. That night, it was as if the shunning had never happened; they loved and imitated her again, just like back in December. Sadly, Hillari did not fall under Stargirl’s spell like the others and slaps Stargirl across the face, but rather than retaliate, she kisses Hillari’s cheek as a sign of forgiveness and leaves. She made up her mind to be the best person she could be and embodied everything that Jesus stood for—love, forgiveness, and ‘turning the other cheek’ so to
