Learning Objectives
- Understand the impact of bullying and social exclusion
- Analyse the characters of Wanda, Peggy, and Maddie
- Explore themes of empathy, poverty, and peer pressure
- Understand how silence in the face of injustice makes one complicit
Key Concepts
Summary
Wanda Petronski is a quiet Polish girl who lives in the poor part of town, Boggins Heights. She comes to school wearing the same faded blue dress every day. One day, she claims to have a hundred dresses at home, all lined up in her closet. The girls in her class, led by Peggy, make fun of her by repeatedly asking about her dresses. Peggy, the most popular girl, starts a daily game of teasing Wanda about her supposed hundred dresses. Maddie, Peggy's best friend, feels uncomfortable about the teasing but never speaks up because she fears being teased herself (she also wears hand-me-down clothes).
One day, the class notices Wanda is absent. She has been absent for several days. The chapter ends with the teacher reading a letter from Wanda's father, announcing that the family is moving away because Wanda has been bullied for her name and background.
Characters
Wanda Petronski: A quiet, shy, poor girl with a difficult-to-pronounce Polish name. She sits alone in the corner of the classroom. Despite being bullied, she never retaliates. She is actually talented and creative, as revealed later.
Peggy: The most popular and pretty girl in the class. She leads the teasing of Wanda, claiming she is not being cruel but merely having fun. She does not realise the impact of her actions.
Maddie: Peggy's best friend. She is also from a modest background. She feels guilty about the bullying but remains a silent bystander out of fear of being targeted herself. She represents the dilemma of a bystander.
Theme
The chapter explores bullying, social discrimination, and the role of bystanders. It shows how silence in the face of injustice is a form of complicity. The story questions whether it is enough to simply not participate in bullying or whether one must actively stand up against it.
Summary
Part I establishes the pattern of daily teasing that Wanda endures. It introduces the three central characters and the class dynamics. Wanda's quiet dignity in the face of mockery and Maddie's internal conflict set the stage for the resolution in Part II. The chapter raises important questions about courage, empathy, and standing up for what is right.
Important Terms
- Bullying
- Repeated aggressive behaviour intended to hurt or intimidate someone perceived as weaker
- Bystander
- A person who witnesses wrongdoing but does not intervene; Maddie's role in the story
- Discrimination
- Unfair treatment based on characteristics like name, origin, or economic status
Quick Revision
- Author: El Bsor Ester. Setting: An American school.
- Wanda claims to have 100 dresses; the girls tease her daily about this claim
- Peggy leads the teasing; Maddie is a silent, uncomfortable bystander
- Wanda's father writes a letter saying the family is moving away due to bullying
- Theme: Bullying, silence of bystanders, and social discrimination