The Development in Courage and Confidence in Note to Sixth-grade Self by Julie Orringer

“Note to Sixth-Grade Self” is a coming of age short story where the narrator comes to realize how even though people might be show sympathy towards, one can only rely on themselves for strength and confidence. This is an important concept for the narrator to learn because in the future, she will only continually become disappointed that others will not help her in times of need. The narrator gives into what the bullies want at first, when her bully trips her, but learns from that experience through her bullies tricking her at the mall and with the affirmation from Eric that people will not always support her.

At the start of the story, it is clear the narrator does not stand up for herself when she is bullied. In a bout of jealousy, one of the narrator’s bullies, Cara, purposefully trips the narrator. She “falls and sprain[s] [her] wrist. [Her] glasses will fly off and be broken in two… Lie still for a moment in the trampled clover” (82). The narrator lies there, waiting for someone to call out Cara’s clear misdoing but no one ever does. The narrator nearly starts to cry because she is upset that someone would viciously harm her and how no one even helps her. The narrator begins to understand that she is giving her bullies exactly what they want, for her to appear helpless, and that most people will not stand up for her.

The turning point for the narrator is when she finally comes to the conclusion that she can only rely on herself and have strength. As an apology for tripping the narrator, Cara and Patricia invites her to go to the mall with them. What seems like a kind gesture turns out to be a nasty prank. Upon arriving at the mall, the narrator waits for Cara and Patricia to show up, but they never do. The narrator comes to the conclusion that this is a nasty prank. She consoles herself by saying how she is in “Uptown square with [her] mother’s credit card” (84). When Cara had mercilessly tripped her a few days earlier, the narrator laid helpless, waiting for others to come to her aid. Learning from her previous mistake, she does not do the same at the mall. Understanding from past experiences that others will not help her, the narrator decides to turn a previously negative experience into a positive one. She has the perfect opportunity to enjoy herself as she is at the mall and has her mother’s credit card. The narrator does this, affirming her newfound strength and confidence.