Blog 5: Just Girls

Just Girls: Hidden Literacies and Life in Junior High written by Margaret J. Finders follows the 7th and 8th grade years of two different groups of adolescent girls, the “Social Queens” and the “Tough Cookies.” The “Social Queens” were known as the popular girls, they were from somewhat affluent families, read ‘zines,’ participated in many school activities with the support of their parents, and were well known throughout the school. The “Tough Cookies,” or “Trailer Park Kids,” emphasized the importance of good grades and family over being social in an educational setting, read novels instead of magazines, and came from poorer families. I related to the stories of these girls on many different levels, their stories reminded me of that awkward stage we all have gone through in middle school. Finders works her way into the girls’ lives and gains their trust, and in return we get an awesome look at all the literacies that these girls use during their time in Junior High, from writing in each others’ yearbooks to passing notes between classes.

I found all the different forms of literacies in this novel so interesting. During Junior High or even before taking this class, I never would have thought writing three page long notes to my best friend during class would be considered a literate practice. One particular incident that stood out to me in the book was the time at the end of the year where the students are signing each others’ yearbooks.  For the Social Queens, this was an exciting time of the year. The Tough Cookies, however, didn’t even purchase yearbooks, nevertheless worry about spending class time writing in someone’s yearbook. One of the many aspects of the practices of literacy in the yearbooks is the way in which certain students set the standard for what and how one was supposed to write in another’s yearbook.

Students with the greatest status were freed from judgement, and their written comments become models for others to copy. As I watched, one student carefully moved her finger across the page, working cautiously to transfer a phrase exactly from one yearbook to another. Because a particular phase was perceived as carrying more current in this arena, this teen appropriated the words of another student as her own in order for her own voice to contain that power. Students shared texts and at times took another person’s message for their own, copying the same phrase from one person’s yearbook to the next (44).

I remember this feeling when writing in another person’s yearbook. I never wanted to say something that seemed like I cared too much, but also didn’t want to come off as rude. So I would read other peoples’ entries into others’ yearbooks and try to emulate the same tone as everyone else. It’s so interesting how in Junior High the goal seems to be to blend in instead of standing out.