Blog #14 (Black Swan Green) Writing Prompt

Questions that i will answer:

• Why does David Mitchell Choose to title the chapter "Maggot"
• How does Jason Deal with being ostracized by the boys in his school and the discover of his stammer? How does he deal with being an outcast within his school?
• How does the theme of "Bullying" and "fitting in" develop over the course of this chapter?

      This is fairly simple. I would say that David Mitchell choose to use "Maggot" as the title for the chapter to represent what jason was "worth" based on what his peers thought of him and also to possibly represent everyone who bullies Jason as maggots. The word maggot can symbolize something within the, like Ross Wilcox who is a major D-bag for bullying Jason and singling him who can be considered a "maggot" for his act of bullying defenseless Jason. It could also sum up the chapter since Jason is called a maggot from the beginning of the chapter, to the near end by everyone, even the normal kids. Jason has been tormented by Ross and cohort throughout the chapter by either teasing him or physically hurting the poor sap, SO the term "Maggot" is what is being sunken into jason mind when they all keep calling him that. It can also be used to represent Jason since he has literally became a maggot since he is the lowest of the lowest. He has been deemed worthless by his fellow peers for going to the movies with his Mum while also not listening to the spooks when they told his to go back for Dean. Jason is viewed as the crap under peoples shoes for the actions that he has done and he can't do a single thing about it since he doesn't have strength or the right state of mind to think properly. He kinda just wants to end all of this, and there is only two ways for that... David Mitchell may have a completely different reason for picking maggot as the title for the chapter, but i feel that these are three reasons on why he would pick maggot.

      Jason has a way of coping with being ostracized (Excluded) by the boys in school and the discovery of his stammering problem. Jason had decided to just give up and live his life. HE doesn't try to fight this as he is basically rendered hopeless when he is being teased and targeted by Ross Wilcox. Jason had decided that if he doesn't do what the assailant wants, then it won't be pleasing for them and they will eventually give up. And example is when Jason didn't fight back when he got a grundy from King turd and his "Henchmen". Jason does want to be included or at least be in the middle class again as lepers are trash and he feels that he is better. Jason can cope with this stress and anger through that note he found on Kempsy's desk as it is true and he really shouldn't let those turds decide what he is. All they can do is bully him and if he can figure a way out of that, then he is golden. He just needs to think a bit. Jason isn't very fond of when he is being teased for being a stammerer since he literally has nothing to lose. His secret is out and is being teased for it, he is living the worst case scenario at the moment and he should just let life take it's course since there is nothing he could lose socially. I have a hunch that Jason will do something that will clear his name later on. (Gotta be optimistic)


      The theme of "Bullying" and "Fitting in" develops over the course of the chapter through the interactions of Jason and his fellow peers. Jason gets bullied by basically everyone in school for what has happened prior when he went to watch "Chariots of Fire" with his mum. JAson is becoming the punching bag for basically everyone except the lepers who are in the same boat as him. This kind of goes to show that someone who was high enough to join the spooks can become mere scum within days regardless of who they were due to more recent actions. The theme of bullying is strong in this chapter as the once cool guy protagonist finds himself in a situation where bullets are coming at him from every angle and he can't do anything to stop this. Jason's is being tormented by everyone as they call him a maggot and he is also getting physically hurt as Wilcox and his mates gave Jason a Grundy. This bullying will continue and Jason will only have three options to truly end all of this. One, all he has to do take out the "Turd king" as the bus driver suggested (I forgot his name...) so no one will mess with him again. Two, To commit suicide so that no one can get to him since he is dead. Lastly there is three, where Jason has to do something amazing where his will remove that bad thing from prior and people will get along with him again while also being high in the social hierarchy again. Knowing Jason, he would go with none of them and let life take its role and hope that this will all blow over. The theme of fitting in is shown as Jason is not the outcast of his school and will take probably a couple of months for this big ordeal to blow over. Jason is show to not get along anyone with anyone (Lepers excluded) and when he tries to talk to someone, they would ignore them (an example is when he tries to talk and says "Epic" which isn't a good word to use in his situation). Jason will have a hard time recovering from this and like always, he can take the easy way out which is Suicide (I am not condoning this)