The Uglies #1

" Shay scowled. 'Why, can't you stand me? Do you need to get some picture into your head so you can imagine it instead of my face?'

'Shay! Come on. It's just for fun.'

'Making ourselves feel ugly is not fun.'

'We are ugly!'

'This whole game is just designed to make us hate ourselves.' "

Pg 65

Reaction: I thought this part was interesting because it shows the beginning of a dystopian protagonist. Shay is totally not into everything this society does while Tally is totally turned off by ugliness and can't wait to turn 'pretty'. I think the point the Shay brings up is really important - the fact that they condition people to hate themselves. I couldn't really understand at first how a society full of 'pretty' people would make a difference if everyone looked the same but the fact that they make people go through this ugly phase before turning 'pretty' shows how they control people in this society. I predict some conflicts between these 2 if they have such completely different opinions on something that's so important in this society.

Analysis: Shay talks about a main idea and important detail to know about this society. They essentially 'design people to hate themselves' so that they're completely against being ugly and look forward to turning 'pretty' at the age of 16 their whole life up until then. This society wouldn't work out if everyone was just born pretty because no would know life any other way. The fact that they condition people to hate being ugly for 16 years creates their mindset for only caring about pretty and completely hating themselves and anyone else when they're ugly. This part of the book also shows the differences between these 2 friends who share a birthday and should eventually 'turn pretty' together but might end up being teared apart due to the differences of their views in 'turning pretty'.