Simon Sort of Says

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2023

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-5

Chapters 6-13

Chapters 14-19

Chapters 20-24

Chapters 25-29

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

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Discussion Questions

Background

Social Context: School Shootings in America

Content Warning: This section discusses school shootings and post-traumatic stress disorder.

School shootings are one of the most difficult and severe issues that Americans living in the 21st century are facing today. In the United States in 2023, 82 school shooting incidents took place, making it the highest rate yet recorded. The issue remains one of political contention, as some point to the need for safety in schools while others demand the right to bear arms. Invoking heavier gun ownership regulations and screening processes is often discussed as a potential solution, while others suggest the importance of school personnel and on-site resource officers having access to guns to defend themselves in case of a violent threat. The United States leads in this statistic by a wide margin when compared with other countries, many of which have heavy regulations on gun ownership or have banned gun ownership altogether.

The effects of school shootings are numerous and extend well beyond the immediate effects of death, grief, and an overall lack of safety. A student who survives a school shooting is at risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder or another trauma-related disorder such as agoraphobia (fear of public places and/or the feeling of being trapped in an uncontrollable situation). Students who have had this experience grieve the loss of friends and teachers, as well as the loss of their own feelings of comfort and safety within their school. Like Simon, many students live a life of high alert after their own lives are threatened in this way. Between 2018 and 2019, over 100,000 children attended a school where a shooting occurred. Students who do not feel safe at school are more likely to stop attending and/or experience a drop in academic performance, and these effects extend to adulthood with difficulties in finding and keeping employment. The effects of the incidents also ripple outward into the community and into the lives of students’ families. Parents and other loved ones worry for their children’s safety in school, and communities suffer when there is an overall atmosphere of violence and disregard for human life.

For those who are seeking support in the aftermath of a school shooting: Help for Victims and Survivors of Gun Violence

Social Context: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental illness and often lifelong condition. It is the result of going through an extreme and threatening situation or series of events, or it can occur as a result of consistent, traumatic circumstances. In this case, Simon has PTSD because of a near-death experience. PTSD varies from person to person, but its most defining features are the presence of trauma responses (both mental and physical), extreme physical responses to stress, and flashbacks. Simon’s trauma response is usually to curl up and hide, particularly when he is directly reminded of the day of the shooting. This is because Simon had to curl up and hide to survive the shooting, and now, when his brain is reminded of danger or thinks that Simon’s survival is threatened, it returns to that same response. Simon also experiences mental fog, sweating, shaking, and other physical symptoms. Occasionally, Simon has a flashback to the day of the shooting, which means that he feels as though he is reliving that moment. PTSD is treatable, and people heal from trauma in a wide variety of ways. Sometimes group therapy, family therapy, or a trauma specialist can help. Similarly, a strong social support system made up of friends, family, and the wider community is instrumental in Living With PTSD. Featuring a protagonist with PTSD in a work of literature for middle grade readers creates understanding and encourages empathy while tackling the difficult topic of violence-related trauma.