Stargirl Questions
Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
When Stargirl arrives on the scene, he becomes fascinated with her and eventually becomes her boyfriend. Overall, he seems like a good person, but like most people, he has his weaknesses. One of his weaknesses is that he is influenced by what other people think of him. This causes him to have a big internal conflict, or a difficult decision to make. Even though he really digs Stargirl, he decides that she needs to change so other people will like her, and as a result, like him again, too. The results of his decision lead him to feel regret, but he is not devastated. He is hopeful that eventually they may cross paths again.
Leo and his Love of the Unusual Well before Stargirl appears on the scene, Leo shows his true colors and makes a fan out of Shmoop. How? Well, he tells us that he likes porcupine ties, which gives him some individuality. We also know that he's a big fan of the neighborhood's resident old goofball, Archie. This guy is definitely unusual, so Leo is no stranger to the weird.
Perhaps, then, it really shouldn't surprise us that Leo is interested in Stargirl. Almost instantly, Leo is attracted to Stargirl, and we careful readers know this even before he does: "And each night in bed I thought of her as the moon came through my window." The poor kid doesn't understand why he keeps thinking about her, but we do. Our boy's in love. He'll figure it out soon enough.
And figure it out he does. What's so great about Leo's affection for Stargirl is it shows that he's a quirky guy himself. He may not want to admit it, but he relishes Stargirl's strangeness, even asking himself, "Was I myself becoming goofy?"
Oh, and you know what else he loves about his girl? She's kind. In fact, she is just about the best person in school. Leo's fondness for her should tell us that he's a pretty good person, too.
Leo and the Little Angel on his Shoulder For the most part, our Leo does seem like a good guy. For one thing, he has a strong internal sense of what is right and wrong. We see this a couple of times in the novel, such as when, deep down, he knows that they should not put Stargirl on the television show "Hot Seat." He realizes that Stargirl is special, and they should "leave her alone."
But then, he backtracks and lets her go on. What's that all about? Well, in some ways, it's just further proof of Leo's goodness. In fact, at this moment, he earns some serious points in Shmoop's book. He lets her on the show because he has noticed that Stargirl seems to be inspiring people to embrace their own differences, and he really appreciates that. He seems to like the fact that there's hope for all these conformist high schoolers after all. Maybe, just maybe, they'll embrace their inner quirk. (Of course this turns out to be very untrue, but we'll get to that.)
As Leo's relationship with Stargirl develops, he, too, develops some of his more favorable traits. He becomes more open to learning and experiencing new things. For example, he honestly tries to "erase" himself in meditation when they visit Stargirl's enchanted place in the desert. He becomes somewhat of a sidekick for his girlfriend when she goes on her missions to commit random acts of kindness. He also plays her "card" game at the mall.
With Stargirl's help, Leo becomes more observant of the beautiful common things around him, like ants carrying things across the road or an old man sitting on a bench. In fact, Leo and Stargirl have a wonderful time all the time. So why don't they end up together in the end, romantic comedy style?
To answer that question, we'll have to look at some of Leo's less appealing traits.
Leo the Lion (You Know, the Cowardly Kind?) We hate to do this, but we're just going to come right out and say it: Leo is a coward. We know, we know, Shmoop isn't one for name-calling. But this time, we swear it's justified. Just look at the way he treats Stargirl.
To be fair Leo really likes the girl. But he's too afraid to act on his feelings. So what does he do? He follows her after school, stalker-style in Chapter 3. Even when she catches him in her own driveway, he continues to hide behind the car. These are not the actions of a bold, brave boy. And they foreshadow his future cowardly acts.
Even when he overcomes his shyness and finally strikes up a relationship with Stargirl, he continues to be a bit of a coward. Only this time, he's not afraid of what Stargirl thinks of him. He's afraid of everyone else. Remember that moment, in Chapter 30, when he observes Stargirl and Dori playing their ukuleles out in the courtyard? Leo just stands idly by while the two of them are ostracized. Deep down he really wants to support her, but he can't quite bring himself to do so.
Or what about when he is embarrassed by Stargirl's bulletin board declaration of love? Or when he asks Stargirl to change her appearance and behavior so he won't be humiliated by dating her? Time and again, Leo proves that he is afraid of the masses' opinion, afraid of their viewing him negatively. What's so sad about this is that in the end, that fear causes him to treat Stargirl poorly, and eventually dump her. His loss.
Leo, Killer of Stargirl But first, he tries to have his cake and eat it, too. Leo tells Stargirl that in order to stay together, she must change. He tells her, "I think you should try to be more like the rest of us" (25.47). When Stargirl asks him why, he flat-out tells her "because nobody likes you" (25.53).
Dude, that's just cold. But you can't really say that Leo doesn't mean well. After all, he is just trying to make things easier on the two of them. Still, "nobody likes you" is not the way to win a girl's heart.
Of course when Stargirl does change—into Susan—Leo is over-the-moon happy about it. He's thrilled to help Susan learn to be normal. And when the plan ultimately fails and Stargirl goes back to her good old-fashioned self, Leo is mad. It seems that old cowardice, that old fear of not fitting in is still there, doing a number on Leo's emotions, causing him to value the opinions of others over his love for his girl.
Leo Loves But we can't just write Leo off as a wimp, a conformist, or even a jerk. He's our protagonist after all, and he has plenty of redeeming qualities. Think about the moment when Stargirl-turned-Susan gives her competition-winning speech in Chapter 28. The speech is Stargirl, through and through. It contains all the quirks of our favorite speechmaker, plus the wisdom Leo has come to associate with her, too. And at the end of her speech, Leo sobs. We mean, he sobs.
He's genuinely proud of his girlfriend. She has won, and she did so by being herself – by giving a speech only Stargirl could give. Deep down, we think he knows this, and maybe, just maybe, he's crying because he's proud of his girlfriend, in all her unique glory. Or maybe, just maybe, he's crying because he knows he has stifled that very same uniqueness. Then again, it's possible he just had some allergies.
In the end, we can't help but sympathize with Leo, despite all his mistakes. He must have really loved Stargirl, if he still thinks about her, fifteen years later. And in the end, that's what really matters. Perhaps it's only all these years later that a now mature Leo can look back and understand what Stargirl truly meant to him.
Stargirl Caraway Character Analysis Here's a heads up: much of this novel is an attempt to define Stargirl, and therein lies the problem. This is a girl who absolutely cannot be boxed in, pigeonholed, or tied up with a pretty little bow. She's a free spirit, a "rare bird" (according to Archie), and she defies definition in every sense of the word. Even fifteen years after the end of the book's main action, Leo, our protagonist, is still trying to suss her out.
So we've got quite the task ahead of us. Nevertheless, Shmoop is here to help. We'll highlight some of her most important characteristics, just to get those brain juices flowing. Then, maybe you can come up with your own idea of just who this girl is.
Stargirl, the Unwitting Rebel From the beginning, Stargirl is a fish out of water. She's the new girl at school, and that means she has a tough crowd to please. She doesn't quite understand all the unwritten rules that Mica's high school has, so she goes right along, doing her own thing.
And by doing her own thing, we mean singing "Happy Birthday" to strangers, cheering people for picking up litter, performing impromptu halftime shows at the football games, and the like. Stargirl does all of these things and a whole lot more, because she is either unaware of these unwritten rules, or she simply doesn't care to follow them.
No matter which way you hack it, our girl is a total rebel, even if she doesn't intend to be. She does things her own way, and most of the time, she doesn't seem all that concerned about whether or not people think she's strange.
Take, for example, her insistence on cheering for the opposite team during basketball games. After a while, it's pretty clear that the entire school can't stand the fact that she does this. Even when people scream at her to "Siddown!" Leo tells us that "she did not seem to notice" (11.19-20).
Stargirl, the Teacher While her nonconformity tends to put people off, once they do get to know her, they're sure to learn a lot. In the words of dear old Archie, "She seems to be in touch with something that the rest of us are missing" (19.32).
Leo, for one, learns a great deal from her in their time together. She's a natural teacher, even though it doesn't ever seem to be her intention to teach. It just comes to her naturally. One way she does this is by pointing out all the little things that she notices. She points out the beauty of an old man sitting on a bench, some struggling ants, and the fact that a neighborhood man repaints his door all the time. By pointing these things out to Leo, she's not giving him a lesson in the traditional sense. Instead she's just sharing her own curiosity with him, which allows Leo to explore his own curiosity. Through her observations, he comes to the important realization that before Stargirl, he "walked in a gray world of nothings" (20.13).
Stargirl, the Victim of Bullying Stargirl is so totally awesome that it's hard to think of her as a victim at all. But let's face it: everywhere she goes in high school, insults and tomatoes are thrown at her, and she even gets slapped by Mica's resident mean girl. It's clear from early on that the entire school (possibly including Leo at times) acts like one giant bully towards our girl. Leo says it best: "Classrooms, hallways, courtyard, lunchroom—everywhere I went I heard her disparaged, mocked, slurred."
It is the way she reacts to the bullying that speaks a lot about who she is as a person. You see, she flat out doesn't notice. In this sense, Stargirl is the opposite of your stereotypical teenager. She is not at all wrapped up in herself and what people think of her. She is just too busy being compassionate towards the very same people who treat her like dirt.
In fact, Stargirl doesn't seem worried about the fact that she doesn't have many friends. When Leo tries to talk to her about the fact that everyone in school has shunned her, she explains that the fact that he and Dori talk to her is enough. To Stargirl, it is much more important to have a few good, close friends than to be popular.
Looking at it that way, you could make the argument that Stargirl is not a victim at all. Sure, she's bullied, but she doesn't let it bring her down. She goes right on being "the friendliest person in the school" (3.33).
Stargirl Connects with the Universe We know that Stargirl sticks out like a sore thumb at school, but it's not until she takes Leo to her enchanted place that we find out why. As she leads Leo in meditation, she says, "The thing is, there's no difference anymore between me and the universe. The boundary is gone. I am it and it is me. I am a stone, a cactus thorn. I am rain" (17.90).
See, Stargirl is too busy being part of the universe to worry about being part of the popular group in high school. And in Chapter 25, when Leo confronts her about her not fitting in, she is most horrified by his claim that she is "not connected." Of course Leo is talking about the fact that she is not connected to her classmates. But if she is not connected to them, does this mean that she is not connected to the world, too? After all, her classmates are part of the universe, just maybe not the kindest part.
We see her connection to the universe pop up again and again, but it's Archie who finally explains where it comes from: she is a star person.
"Star people are rare," Archie tells us, and then he goes on to explain. In the beginning, stars "supplied the ingredients that became us, the primordial elements. We are star stuff […] And I think every once in a while someone comes along who is a little more primitive than the rest of us, a little closer to our beginnings, a little more in touch with the stuff we're made of" (32.17-23).
Strictly speaking, Archie is being completely scientifically accurate here. Or at least he is according to everyone's favorite scientist, Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson. That someone to whom Archie is referring in this case, is Stargirl. The reason she's so connected to the universe is that she's somehow closer to our beginnings as stars. She hasn't forgotten, like the rest of us.
This connection to the universe also connects her to other people, just maybe not those at her high school. It explains why she does seemingly kooky things like attend a stranger's funeral or send a young boy a bicycle (or another young boy a porcupine tie). She's not being nosy, or phony. She's just being compassionate, and on a deeper level than most.
Since Stargirl sees herself and everyone as a member of the world's group, or a member of the universe if you will, she doesn't understand why people wouldn't be happy when anyone, specifically the opposite team, would make a basket. When someone does something great, she feels happy for that person, no matter who it is. When someone feels pain, she feels that person's pain, too. The truth is, she feels like she knows them, even if she technically has never met them before. It's a little thing called empathy, and Stargirl has got it in spades.
Stargirl's Choice Like it or not, Stargirl faces one significant choice in the novel: should she try to fit in, or remain true to herself, in all her awesomely quirky glory? It's a tricky situation for Stargirl. Should she change herself to help Leo, who desperately wants her to? Or should she remain who she is and risk losing him? Either way, someone gets hurt.
For a while, it seems like she chooses to fit in. She kicks Stargirl to the curb and becomes Susan, the normal girl. But both she and Leo quickly realize that the endeavor was doomed from the start. When she returns as the State champion orator and still no one likes her, Susan gives up trying to be something that she is not. She accepts the fact that Leo will not accept her for who she is, and she attends the ball by herself and ends up having a great time. She even somehow becomes popular again.
Hmm. That's interesting. It seems like Stargirl gained popularity early in the novel for the very reason that eventually led to her downfall: her strangeness. But then, that very same strangeness makes her popular yet again, even if it's only just for the night of the Ocotillo ball.
And popular she remains. After she disappears, Stargirl clearly has a lasting impact on both Leo and the Mica community. New traditions begin at the high school, and Leo and the others remember Stargirl with more fondness than hatred. Perhaps it wasn't Stargirl's quirks that were the problem (are you listening, Leo?). Maybe Mica was the problem. The town just wasn't ready for a star person until it was too late.
A.H. (Archibald Hapwood) Brubaker, a.k.a. Archie Character Analysis Fossil Philosopher Archie, the neighborhood wise man and resident cool old guy, is a retired paleontologist. For those not in the know, that means that he studies fossils.
Well, no wonder his home is covered in bones. According to Leo, there are "bones in every room, every closet, on the back porch" (7.1). They're all trinkets he has collected on his paleontological digs. Some of the bones belong to him, and others he meant to send to a museum but kept instead. He justifies this by saying the bones would have sat in the museum's basement and would be much better appreciated at his house. Apparently, Archie is not too worried about sacrificing the rules for the greater good.
One bone in particular stands out: a 60-million-year-old rodent skull that Archie has named Barney. Barney acts as a bit of a teaching tool for Archie, and he uses it to explain concepts, ideas, and even life lessons to the many students that pay him visits. When the students are devastated by the basketball team's playoff loss, Archie uses Barney to show the kids that everyone loses in the end. It's just a part of life.
To be fair, Archie is a paleontologist, so of course there are tons of bones lying around. But there's a lot more to these bones than meets the eye, so head on over to our "Symbols" section for more.
The Teacher Teaches Not only is Archie a retired paleontologist, but also a retired college professor. While that technically means he doesn't have to teach anymore, he just can't resist the opportunity to impart some wisdom to his visitors. In fact, he even has a class that meets on Saturdays. (Yep, these kids voluntarily go to class on the weekend, and they're not getting course credit for it either. Go figure.)
But his students don't limit their visits to Saturdays. They were welcome at Archie's anytime, and they seem to stop by endlessly. It's a good thing Archie says his school is, "everywhere and always in session" (7.6).
Perhaps Archie's most eager student is none other than our Leo. But Leo is more interested in Archie's life lessons than his fossils. After all, Leo needs Archie's help in figuring out what to do about Stargirl. And in true teacher fashion, Archie won't tell the kid what to do. He just asks him the perfect question, through Señor Saguaro, of course: "Whose affection do you value more, hers or the others'?"
That's the question, isn't it? In just a few words, Professor Archie has managed to sum up the entire conflict Leo experiences in the novel. Impressive, no?
Eccentric? Sure. But Wise, Too If someone told us to close our eyes and imagine a wise, older gentleman-professor, we would probably imagine someone who looks a lot like Archie. He smokes a pipe, speaks in riddles, and is just quirky enough to always keep our interest.
When Leo comes to Archie with questions or concerns, he never gives him a straight answer. Instead, he says cryptic things like this comment, which he gives Leo after the boy asks for the scoop on Stargirl: "You'll know her more by your questions than by her answers. Keep looking at her long enough. One day you might see someone you know" (7.50). Um, what? Of course the more time passes, and the more Leo ponders, the less Archie's profound statements sound like nonsense. Funny how that happens.
All those riddles show just how quirky and eccentric our Archie is. Besides the fact that he decorates his house with bones, he also talks to a giant saguaro. Yep, the man communes with cacti, and he expects his visitors to do so, too. What's so great about this particular quirk is that it serves to emphasize—in a fun, clever way—one of Archie's favorite lessons: all things in nature are alive, and we are all connected to them.
Interpreter of Stargirl Lucky for Leo (and for us), Archie is very familiar with Stargirl. In fact, she has been visiting his house for several years now. As it turns out, Stargirl's mom would bring her daughter over so that she could have another teacher when she was being homeschooled. That means Archie should have the inside scoop on our girl, right?
Right. But even Archie hasn't totally figured Stargirl out. While he is able to give Leo some basic facts about her background, and help him understand that she is, in fact, genuine, that's about all he has for our narrator. The fact that the oldest and wisest among them cannot really figure Stargirl out may make us wonder if it is possible to figure her out at all. In fact, it may make us wonder if we can figure out anyone completely.
Kevin Quinlant Character Analysis Kevin is Leo's best friend, although at times, we can't help but wonder why.
They both arrived in Arizona four years ago during the very same week, and since then, they have been buddies. Leo states that they "usually agreed on everything" (3.13), and they share a ton of interests, likes, and dislikes. Leo seems to think that agreeing on everything is a recipe for a good friendship. Hmm. Shmoop is not so sure.
Tele-Kevin Kevin's first priority is without a doubt his television show, "Hot Seat." He lives and breathes for it. Kevin and Leo created the show together, but Kevin is the on-air personality. He does all the interviewing. He likes being in the spotlight, and he has no problem speaking in front of a crowd. In this way, he is different from Leo, who prefers the behind-the-scenes work of producing and working with the equipment in the sound room.
Despite the fact that it's a collaborative project, it's the drama surrounding this television show that allows us to see the first clouds on the horizon for Kevin and Leo's friendship. When Leo isn't sure about asking Stargirl to appear on the show, Kevin disagrees—gasp!—and argues about it with Leo. Their (somewhat) light-hearted battles about this continue until Leo finally relents.
When Kevin interviews Stargirl and things start to get out of control with some of the nasty things the jury says to her, he tries to rein everyone in. He even scolds the jury at one point and reminds them that their role is only to ask questions. But this is only after he lets several other nasty things go by without a comment. Remember, his first priority is good TV.
The Ambassador for "Them" Leo's best friend stands by him when he is being shunned, but just barely. To Kevin's credit, he still sits with Leo at lunch and talks to Leo when everyone else stopped. And he gives Leo the scoop on what everyone's saying about him. Without Kevin, Leo never would have known why no one is talking to him and Stargirl. But hey, that might have been better in the end.
When Leo asks, Kevin explains that the shunning wasn't a planned movement among the students, but it picked up steam especially "after the basketball stuff, I guess. That really ticked people off" (18.42). According to Kevin, even though only one person threw a tomato at Stargirl at the game, tons of people cheered when it happened. The way in which he is telling Leo about this makes Leo pretty certain that Kevin may be one of the cheerers, one of "them."
Even though he does not participate actively in the shunning of Leo and Stargirl, he also does not support Leo's relationship with Stargirl. He does hang out with them a bit when she is attempting to be normal, but ultimately he shuns her just as much as everyone else.
Dori Dilson Character Analysis Dori Dilson is the friend everyone wishes she had.
Unfortunately, other than this tidbit, we don't know much about Dori at all. That figures, of course, because Leo is our narrator, and he doesn't actually know Dori. Only Stargirl does.
From Leo we learn that Dori is a "brown-haired ninth grader who wrote poems" (8.13). She is the first to be brave enough to sit with Stargirl at lunch, which opens up the floodgates for everyone else to sit with her on her rise to popularity. She is also the person who staunchly refuses to shun Stargirl. That tells us that Dori is majorly loyal. She applauds for Stargirl's songs, and she's the only one to sign up for our girl's group, the Ukee Dooks.
It is a shame that we don't get to know Dori more because she seems just plain awesome. In fact, you could argue that she is the bravest person in the novel. Yes, Stargirl is brave, but in a way, Stargirl is so far beyond caring what anyone thinks, that for her it doesn't take much effort at all to be herself. Dori, however, is one of "them," and she was never very popular to begin with, so she must feel the sting of Stargirl's shunning. Through all of this, though, she never wavers in her devotion to her friend. In fact, the only time she ever shows any disfavor toward our girl Stargirl is when she turns into Susan. But even then, that's just because Dori, wise young thing that she is, knows that she has, in a way, betrayed herself.
Having a true friend like Dori is rare, and serves to remind Stargirl, and Leo, too, that when it comes to friendship, quality trumps quantity.
Cinnamon Character Analysis Cinnamon is Stargirl's pet rat. Yep, rat. So why are we talking about him in the character section? Believe it or not, this rat plays quite the role as events unfold in Stargirl.
First of all, the fact that Stargirl has a pet rat immediately tells us that Stargirl is not your average, well, girl. Let's face it: rats are not the most desirable pets in the world. Even a mouse is an itsy-bitsy more preferable. But a rat? No thanks. Stargirl, though, is all about rats. She loves Cinnamon, which shows just how much Stargirl sees the beauty in everything.
A Popularity Maker Leo tells us that Stargirl's rise to popularity is partly due to a backlash against Hillari Kimble, who so cruelly dangles little Cinnamon by his tail over the banister at school. All the kids who witness this cruel act beg her to stop, but Hillari won't. Her cruelty garners Stargirl a large dose of sympathy, and then, at the height of her popularity, a bunch of students follow her lead and buy pet rats, too.
The Matchmaker When Stargirl catches Leo stalking her house, and goes out to talk to him, Cinnamon steps in and saves the awkward situation by scampering over to Leo, who is hiding behind the car. When Leo lets Cinnamon crawl all over him, and even root around in his ear, the ice between Leo and Stargirl begins to break.
An Accidental Teacher When Stargirl takes Leo to her enchanted place and tries to teach him about becoming "nothing" in order to hear what the earth is communicating, Cinnamon comes along, too.
Leo doesn't have much luck trying to "erase" himself the way Stargirl explains, so he peeks, and while he is peeking, he sees Cinnamon escaping from his bag. To make sure that Cinnamon isn't eaten by some other desert animal, Leo picks him up and holds him while trying to meditate again.
Here's the cool part: Leo notices that even though he isn't completely successful in his attempts to become nothing, he stops feeling Cinnamon in his hands after a while. In a way, he becomes "connected" to Cinnamon. Now he's one step closer to being connected with everything.
Hillari Kimble Character Analysis Ladies and Gentlemen, may we introduce the Evil Queen of Mica High: Hillari Kimble.
Okay, maybe we're being a bit harsh, but really, Hillari is just plain not nice. It is only moments after Stargirl's arrival at school when Hillari starts being mean. She wastes no time in telling everyone that "she's not real" (2.7). To Hillari, Stargirl is just too confident to actually be genuine. The idea that such a girl could be comfortable in her own skin makes no sense to Miss Kimble.
We never learn the motivating factor behind Hillari's nastiness to Stargirl, because we don't know much about her at all. All we know, in fact, is that she hates Stargirl. Shmoop, though, is never afraid to hazard a few guesses: Maybe Hillari is insecure in her position in the school and sees Stargirl as some kind of threat. Maybe it's because everyone pays attention to Stargirl now, instead of Hillari. Or maybe she's just nasty, plain and simple.
Often, that last theory seems to be the most convincing. Hillari is an all-around jerk to Stargirl, and she never changes course. Let's take a look at some of her meanest deeds:
Wayne Parr Character Analysis Wayne Parr is Mr. Goodlookin', but he's also just an empty suit. To be frank, the guy does nothing at all but, well, look good. Still, somehow, he's "grand marshal of [their] daily parade" (4.6). What Leo means is that, despite the fact that he has nothing to say, people really care about what Wayne does and thinks (not that he's doing much of that). They mimic him because they want to be cool.
But here's the thing: Wayne isn't cool at all. He's completely disconnected, finds no joy in anything, has no opinions, and doesn't excel at anything in particular.
Leo finds the fact that Wayne is so excellent at being both so dull and yet so influential very interesting. Because of this, he thinks he would be a good subject for the "Hot Seat." When he appears on the show, though, Wayne is dull as ever. Kevin asks him who his hero is and Wayne responds that GQ (a men's fashion magazine) is. Someone should really tell this kid that a magazine can't be a hero because, well, it's not a person. We learn just a moment later that Wayne wants to be a fashion model. Surprise, surprise.
For a while, Wayne's path through life changes a bit when his role as "grand marshal of the daily parade" is momentarily taken by Stargirl. She's the total opposite of Wayne: she never wears makeup, is interested in just about everything, and genuinely enjoys chatting it up with others. If ever there were a pair of opposites, it's Wayne and Stargirl.
Evelyn Everybody Character Analysis Evelyn Everybody is a character that Susan and Leo invent when Leo is attempting to normalize Susan to make her accepted by "everyone" at the school. Instead of asking what everyone would do, she asks about what Evelyn would do. Evelyn represents all the normal students at the school.
Mica High Students Character Analysis Sure, we're talking about hundreds of kids here, but for the most part, the whole student body at Mica High acts as one character. There are very few leaders in this group, and when one does emerge, they follow devotedly. First, they are led by the intensely dull Wayne. Then, they follow Stargirl's example.
The lemming-like behavior of the student body helps Stargirl to truly stand out. But it also poses a Very Important Question: how much of our identity is really left up to us, and how much is just a mirror of everyone else around us?
Ron Kovac Character Analysis The Ron Kovac Incident (yep, we went ahead and gave it a name) sends Stargirl's popularity plummeting into the abyss. Let's take a closer look:
Ron Kovac is the star basketball player from nearby Sun Valley High. He is an insurmountable obstacle to Mica High's basketball team. The guy is 6'8" and scores at least thirty points per game. We're talking NBA caliber playing here. In their playoff game against Sun Valley, Mica is losing, and things are looking bleak. That is, until Ron falls and crack! go the bones of his foot. The poor kid is writhing on the floor in serious pain.
Stargirl, who feels the suffering of all those around her, immediately runs to comfort him. She places his head in her lap and appears to be talking to him as the officials work on fixing his foot. This seems like the nice thing to do, but it ends up ruining her reputation. Just how it does so is a bit more complicated.
See, without Kovac, Mica is able to make a comeback and win, so the students of Mica High are pretty pumped. However, once they finally lose to another team a few days later, the students at Mica High recall Stargirl's behavior toward Ron, and blame her so-called traitorous actions on their loss. It's not logical, of course, but hey, who said students were logical?
The Ron Kovac Incident reminds us that Stargirl is unwilling to box herself into one group. She sees herself as a cheerleader for all humanity, and therefore she doesn't understand feeling the need to be loyal to one particular group or team. She enjoys herself when anyone wins, and she shares in the joy of the moment. Likewise, she hates it when anyone gets hurt, and she definitely feels others' pain.
Peter Sinkowitz Character Analysis Peter Sinkowitz is a little boy who lives across the street from Stargirl. She has made detailing his personal biography one of her hobbies. She snaps candid pictures of him, jots down random events, and even collects little artifacts from his life, like discarded papers. She collects all of this information in a book and one day will present it to his parents so that they can give it to him later when he will appreciate a closer look at his past.
Leo asks her why she thinks his parents aren't doing this for him, and she responds that they most likely are creating formal scrapbooks for him with his formal pictures and such, but her journal is a truer depiction of his actual life.
This project of Stargirl's helps us understand what she finds to be very important in life, and this is in being present in the moment. It is in the little day-to-day common occurrences that Stargirl finds reason to celebrate, not the typical important stuff you might find in a scrapbook. She takes the time to look around and appreciate life for all it is; she sees the extraordinary in the ordinary. She hopes that Peter will one day appreciate knowing about the extraordinary ordinariness of his youth. You know what? Shmoop does, too.
Anna Grisdale Character Analysis The Anna Grisdale Incident occurs at the height of Stargirl's brief popularity at the school. This incident doesn't destroy our girl, but it plants a seed of mistrust in Stargirl's motivations.
When Anna Grisdale's grandfather dies, Stargirl attends the funeral. She cries, growing visibly upset. But here's the thing: Stargirl never met the man. And she has certainly never met Anna. At first, Anna thinks that Stargirl somehow knew her grandfather, but this is not the case. Anna's mother grills Stargirl about why she is there, and then throws her out of their house for invading their private moment.
This is a perfect example of just how hard it is for people to understand Stargirl. Because she is more connected to the world and people around her than the average Joe, she interacts with others in strange, seemingly invasive ways. Sure, she doesn't know Anna's grandpa in a traditional way, but she does know him as one person of the human race knows another. She honestly mourns the loss of his humanity, and as for the crying, well that's probably because she feels the pain that everyone else at the funeral is feeling. Remember, Stargirl is more than just observant; she feels what she observes.
The Grisdales do not get this at all. They see her as an unwelcome intruder who for some unknown reason is using this man's death for her own secret purposes, and in this sense, they represent the suspicion that everyone in the town has for Stargirl. They are the Hillari Kimbles of greater Mica.
Danny Pike Character Analysis The Danny Pike Incident carves yet another chink in the armor of Stargirl's popularity. Just like Stargirl's encounter with Anna Grisdale, her encounter with Danny Pike sends waves of suspicion about Stargirl and her mysterious motivations throughout Mica.
Danny Pike is a little boy who crashes his bike and is seriously injured. Even though she doesn't know him personally, she attends his coming home party, and people begin to suspect that Stargirl is the anonymous gift giver who gave the kid the bike in the first place. Whoops.
Despite the fact that Stargirl may have given Danny the bike that got him hurt, the Danny Pike Incident is yet another example of Stargirl's deep sense of empathy. The newspaper photograph that inadvertently captures her expression the day of the party is genuine; she honestly does care about him as if he "were her little brother back from the dead" (10.25). In fact, she cares about everyone that way. Unfortunately, the rest of the people who see the photograph think that this is another example of her being a phony. They think she is pretending to be happy for Danny to seek attention. Oh, if only they knew the real Stargirl.
Mr. Robineau Character Analysis Mr. Robineau is the faculty advisor to the "Hot Seat" television show that Leo and Kevin run, and if we may say so, he's not exactly stellar at his job. The show is so well organized by the responsible duo of Kevin and Leo that Mr. Robineau does not really have to do much at all except show up.
Unfortunately, this means that when it's Stargirl's turn on the "Hot Seat," Mr. Robineau is not on his toes, and misses the fact that the jury members are verbally attacking Stargirl with cruel gusto. To give him some credit, he does eventually end the attack by stopping the show and destroying the tape. But it's too little too late. The damage has been done, all thanks to Mr. Robineau's laid back style.
If Stargirl's character gives us an example of the benefits of being observant, than Mr. Robineau shows us the price we pay for not paying attention. See, if we're not paying attention, people can get hurt, like Stargirl does on the "Hot Seat."
Mr. McShane Character Analysis Mr. McShane is the faculty representative to the State oratorical contest. He drives Stargirl and Leo to the competition in Phoenix. His random trivia about the Moa, an extinct bird, gives Stargirl a fantastic focus for the revised version of the speech that will win her the competition, entitled "I Might Have Heard a Moa." He puts up with Stargirl's silliness in a good-humored way on the way to and from the competition.
Analysis: Setting Where It All Goes Down Mica, Arizona Dry Mica is a fictional, relatively new mining community in Arizona. While we don't get a ton of information on the town, we do know that it's in the desert, which is no surprise, considering Arizona is in the Southwest.
Not too much grows in the desert, right? And deserts are always dry. As it turns out, the Arizona desert is just about the perfect setting for the goings on at Mica High because the high school is just as dry as the ground on which it sits. The students are rather dull, and they worship a dull guy, Wayne, who thinks it's cool to be boring, disconnected, and altogether lame.
The high school landscape is downright lifeless until Stargirl shows up on the scene with her colorful outfits, quirky songs, and general joyfulness. Think of her as a rainstorm, who brings a much-needed dose of water, or life, to the school.
Deserted You know what else is true of the desert? There's not a lot of critters running around. In fact, if you don't look closely, a desert seems absolutely deserted (hence the name). It's the perfect place for a lonely boy like Leo, because the desert around him highlights the isolation he feels in high school. When he is shunned along with Stargirl, Leo tells us that he feels like the silent-treatment he receives is like "a second desert imposed upon the one I already lived in, where 'Hi' was as rare as rain" (23.21).
Deep But the desert isn't all loneliness and desolation. It's also a place where, without distractions, the characters can get in touch with something deeper. Take, for example, Stargirl's enchanted place. When she and Leo visit there, he tells us, "The place couldn't have been more ordinary. The only notable presence was a tall, dilapidated saguaro, a bundle of sticks, in worse shape than Archie's Señor. The rest was gray scrub and tumbleweed and a few prickly pears" (17.67).
That might not sound like much, but for Stargirl, it's the perfect place to connect with nature. She tells Leo, "The earth is speaking to us, but we can't hear because of all the racket our senses are making" (17.85). It's only when she gets outside of town, and away from the hustle and bustle of Mica High that Stargirl can get it touch with what's really important: the deeper nature that connects us all. Without the distractions of their everyday lives, she and Leo can experience some of what nature has to offer.
Mica The name Mica may hold some significance, too. Mica is a very strong mineral that remains stable when exposed to things like electricity, light, and even moisture. Stargirl brings a lot of light to Mica, which raises the question: does the town remain stable, or does it change after encountering her? Is Mica the town as sturdy as Mica the mineral?
Analysis: Narrator Point of View Who is the narrator, can she or he read minds, and, more importantly, can we trust her or him? First person It is interesting to note that the most interesting character, and the character for whom the novel is named, is not the narrator. Despite the title, this isn't really Stargirl's story; it's Leo Borlock's. Of course, it's a little bit Stargirl's story, too. After all, much of the book focuses on Leo's relationship with her, which shakes him to the core, forcing him to question all kinds of things about himself, high school, and life.
What's so great about having Leo as our narrator is that he is clearly an honest guy. He's not afraid to show us his flaws, and that means we can trust him as he guides us through the story. When he doesn't cheer for Stargirl in Chapter 30, for example, he freely admits that he was being "cowardly." A guy who tells us the truth about his own mistakes is probably telling the truth about everything else, right?
That means that Leo's descriptions of Stargirl are probably accurate, so no matter how outrageous she is, she's real. Leo tells us so. It also means that, because we can trust him, we can also relate to him. Who hasn't wanted desperately to fit in, and sacrificed a little bit of integrity to do so? Who hasn't fallen head-over-heels in love and lost sight of what's important? Leo is, in many ways, a typical teenager, but as we listen to him tell his story, we learn right alongside him that being typical isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Analysis: Genre Coming of Age, Realism, Romance Coming of Age Here's a snapshot of Leo at the beginning of Stargirl:
Realism We totally admit it: Stargirl definitely seems unreal. At times, even Leo has trouble believing she is genuine. At times, she seems almost otherworldly, and it's not like you hear about "star people" in everyday conversation. Nevertheless, Stargirl falls under the realism genre because it's a book about very believable teenage life. Characters speak and dress in an everyday way, and fall in love just like the rest of us.
Of course Stargirl doesn't do anything in an everyday way. She's just about as extraordinary as you can get. But she's totally real. We'll let Jerry Spinelli himself explain:
Stargirl is as real as hope, as real as possibility, as real as the best in human nature. Outrageous? I hope so. Thank goodness for the outrageous among us. I wish I were more outrageous, less predictable, more unrealistic. I understand that the story carries a whiff of fantasy, of the tall tale. The story, and in particular the character, are intended to raise dust in the corners of credibility, to challenge our routine ways of seeing ourselves. When Archie says to Leo, "She is us more than we are us," he refers to both her essential humanity and to our own often unrealized potential. Leo himself almost accuses her of being too good to be true, then later notes, "That was no saint kissing me."
What does it say about us if we believe such a person to be impossible? The message of the story is precisely the opposite: such a person is possible, and to the extent that Stargirl is us (Archie: "She's an earthling if ever there was one."), so are we. (Source.)
There you have it, folks.
Romance Around Stargirl, Leo feels "nine ways at once." That rings a bell for those of us who have fallen in love. It's confusing, crazy, and awesome. Leo's relationship with Stargirl grows from an innocent crush to full-blown love, and then it all comes crashing down. Still, no matter its ending, the two of them were clearly in love, and that makes this book a romance, through and through.
Analysis: Tone Take a story's temperature by studying its tone. Is it hopeful? Cynical? Snarky? Playful? Reverent How would you best complete this sentence?
The author thinks Stargirl is _________________________.
A. weird
B. mean
C. wise
D. goofy
Did you choose C? If so, you are on the right track to figuring out the tone of Stargirl.
Throughout the book, the author and everyone he describes seem in awe of Stargirl and all her genuine, positive qualities. It's only at the very end of the novel that we learn just what makes her so special, and so worthy of great respect. Archie's description of Stargirl seals the deal: this is a book that reveres its subject matter. He tells us, "every once in a while someone comes along who is a little more primitive than the rest of us, a little closer to our beginnings, a little more in touch with the stuff we're made of" (32.23). He's talking about Stargirl here, of course. And who wouldn't revere someone who is in touch with the stars out of which we were made?
- You may have heard Polonius' famous quote from Shakespeare's play, Hamlet: "To thine own self be true." If most people agree with this as a noble goal, why are we so often, like the kids in Stargirl, uncomfortable around people who are different? How do you react when you encounter someone who is different? What does that say about you?
- Does Stargirl seem in total control of who she is, or do others influence her? What role do those around her play in her identity?
- What are the most important qualities in a friend? Does Stargirl have these? How so? What about Leo?
- Do you think Stargirl wants to be popular? How does she handle her popularity? And while we're on the subject, why do so many people want to be popular in the first place? Is it really all it's cracked up to be?
- Does Stargirl seem connected to her surroundings? Why or why not? Does this make her happier in any way? Does she ever seem disconnected?
- How would you describe Stargirl and Leo's relationship? Do the two of them seem happy? Why or why not?
- What's your favorite Stargirl quirk? Do you have any quirks like her?
When Stargirl arrives on the scene, he becomes fascinated with her and eventually becomes her boyfriend. Overall, he seems like a good person, but like most people, he has his weaknesses. One of his weaknesses is that he is influenced by what other people think of him. This causes him to have a big internal conflict, or a difficult decision to make. Even though he really digs Stargirl, he decides that she needs to change so other people will like her, and as a result, like him again, too. The results of his decision lead him to feel regret, but he is not devastated. He is hopeful that eventually they may cross paths again.
Leo and his Love of the Unusual Well before Stargirl appears on the scene, Leo shows his true colors and makes a fan out of Shmoop. How? Well, he tells us that he likes porcupine ties, which gives him some individuality. We also know that he's a big fan of the neighborhood's resident old goofball, Archie. This guy is definitely unusual, so Leo is no stranger to the weird.
Perhaps, then, it really shouldn't surprise us that Leo is interested in Stargirl. Almost instantly, Leo is attracted to Stargirl, and we careful readers know this even before he does: "And each night in bed I thought of her as the moon came through my window." The poor kid doesn't understand why he keeps thinking about her, but we do. Our boy's in love. He'll figure it out soon enough.
And figure it out he does. What's so great about Leo's affection for Stargirl is it shows that he's a quirky guy himself. He may not want to admit it, but he relishes Stargirl's strangeness, even asking himself, "Was I myself becoming goofy?"
Oh, and you know what else he loves about his girl? She's kind. In fact, she is just about the best person in school. Leo's fondness for her should tell us that he's a pretty good person, too.
Leo and the Little Angel on his Shoulder For the most part, our Leo does seem like a good guy. For one thing, he has a strong internal sense of what is right and wrong. We see this a couple of times in the novel, such as when, deep down, he knows that they should not put Stargirl on the television show "Hot Seat." He realizes that Stargirl is special, and they should "leave her alone."
But then, he backtracks and lets her go on. What's that all about? Well, in some ways, it's just further proof of Leo's goodness. In fact, at this moment, he earns some serious points in Shmoop's book. He lets her on the show because he has noticed that Stargirl seems to be inspiring people to embrace their own differences, and he really appreciates that. He seems to like the fact that there's hope for all these conformist high schoolers after all. Maybe, just maybe, they'll embrace their inner quirk. (Of course this turns out to be very untrue, but we'll get to that.)
As Leo's relationship with Stargirl develops, he, too, develops some of his more favorable traits. He becomes more open to learning and experiencing new things. For example, he honestly tries to "erase" himself in meditation when they visit Stargirl's enchanted place in the desert. He becomes somewhat of a sidekick for his girlfriend when she goes on her missions to commit random acts of kindness. He also plays her "card" game at the mall.
With Stargirl's help, Leo becomes more observant of the beautiful common things around him, like ants carrying things across the road or an old man sitting on a bench. In fact, Leo and Stargirl have a wonderful time all the time. So why don't they end up together in the end, romantic comedy style?
To answer that question, we'll have to look at some of Leo's less appealing traits.
Leo the Lion (You Know, the Cowardly Kind?) We hate to do this, but we're just going to come right out and say it: Leo is a coward. We know, we know, Shmoop isn't one for name-calling. But this time, we swear it's justified. Just look at the way he treats Stargirl.
To be fair Leo really likes the girl. But he's too afraid to act on his feelings. So what does he do? He follows her after school, stalker-style in Chapter 3. Even when she catches him in her own driveway, he continues to hide behind the car. These are not the actions of a bold, brave boy. And they foreshadow his future cowardly acts.
Even when he overcomes his shyness and finally strikes up a relationship with Stargirl, he continues to be a bit of a coward. Only this time, he's not afraid of what Stargirl thinks of him. He's afraid of everyone else. Remember that moment, in Chapter 30, when he observes Stargirl and Dori playing their ukuleles out in the courtyard? Leo just stands idly by while the two of them are ostracized. Deep down he really wants to support her, but he can't quite bring himself to do so.
Or what about when he is embarrassed by Stargirl's bulletin board declaration of love? Or when he asks Stargirl to change her appearance and behavior so he won't be humiliated by dating her? Time and again, Leo proves that he is afraid of the masses' opinion, afraid of their viewing him negatively. What's so sad about this is that in the end, that fear causes him to treat Stargirl poorly, and eventually dump her. His loss.
Leo, Killer of Stargirl But first, he tries to have his cake and eat it, too. Leo tells Stargirl that in order to stay together, she must change. He tells her, "I think you should try to be more like the rest of us" (25.47). When Stargirl asks him why, he flat-out tells her "because nobody likes you" (25.53).
Dude, that's just cold. But you can't really say that Leo doesn't mean well. After all, he is just trying to make things easier on the two of them. Still, "nobody likes you" is not the way to win a girl's heart.
Of course when Stargirl does change—into Susan—Leo is over-the-moon happy about it. He's thrilled to help Susan learn to be normal. And when the plan ultimately fails and Stargirl goes back to her good old-fashioned self, Leo is mad. It seems that old cowardice, that old fear of not fitting in is still there, doing a number on Leo's emotions, causing him to value the opinions of others over his love for his girl.
Leo Loves But we can't just write Leo off as a wimp, a conformist, or even a jerk. He's our protagonist after all, and he has plenty of redeeming qualities. Think about the moment when Stargirl-turned-Susan gives her competition-winning speech in Chapter 28. The speech is Stargirl, through and through. It contains all the quirks of our favorite speechmaker, plus the wisdom Leo has come to associate with her, too. And at the end of her speech, Leo sobs. We mean, he sobs.
He's genuinely proud of his girlfriend. She has won, and she did so by being herself – by giving a speech only Stargirl could give. Deep down, we think he knows this, and maybe, just maybe, he's crying because he's proud of his girlfriend, in all her unique glory. Or maybe, just maybe, he's crying because he knows he has stifled that very same uniqueness. Then again, it's possible he just had some allergies.
In the end, we can't help but sympathize with Leo, despite all his mistakes. He must have really loved Stargirl, if he still thinks about her, fifteen years later. And in the end, that's what really matters. Perhaps it's only all these years later that a now mature Leo can look back and understand what Stargirl truly meant to him.
Stargirl Caraway Character Analysis Here's a heads up: much of this novel is an attempt to define Stargirl, and therein lies the problem. This is a girl who absolutely cannot be boxed in, pigeonholed, or tied up with a pretty little bow. She's a free spirit, a "rare bird" (according to Archie), and she defies definition in every sense of the word. Even fifteen years after the end of the book's main action, Leo, our protagonist, is still trying to suss her out.
So we've got quite the task ahead of us. Nevertheless, Shmoop is here to help. We'll highlight some of her most important characteristics, just to get those brain juices flowing. Then, maybe you can come up with your own idea of just who this girl is.
Stargirl, the Unwitting Rebel From the beginning, Stargirl is a fish out of water. She's the new girl at school, and that means she has a tough crowd to please. She doesn't quite understand all the unwritten rules that Mica's high school has, so she goes right along, doing her own thing.
And by doing her own thing, we mean singing "Happy Birthday" to strangers, cheering people for picking up litter, performing impromptu halftime shows at the football games, and the like. Stargirl does all of these things and a whole lot more, because she is either unaware of these unwritten rules, or she simply doesn't care to follow them.
No matter which way you hack it, our girl is a total rebel, even if she doesn't intend to be. She does things her own way, and most of the time, she doesn't seem all that concerned about whether or not people think she's strange.
Take, for example, her insistence on cheering for the opposite team during basketball games. After a while, it's pretty clear that the entire school can't stand the fact that she does this. Even when people scream at her to "Siddown!" Leo tells us that "she did not seem to notice" (11.19-20).
Stargirl, the Teacher While her nonconformity tends to put people off, once they do get to know her, they're sure to learn a lot. In the words of dear old Archie, "She seems to be in touch with something that the rest of us are missing" (19.32).
Leo, for one, learns a great deal from her in their time together. She's a natural teacher, even though it doesn't ever seem to be her intention to teach. It just comes to her naturally. One way she does this is by pointing out all the little things that she notices. She points out the beauty of an old man sitting on a bench, some struggling ants, and the fact that a neighborhood man repaints his door all the time. By pointing these things out to Leo, she's not giving him a lesson in the traditional sense. Instead she's just sharing her own curiosity with him, which allows Leo to explore his own curiosity. Through her observations, he comes to the important realization that before Stargirl, he "walked in a gray world of nothings" (20.13).
Stargirl, the Victim of Bullying Stargirl is so totally awesome that it's hard to think of her as a victim at all. But let's face it: everywhere she goes in high school, insults and tomatoes are thrown at her, and she even gets slapped by Mica's resident mean girl. It's clear from early on that the entire school (possibly including Leo at times) acts like one giant bully towards our girl. Leo says it best: "Classrooms, hallways, courtyard, lunchroom—everywhere I went I heard her disparaged, mocked, slurred."
It is the way she reacts to the bullying that speaks a lot about who she is as a person. You see, she flat out doesn't notice. In this sense, Stargirl is the opposite of your stereotypical teenager. She is not at all wrapped up in herself and what people think of her. She is just too busy being compassionate towards the very same people who treat her like dirt.
In fact, Stargirl doesn't seem worried about the fact that she doesn't have many friends. When Leo tries to talk to her about the fact that everyone in school has shunned her, she explains that the fact that he and Dori talk to her is enough. To Stargirl, it is much more important to have a few good, close friends than to be popular.
Looking at it that way, you could make the argument that Stargirl is not a victim at all. Sure, she's bullied, but she doesn't let it bring her down. She goes right on being "the friendliest person in the school" (3.33).
Stargirl Connects with the Universe We know that Stargirl sticks out like a sore thumb at school, but it's not until she takes Leo to her enchanted place that we find out why. As she leads Leo in meditation, she says, "The thing is, there's no difference anymore between me and the universe. The boundary is gone. I am it and it is me. I am a stone, a cactus thorn. I am rain" (17.90).
See, Stargirl is too busy being part of the universe to worry about being part of the popular group in high school. And in Chapter 25, when Leo confronts her about her not fitting in, she is most horrified by his claim that she is "not connected." Of course Leo is talking about the fact that she is not connected to her classmates. But if she is not connected to them, does this mean that she is not connected to the world, too? After all, her classmates are part of the universe, just maybe not the kindest part.
We see her connection to the universe pop up again and again, but it's Archie who finally explains where it comes from: she is a star person.
"Star people are rare," Archie tells us, and then he goes on to explain. In the beginning, stars "supplied the ingredients that became us, the primordial elements. We are star stuff […] And I think every once in a while someone comes along who is a little more primitive than the rest of us, a little closer to our beginnings, a little more in touch with the stuff we're made of" (32.17-23).
Strictly speaking, Archie is being completely scientifically accurate here. Or at least he is according to everyone's favorite scientist, Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson. That someone to whom Archie is referring in this case, is Stargirl. The reason she's so connected to the universe is that she's somehow closer to our beginnings as stars. She hasn't forgotten, like the rest of us.
This connection to the universe also connects her to other people, just maybe not those at her high school. It explains why she does seemingly kooky things like attend a stranger's funeral or send a young boy a bicycle (or another young boy a porcupine tie). She's not being nosy, or phony. She's just being compassionate, and on a deeper level than most.
Since Stargirl sees herself and everyone as a member of the world's group, or a member of the universe if you will, she doesn't understand why people wouldn't be happy when anyone, specifically the opposite team, would make a basket. When someone does something great, she feels happy for that person, no matter who it is. When someone feels pain, she feels that person's pain, too. The truth is, she feels like she knows them, even if she technically has never met them before. It's a little thing called empathy, and Stargirl has got it in spades.
Stargirl's Choice Like it or not, Stargirl faces one significant choice in the novel: should she try to fit in, or remain true to herself, in all her awesomely quirky glory? It's a tricky situation for Stargirl. Should she change herself to help Leo, who desperately wants her to? Or should she remain who she is and risk losing him? Either way, someone gets hurt.
For a while, it seems like she chooses to fit in. She kicks Stargirl to the curb and becomes Susan, the normal girl. But both she and Leo quickly realize that the endeavor was doomed from the start. When she returns as the State champion orator and still no one likes her, Susan gives up trying to be something that she is not. She accepts the fact that Leo will not accept her for who she is, and she attends the ball by herself and ends up having a great time. She even somehow becomes popular again.
Hmm. That's interesting. It seems like Stargirl gained popularity early in the novel for the very reason that eventually led to her downfall: her strangeness. But then, that very same strangeness makes her popular yet again, even if it's only just for the night of the Ocotillo ball.
And popular she remains. After she disappears, Stargirl clearly has a lasting impact on both Leo and the Mica community. New traditions begin at the high school, and Leo and the others remember Stargirl with more fondness than hatred. Perhaps it wasn't Stargirl's quirks that were the problem (are you listening, Leo?). Maybe Mica was the problem. The town just wasn't ready for a star person until it was too late.
A.H. (Archibald Hapwood) Brubaker, a.k.a. Archie Character Analysis Fossil Philosopher Archie, the neighborhood wise man and resident cool old guy, is a retired paleontologist. For those not in the know, that means that he studies fossils.
Well, no wonder his home is covered in bones. According to Leo, there are "bones in every room, every closet, on the back porch" (7.1). They're all trinkets he has collected on his paleontological digs. Some of the bones belong to him, and others he meant to send to a museum but kept instead. He justifies this by saying the bones would have sat in the museum's basement and would be much better appreciated at his house. Apparently, Archie is not too worried about sacrificing the rules for the greater good.
One bone in particular stands out: a 60-million-year-old rodent skull that Archie has named Barney. Barney acts as a bit of a teaching tool for Archie, and he uses it to explain concepts, ideas, and even life lessons to the many students that pay him visits. When the students are devastated by the basketball team's playoff loss, Archie uses Barney to show the kids that everyone loses in the end. It's just a part of life.
To be fair, Archie is a paleontologist, so of course there are tons of bones lying around. But there's a lot more to these bones than meets the eye, so head on over to our "Symbols" section for more.
The Teacher Teaches Not only is Archie a retired paleontologist, but also a retired college professor. While that technically means he doesn't have to teach anymore, he just can't resist the opportunity to impart some wisdom to his visitors. In fact, he even has a class that meets on Saturdays. (Yep, these kids voluntarily go to class on the weekend, and they're not getting course credit for it either. Go figure.)
But his students don't limit their visits to Saturdays. They were welcome at Archie's anytime, and they seem to stop by endlessly. It's a good thing Archie says his school is, "everywhere and always in session" (7.6).
Perhaps Archie's most eager student is none other than our Leo. But Leo is more interested in Archie's life lessons than his fossils. After all, Leo needs Archie's help in figuring out what to do about Stargirl. And in true teacher fashion, Archie won't tell the kid what to do. He just asks him the perfect question, through Señor Saguaro, of course: "Whose affection do you value more, hers or the others'?"
That's the question, isn't it? In just a few words, Professor Archie has managed to sum up the entire conflict Leo experiences in the novel. Impressive, no?
Eccentric? Sure. But Wise, Too If someone told us to close our eyes and imagine a wise, older gentleman-professor, we would probably imagine someone who looks a lot like Archie. He smokes a pipe, speaks in riddles, and is just quirky enough to always keep our interest.
When Leo comes to Archie with questions or concerns, he never gives him a straight answer. Instead, he says cryptic things like this comment, which he gives Leo after the boy asks for the scoop on Stargirl: "You'll know her more by your questions than by her answers. Keep looking at her long enough. One day you might see someone you know" (7.50). Um, what? Of course the more time passes, and the more Leo ponders, the less Archie's profound statements sound like nonsense. Funny how that happens.
All those riddles show just how quirky and eccentric our Archie is. Besides the fact that he decorates his house with bones, he also talks to a giant saguaro. Yep, the man communes with cacti, and he expects his visitors to do so, too. What's so great about this particular quirk is that it serves to emphasize—in a fun, clever way—one of Archie's favorite lessons: all things in nature are alive, and we are all connected to them.
Interpreter of Stargirl Lucky for Leo (and for us), Archie is very familiar with Stargirl. In fact, she has been visiting his house for several years now. As it turns out, Stargirl's mom would bring her daughter over so that she could have another teacher when she was being homeschooled. That means Archie should have the inside scoop on our girl, right?
Right. But even Archie hasn't totally figured Stargirl out. While he is able to give Leo some basic facts about her background, and help him understand that she is, in fact, genuine, that's about all he has for our narrator. The fact that the oldest and wisest among them cannot really figure Stargirl out may make us wonder if it is possible to figure her out at all. In fact, it may make us wonder if we can figure out anyone completely.
Kevin Quinlant Character Analysis Kevin is Leo's best friend, although at times, we can't help but wonder why.
They both arrived in Arizona four years ago during the very same week, and since then, they have been buddies. Leo states that they "usually agreed on everything" (3.13), and they share a ton of interests, likes, and dislikes. Leo seems to think that agreeing on everything is a recipe for a good friendship. Hmm. Shmoop is not so sure.
Tele-Kevin Kevin's first priority is without a doubt his television show, "Hot Seat." He lives and breathes for it. Kevin and Leo created the show together, but Kevin is the on-air personality. He does all the interviewing. He likes being in the spotlight, and he has no problem speaking in front of a crowd. In this way, he is different from Leo, who prefers the behind-the-scenes work of producing and working with the equipment in the sound room.
Despite the fact that it's a collaborative project, it's the drama surrounding this television show that allows us to see the first clouds on the horizon for Kevin and Leo's friendship. When Leo isn't sure about asking Stargirl to appear on the show, Kevin disagrees—gasp!—and argues about it with Leo. Their (somewhat) light-hearted battles about this continue until Leo finally relents.
When Kevin interviews Stargirl and things start to get out of control with some of the nasty things the jury says to her, he tries to rein everyone in. He even scolds the jury at one point and reminds them that their role is only to ask questions. But this is only after he lets several other nasty things go by without a comment. Remember, his first priority is good TV.
The Ambassador for "Them" Leo's best friend stands by him when he is being shunned, but just barely. To Kevin's credit, he still sits with Leo at lunch and talks to Leo when everyone else stopped. And he gives Leo the scoop on what everyone's saying about him. Without Kevin, Leo never would have known why no one is talking to him and Stargirl. But hey, that might have been better in the end.
When Leo asks, Kevin explains that the shunning wasn't a planned movement among the students, but it picked up steam especially "after the basketball stuff, I guess. That really ticked people off" (18.42). According to Kevin, even though only one person threw a tomato at Stargirl at the game, tons of people cheered when it happened. The way in which he is telling Leo about this makes Leo pretty certain that Kevin may be one of the cheerers, one of "them."
Even though he does not participate actively in the shunning of Leo and Stargirl, he also does not support Leo's relationship with Stargirl. He does hang out with them a bit when she is attempting to be normal, but ultimately he shuns her just as much as everyone else.
Dori Dilson Character Analysis Dori Dilson is the friend everyone wishes she had.
Unfortunately, other than this tidbit, we don't know much about Dori at all. That figures, of course, because Leo is our narrator, and he doesn't actually know Dori. Only Stargirl does.
From Leo we learn that Dori is a "brown-haired ninth grader who wrote poems" (8.13). She is the first to be brave enough to sit with Stargirl at lunch, which opens up the floodgates for everyone else to sit with her on her rise to popularity. She is also the person who staunchly refuses to shun Stargirl. That tells us that Dori is majorly loyal. She applauds for Stargirl's songs, and she's the only one to sign up for our girl's group, the Ukee Dooks.
It is a shame that we don't get to know Dori more because she seems just plain awesome. In fact, you could argue that she is the bravest person in the novel. Yes, Stargirl is brave, but in a way, Stargirl is so far beyond caring what anyone thinks, that for her it doesn't take much effort at all to be herself. Dori, however, is one of "them," and she was never very popular to begin with, so she must feel the sting of Stargirl's shunning. Through all of this, though, she never wavers in her devotion to her friend. In fact, the only time she ever shows any disfavor toward our girl Stargirl is when she turns into Susan. But even then, that's just because Dori, wise young thing that she is, knows that she has, in a way, betrayed herself.
Having a true friend like Dori is rare, and serves to remind Stargirl, and Leo, too, that when it comes to friendship, quality trumps quantity.
Cinnamon Character Analysis Cinnamon is Stargirl's pet rat. Yep, rat. So why are we talking about him in the character section? Believe it or not, this rat plays quite the role as events unfold in Stargirl.
First of all, the fact that Stargirl has a pet rat immediately tells us that Stargirl is not your average, well, girl. Let's face it: rats are not the most desirable pets in the world. Even a mouse is an itsy-bitsy more preferable. But a rat? No thanks. Stargirl, though, is all about rats. She loves Cinnamon, which shows just how much Stargirl sees the beauty in everything.
A Popularity Maker Leo tells us that Stargirl's rise to popularity is partly due to a backlash against Hillari Kimble, who so cruelly dangles little Cinnamon by his tail over the banister at school. All the kids who witness this cruel act beg her to stop, but Hillari won't. Her cruelty garners Stargirl a large dose of sympathy, and then, at the height of her popularity, a bunch of students follow her lead and buy pet rats, too.
The Matchmaker When Stargirl catches Leo stalking her house, and goes out to talk to him, Cinnamon steps in and saves the awkward situation by scampering over to Leo, who is hiding behind the car. When Leo lets Cinnamon crawl all over him, and even root around in his ear, the ice between Leo and Stargirl begins to break.
An Accidental Teacher When Stargirl takes Leo to her enchanted place and tries to teach him about becoming "nothing" in order to hear what the earth is communicating, Cinnamon comes along, too.
Leo doesn't have much luck trying to "erase" himself the way Stargirl explains, so he peeks, and while he is peeking, he sees Cinnamon escaping from his bag. To make sure that Cinnamon isn't eaten by some other desert animal, Leo picks him up and holds him while trying to meditate again.
Here's the cool part: Leo notices that even though he isn't completely successful in his attempts to become nothing, he stops feeling Cinnamon in his hands after a while. In a way, he becomes "connected" to Cinnamon. Now he's one step closer to being connected with everything.
Hillari Kimble Character Analysis Ladies and Gentlemen, may we introduce the Evil Queen of Mica High: Hillari Kimble.
Okay, maybe we're being a bit harsh, but really, Hillari is just plain not nice. It is only moments after Stargirl's arrival at school when Hillari starts being mean. She wastes no time in telling everyone that "she's not real" (2.7). To Hillari, Stargirl is just too confident to actually be genuine. The idea that such a girl could be comfortable in her own skin makes no sense to Miss Kimble.
We never learn the motivating factor behind Hillari's nastiness to Stargirl, because we don't know much about her at all. All we know, in fact, is that she hates Stargirl. Shmoop, though, is never afraid to hazard a few guesses: Maybe Hillari is insecure in her position in the school and sees Stargirl as some kind of threat. Maybe it's because everyone pays attention to Stargirl now, instead of Hillari. Or maybe she's just nasty, plain and simple.
Often, that last theory seems to be the most convincing. Hillari is an all-around jerk to Stargirl, and she never changes course. Let's take a look at some of her meanest deeds:
- She spreads all sorts of rumors about who Stargirl is and where she comes from.
- She puts up a fuss before her birthday and tells Stargirl not to sing to her after lunch.
- She is ruthlessly mean to her when Stargirl appears on the television program "Hot Seat."
- She delights and smirks when the school starts shunning Stargirl.
- She takes off her shoe and beats a cookie that Stargirl gives her with it.
- She slaps Stargirl at the Ocotillo Ball. Not. Cool.
Wayne Parr Character Analysis Wayne Parr is Mr. Goodlookin', but he's also just an empty suit. To be frank, the guy does nothing at all but, well, look good. Still, somehow, he's "grand marshal of [their] daily parade" (4.6). What Leo means is that, despite the fact that he has nothing to say, people really care about what Wayne does and thinks (not that he's doing much of that). They mimic him because they want to be cool.
But here's the thing: Wayne isn't cool at all. He's completely disconnected, finds no joy in anything, has no opinions, and doesn't excel at anything in particular.
Leo finds the fact that Wayne is so excellent at being both so dull and yet so influential very interesting. Because of this, he thinks he would be a good subject for the "Hot Seat." When he appears on the show, though, Wayne is dull as ever. Kevin asks him who his hero is and Wayne responds that GQ (a men's fashion magazine) is. Someone should really tell this kid that a magazine can't be a hero because, well, it's not a person. We learn just a moment later that Wayne wants to be a fashion model. Surprise, surprise.
For a while, Wayne's path through life changes a bit when his role as "grand marshal of the daily parade" is momentarily taken by Stargirl. She's the total opposite of Wayne: she never wears makeup, is interested in just about everything, and genuinely enjoys chatting it up with others. If ever there were a pair of opposites, it's Wayne and Stargirl.
Evelyn Everybody Character Analysis Evelyn Everybody is a character that Susan and Leo invent when Leo is attempting to normalize Susan to make her accepted by "everyone" at the school. Instead of asking what everyone would do, she asks about what Evelyn would do. Evelyn represents all the normal students at the school.
Mica High Students Character Analysis Sure, we're talking about hundreds of kids here, but for the most part, the whole student body at Mica High acts as one character. There are very few leaders in this group, and when one does emerge, they follow devotedly. First, they are led by the intensely dull Wayne. Then, they follow Stargirl's example.
The lemming-like behavior of the student body helps Stargirl to truly stand out. But it also poses a Very Important Question: how much of our identity is really left up to us, and how much is just a mirror of everyone else around us?
Ron Kovac Character Analysis The Ron Kovac Incident (yep, we went ahead and gave it a name) sends Stargirl's popularity plummeting into the abyss. Let's take a closer look:
Ron Kovac is the star basketball player from nearby Sun Valley High. He is an insurmountable obstacle to Mica High's basketball team. The guy is 6'8" and scores at least thirty points per game. We're talking NBA caliber playing here. In their playoff game against Sun Valley, Mica is losing, and things are looking bleak. That is, until Ron falls and crack! go the bones of his foot. The poor kid is writhing on the floor in serious pain.
Stargirl, who feels the suffering of all those around her, immediately runs to comfort him. She places his head in her lap and appears to be talking to him as the officials work on fixing his foot. This seems like the nice thing to do, but it ends up ruining her reputation. Just how it does so is a bit more complicated.
See, without Kovac, Mica is able to make a comeback and win, so the students of Mica High are pretty pumped. However, once they finally lose to another team a few days later, the students at Mica High recall Stargirl's behavior toward Ron, and blame her so-called traitorous actions on their loss. It's not logical, of course, but hey, who said students were logical?
The Ron Kovac Incident reminds us that Stargirl is unwilling to box herself into one group. She sees herself as a cheerleader for all humanity, and therefore she doesn't understand feeling the need to be loyal to one particular group or team. She enjoys herself when anyone wins, and she shares in the joy of the moment. Likewise, she hates it when anyone gets hurt, and she definitely feels others' pain.
Peter Sinkowitz Character Analysis Peter Sinkowitz is a little boy who lives across the street from Stargirl. She has made detailing his personal biography one of her hobbies. She snaps candid pictures of him, jots down random events, and even collects little artifacts from his life, like discarded papers. She collects all of this information in a book and one day will present it to his parents so that they can give it to him later when he will appreciate a closer look at his past.
Leo asks her why she thinks his parents aren't doing this for him, and she responds that they most likely are creating formal scrapbooks for him with his formal pictures and such, but her journal is a truer depiction of his actual life.
This project of Stargirl's helps us understand what she finds to be very important in life, and this is in being present in the moment. It is in the little day-to-day common occurrences that Stargirl finds reason to celebrate, not the typical important stuff you might find in a scrapbook. She takes the time to look around and appreciate life for all it is; she sees the extraordinary in the ordinary. She hopes that Peter will one day appreciate knowing about the extraordinary ordinariness of his youth. You know what? Shmoop does, too.
Anna Grisdale Character Analysis The Anna Grisdale Incident occurs at the height of Stargirl's brief popularity at the school. This incident doesn't destroy our girl, but it plants a seed of mistrust in Stargirl's motivations.
When Anna Grisdale's grandfather dies, Stargirl attends the funeral. She cries, growing visibly upset. But here's the thing: Stargirl never met the man. And she has certainly never met Anna. At first, Anna thinks that Stargirl somehow knew her grandfather, but this is not the case. Anna's mother grills Stargirl about why she is there, and then throws her out of their house for invading their private moment.
This is a perfect example of just how hard it is for people to understand Stargirl. Because she is more connected to the world and people around her than the average Joe, she interacts with others in strange, seemingly invasive ways. Sure, she doesn't know Anna's grandpa in a traditional way, but she does know him as one person of the human race knows another. She honestly mourns the loss of his humanity, and as for the crying, well that's probably because she feels the pain that everyone else at the funeral is feeling. Remember, Stargirl is more than just observant; she feels what she observes.
The Grisdales do not get this at all. They see her as an unwelcome intruder who for some unknown reason is using this man's death for her own secret purposes, and in this sense, they represent the suspicion that everyone in the town has for Stargirl. They are the Hillari Kimbles of greater Mica.
Danny Pike Character Analysis The Danny Pike Incident carves yet another chink in the armor of Stargirl's popularity. Just like Stargirl's encounter with Anna Grisdale, her encounter with Danny Pike sends waves of suspicion about Stargirl and her mysterious motivations throughout Mica.
Danny Pike is a little boy who crashes his bike and is seriously injured. Even though she doesn't know him personally, she attends his coming home party, and people begin to suspect that Stargirl is the anonymous gift giver who gave the kid the bike in the first place. Whoops.
Despite the fact that Stargirl may have given Danny the bike that got him hurt, the Danny Pike Incident is yet another example of Stargirl's deep sense of empathy. The newspaper photograph that inadvertently captures her expression the day of the party is genuine; she honestly does care about him as if he "were her little brother back from the dead" (10.25). In fact, she cares about everyone that way. Unfortunately, the rest of the people who see the photograph think that this is another example of her being a phony. They think she is pretending to be happy for Danny to seek attention. Oh, if only they knew the real Stargirl.
Mr. Robineau Character Analysis Mr. Robineau is the faculty advisor to the "Hot Seat" television show that Leo and Kevin run, and if we may say so, he's not exactly stellar at his job. The show is so well organized by the responsible duo of Kevin and Leo that Mr. Robineau does not really have to do much at all except show up.
Unfortunately, this means that when it's Stargirl's turn on the "Hot Seat," Mr. Robineau is not on his toes, and misses the fact that the jury members are verbally attacking Stargirl with cruel gusto. To give him some credit, he does eventually end the attack by stopping the show and destroying the tape. But it's too little too late. The damage has been done, all thanks to Mr. Robineau's laid back style.
If Stargirl's character gives us an example of the benefits of being observant, than Mr. Robineau shows us the price we pay for not paying attention. See, if we're not paying attention, people can get hurt, like Stargirl does on the "Hot Seat."
Mr. McShane Character Analysis Mr. McShane is the faculty representative to the State oratorical contest. He drives Stargirl and Leo to the competition in Phoenix. His random trivia about the Moa, an extinct bird, gives Stargirl a fantastic focus for the revised version of the speech that will win her the competition, entitled "I Might Have Heard a Moa." He puts up with Stargirl's silliness in a good-humored way on the way to and from the competition.
Analysis: Setting Where It All Goes Down Mica, Arizona Dry Mica is a fictional, relatively new mining community in Arizona. While we don't get a ton of information on the town, we do know that it's in the desert, which is no surprise, considering Arizona is in the Southwest.
Not too much grows in the desert, right? And deserts are always dry. As it turns out, the Arizona desert is just about the perfect setting for the goings on at Mica High because the high school is just as dry as the ground on which it sits. The students are rather dull, and they worship a dull guy, Wayne, who thinks it's cool to be boring, disconnected, and altogether lame.
The high school landscape is downright lifeless until Stargirl shows up on the scene with her colorful outfits, quirky songs, and general joyfulness. Think of her as a rainstorm, who brings a much-needed dose of water, or life, to the school.
Deserted You know what else is true of the desert? There's not a lot of critters running around. In fact, if you don't look closely, a desert seems absolutely deserted (hence the name). It's the perfect place for a lonely boy like Leo, because the desert around him highlights the isolation he feels in high school. When he is shunned along with Stargirl, Leo tells us that he feels like the silent-treatment he receives is like "a second desert imposed upon the one I already lived in, where 'Hi' was as rare as rain" (23.21).
Deep But the desert isn't all loneliness and desolation. It's also a place where, without distractions, the characters can get in touch with something deeper. Take, for example, Stargirl's enchanted place. When she and Leo visit there, he tells us, "The place couldn't have been more ordinary. The only notable presence was a tall, dilapidated saguaro, a bundle of sticks, in worse shape than Archie's Señor. The rest was gray scrub and tumbleweed and a few prickly pears" (17.67).
That might not sound like much, but for Stargirl, it's the perfect place to connect with nature. She tells Leo, "The earth is speaking to us, but we can't hear because of all the racket our senses are making" (17.85). It's only when she gets outside of town, and away from the hustle and bustle of Mica High that Stargirl can get it touch with what's really important: the deeper nature that connects us all. Without the distractions of their everyday lives, she and Leo can experience some of what nature has to offer.
Mica The name Mica may hold some significance, too. Mica is a very strong mineral that remains stable when exposed to things like electricity, light, and even moisture. Stargirl brings a lot of light to Mica, which raises the question: does the town remain stable, or does it change after encountering her? Is Mica the town as sturdy as Mica the mineral?
Analysis: Narrator Point of View Who is the narrator, can she or he read minds, and, more importantly, can we trust her or him? First person It is interesting to note that the most interesting character, and the character for whom the novel is named, is not the narrator. Despite the title, this isn't really Stargirl's story; it's Leo Borlock's. Of course, it's a little bit Stargirl's story, too. After all, much of the book focuses on Leo's relationship with her, which shakes him to the core, forcing him to question all kinds of things about himself, high school, and life.
What's so great about having Leo as our narrator is that he is clearly an honest guy. He's not afraid to show us his flaws, and that means we can trust him as he guides us through the story. When he doesn't cheer for Stargirl in Chapter 30, for example, he freely admits that he was being "cowardly." A guy who tells us the truth about his own mistakes is probably telling the truth about everything else, right?
That means that Leo's descriptions of Stargirl are probably accurate, so no matter how outrageous she is, she's real. Leo tells us so. It also means that, because we can trust him, we can also relate to him. Who hasn't wanted desperately to fit in, and sacrificed a little bit of integrity to do so? Who hasn't fallen head-over-heels in love and lost sight of what's important? Leo is, in many ways, a typical teenager, but as we listen to him tell his story, we learn right alongside him that being typical isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Analysis: Genre Coming of Age, Realism, Romance Coming of Age Here's a snapshot of Leo at the beginning of Stargirl:
- He's a young boy.
- He has never been in love.
- He's a conformist.
- He's a collector of porcupine ties.
- He's a grown man.
- He has fallen truly madly deeply in love.
- He's an individualist.
- He's a collector of porcupine ties.
Realism We totally admit it: Stargirl definitely seems unreal. At times, even Leo has trouble believing she is genuine. At times, she seems almost otherworldly, and it's not like you hear about "star people" in everyday conversation. Nevertheless, Stargirl falls under the realism genre because it's a book about very believable teenage life. Characters speak and dress in an everyday way, and fall in love just like the rest of us.
Of course Stargirl doesn't do anything in an everyday way. She's just about as extraordinary as you can get. But she's totally real. We'll let Jerry Spinelli himself explain:
Stargirl is as real as hope, as real as possibility, as real as the best in human nature. Outrageous? I hope so. Thank goodness for the outrageous among us. I wish I were more outrageous, less predictable, more unrealistic. I understand that the story carries a whiff of fantasy, of the tall tale. The story, and in particular the character, are intended to raise dust in the corners of credibility, to challenge our routine ways of seeing ourselves. When Archie says to Leo, "She is us more than we are us," he refers to both her essential humanity and to our own often unrealized potential. Leo himself almost accuses her of being too good to be true, then later notes, "That was no saint kissing me."
What does it say about us if we believe such a person to be impossible? The message of the story is precisely the opposite: such a person is possible, and to the extent that Stargirl is us (Archie: "She's an earthling if ever there was one."), so are we. (Source.)
There you have it, folks.
Romance Around Stargirl, Leo feels "nine ways at once." That rings a bell for those of us who have fallen in love. It's confusing, crazy, and awesome. Leo's relationship with Stargirl grows from an innocent crush to full-blown love, and then it all comes crashing down. Still, no matter its ending, the two of them were clearly in love, and that makes this book a romance, through and through.
Analysis: Tone Take a story's temperature by studying its tone. Is it hopeful? Cynical? Snarky? Playful? Reverent How would you best complete this sentence?
The author thinks Stargirl is _________________________.
A. weird
B. mean
C. wise
D. goofy
Did you choose C? If so, you are on the right track to figuring out the tone of Stargirl.
Throughout the book, the author and everyone he describes seem in awe of Stargirl and all her genuine, positive qualities. It's only at the very end of the novel that we learn just what makes her so special, and so worthy of great respect. Archie's description of Stargirl seals the deal: this is a book that reveres its subject matter. He tells us, "every once in a while someone comes along who is a little more primitive than the rest of us, a little closer to our beginnings, a little more in touch with the stuff we're made of" (32.23). He's talking about Stargirl here, of course. And who wouldn't revere someone who is in touch with the stars out of which we were made?