Avalon High Character Analysis

Have you ever had to transfer to an unfamiliar school and say your farewells to your closest of friends? Has the usual “Oh, you’re the new kid” ever echoed in your ears? What about worrying if you would have to sit alone at lunch or if the popular crowed would accept you? Well, according to her old friends, Ellie Harrison is considered lucky to have the opportunity to move schools. In Meg Cabot’s book, Avalon High, Ellie has moved to Annapolis, Maryland and will start fresh at Avalon high school. Ellie is accustomed to moving around a lot due to her parents being professors; however, Ellie is not sure what to expect as this new beginning in her life is about to start. What she does not know is that Avalon High is not just an ordinary school, and not everyone is who they appear to be.

Meg Cabot used direct and indirect characterization to develop the actions of Ellie throughout the course of the book. Ellie is described as a girl who spends her time running with her dad and floating in her new swimming pool. “[Ellie] was so

good at floating that [she] could do it without getting [her] hair wet or anything” (Cabot 6). Not much of Ellie’s time is spent outside of those activities aside from thinking of everything that can go amiss on her first day of school. Ellie says that, “[I am not] a pessimist, or anything. I’m just practical” (Cabot 1). Ellie’s friend, Nancy, encourages Ellie to have a fresh start and get hold of a boyfriend. But, “[h]aving little experience in the boyfriend department [does not] make [Ellie] exactly an expert [with guys]” (Cabot 20). Besides, Ellie has not even discovered herself yet.
First, when moving to a new place, most people want to make an impressive image of themselves and start fresh; however, “[Ellie was not] really sure [she] cared what people around [there] thought about [her]” (Cabot 13). Considering nothing exciting has ever happened to her in the past, what could possibly be better this time? Ellie did not start caring what all the new people thought about her until she met Will, known as a jock, senior class president, and quarterback. According to Ellie, “ Guys like Will don’t hang around girls like me” (Cabot 36). Ellie automatically stereotypes Will into the popular guy that everyone thinks of when watching movies. But then, Ellie and Will really start to get to know each other “even if that meant[she] broke [her] heart into a thousand pieces while doing so” (Cabot 88). Ellie wants to be there for Will and make him happy despite the chances of facing heart break. Ellie’s helpful and caring characteristics begin to shine. Lastly, Ellie was sure that “if Will Wagner and [her] were just friends, then [she’d] make sure [they] weren't just friends for long” (Cabot 92). Besides, Will actually likes her and her parents. Also, this is the first time she has truly liked someone that also “looked so handsome” (Cabot 145). Ellie goes from caring less of others to falling in love with the most popular guy in school.
Ellie realizes that Will is one of kind.

“Will wasn't like anyone else [she’d] ever met before” (Cabot 167). Even though Ellie had a bad assumption of Will at the beginning of the story, she soon helps the reader realize through her perspective that everyone is not who they seem to be. Will, “[the] immensely popular…athlete” is in fact not what the movies portray guys like him to be (Cabot 91). By becoming attracted to Will, Ellie established a strong theme. Come to find out, Will was popular for all of the right reasons instead of the wrong ones. “[Will] was . . . popular, not just with his fellow “jocks,” but with the less athletically inclined kids as well (Cabot 91). Will is very friendly to everyone he comes in contact with despite the things they do not have in common with each other. The reader would have never learned this about Will if Ellie had not of been vulnerable with her feelings while getting Will to show his true

colors.
For Ellie Harrison, moving schools was not so bad after all. Once she surpassed the dreaded first few days of school, she was able to help others become themselves despite the stereotype they receive. Will “[now] felt relieved” that he not longer had to pretend to be the jock that he never was (Cabot 164). Not only did she help others become their true self, she also discovered herself. Ellie’s heart was now doing gymnastics as she becomes a brave, down to earth girl. Ellie no longer remembers the unfortunate things that she had been worried about; all Ellie says now is, “this is the life” (Cabot 144)! It turns out her friends were right after all. Ellie Harrison is considered lucky to have had the opportunity to move schools!