When bullying leads to tragedy
Nausheen Rahman feels the tears flow as she reads
Nineteen Minutes is an overwhelming book. Although based on real-life incidents, the story takes off on its own course, the less-travelled one. Jodi Picoult (who never disappoints us), uses a school shooting as the plot for her book, and presents a whole new perspective…with her usual pathos and poignancy. The subject matter, bullying in schools, and the realistic depiction of all the characters involved, will make us feel uncomfortable, helpless and afraid. Yet, we must face the stark facts, however unpleasant. Picoult ends her "Acknowledgements" thus: "And finally, to the thousands of kids out there who are a little bit different, a little bit scared, a little bit unpopular: this one's for you". Although the situation is shown from several viewpoints --- those of surviving victims, their close ones, the close ones of the dead, the guilty ones, their dear ones, etc. --- it is the shooter the focus is on. But that's not surprising because the shooter, high-school student, Peter Houghton, is actually the victim; in fact, he has been a victim of bullying all his life - until that fateful day when he feels it's "time to change his direction", when he decides to take revenge. It takes him all of nineteen minutes to kill ten people and wound nineteen. He may or may not have realised the truth of the Chinese proverb: "When you begin a journey of revenge, start by digging two graves: one for your enemy and one for yourself". Perhaps he was beyond realization of any kind. The pressure on kids to be popular (exerted both by peers and the kids themselves) is far too vital for them to take lightly. In the process of trying to be accepted by the "cool" ones, many children (for example, Josie Cormier, a central character in this drama), forget who they really are and what they really want. Their need to belong takes precedence over everything. The issue of parent-child relationship has been handled so effectively that it is very likely to make all parents and children (especially, adolescents), reflect deeply. Today's world, in which there is so much that kids are exposed to, doesn't seem to be a young-generation-friendly one. It is certainly not a peaceful or easy existence for parents, either. We feel acutely aware of all this as the different characters go through their respective sorrows and pains. Peter's parents, who are very likeable people, are confused and sad parents. Alex Cormier, a judge and Josie's mother, knows very well how hard the demands of being a parent, leave alone, a single parent, are. Peter's character makes you want to sit up and do something drastic to curb teasing and taunting in schools. You feel the urge to explain to parents that each child is unique and must be allowed to be himself. Comparing a child to another or expecting him to excel in school can have dire consequences.
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