TEXT THREAD:
This hypothetical text thread takes place after the big party at Kevin’s house. The hockey team had just won a pivotal game and Kevin (the star player) hosted a party at his house. During this party the whole team drank and smoked to celebrate their victory. At the party Kevin took a girl up to his room, and what started as consensual, turned into a scene of sexual assault on Maya, leaving her scarred and hurt. While that pivotal scene occurred, Benji left the party early to go do his own thing because he did not want to be at the party with so many people, especially younger girls. The next day Benji shows back up to Kevin’s house only to be bombarded by Kevin, asking him why he left the party.
This hypothetical thread of text messages would have taken place after Benji and Kevin had already talked at Kevin’s house. This text thread is important to think about because it furthers the discourse between the two boys as their friendship becomes strained because of the way that Kevin handles the accusations of rape. Kevin’s statement about winning and how “no one will care anyway once we win the game” points to the sports culture in Beartown and how the town cares more about the win than what is going on outside the hockey rink. Hopefully, this text thread shows how Benji seems concerned about the truth, which is evident when he later takes Maya’s side. Also, this text thread should show Kevin’s dismissal of the topic and how he wants to keep dropping it because it “doesn’t matter” in the eyes of the club and sponsors of the hockey team.
The rationale of using a text thread to evoke these ideas is rooted in attempting to make it a realistic and organic second part of the conversation. Most would agree that it is easier to text someone than talk to them face to face. When the morning conversation between the boys did not go that well, these text messages attempt to predict what may have happened later that day. Most likely after the boys had their argument in the morning, Benji felt as though he did not get the last word in and wanted to confront Kevin yet again. Under Benji’s thick skin, he is portrayed as a sensitive person who battles his own feelings throughout the novel, so it is not surprising that he confronted Kevin. As we see in the text thread, the tension only gets stronger as both boys bring up sensitive topics which result in the beginning of the end of their friendship
This hypothetical text thread takes place after the big party at Kevin’s house. The hockey team had just won a pivotal game and Kevin (the star player) hosted a party at his house. During this party the whole team drank and smoked to celebrate their victory. At the party Kevin took a girl up to his room, and what started as consensual, turned into a scene of sexual assault on Maya, leaving her scarred and hurt. While that pivotal scene occurred, Benji left the party early to go do his own thing because he did not want to be at the party with so many people, especially younger girls. The next day Benji shows back up to Kevin’s house only to be bombarded by Kevin, asking him why he left the party.
This hypothetical thread of text messages would have taken place after Benji and Kevin had already talked at Kevin’s house. This text thread is important to think about because it furthers the discourse between the two boys as their friendship becomes strained because of the way that Kevin handles the accusations of rape. Kevin’s statement about winning and how “no one will care anyway once we win the game” points to the sports culture in Beartown and how the town cares more about the win than what is going on outside the hockey rink. Hopefully, this text thread shows how Benji seems concerned about the truth, which is evident when he later takes Maya’s side. Also, this text thread should show Kevin’s dismissal of the topic and how he wants to keep dropping it because it “doesn’t matter” in the eyes of the club and sponsors of the hockey team.
The rationale of using a text thread to evoke these ideas is rooted in attempting to make it a realistic and organic second part of the conversation. Most would agree that it is easier to text someone than talk to them face to face. When the morning conversation between the boys did not go that well, these text messages attempt to predict what may have happened later that day. Most likely after the boys had their argument in the morning, Benji felt as though he did not get the last word in and wanted to confront Kevin yet again. Under Benji’s thick skin, he is portrayed as a sensitive person who battles his own feelings throughout the novel, so it is not surprising that he confronted Kevin. As we see in the text thread, the tension only gets stronger as both boys bring up sensitive topics which result in the beginning of the end of their friendship