Chapter 11 Analysis
The beginning of this chapter is important to pay attention to because it shows the audience that the trial will be judged fairly. The process Diana and Patrick use to pick ten mutual people shows the honesty and fairness of the court system.
At this point in the novel, we get to see a deeper look into Patrick and Alex's relationship. They have grown closer now, and have truly fallen in love. Their relationship is no longer a secret from Josie.
This is Lewis's first visit to see his son since the day of the shooting. At first Lewis is nervous, but the audience soon understands how good of a relationship him and his son had. No matter what the circumstances are, family will always be top priority in the Houghton family.
Drew finally confesses his torment towards Peter. We learn the students shot on that day weren't the only victims. Peter had been bullied for years and now, because of Drew's confession, the severity of Peter's consequences may be altered.
Now that Josie is part of the trial, Alex and Patrick are nervous for the outcomes. Patrick reviews the details of the case, and looks closely at the nature of the guns. The audience now knows that something relating to the guns is key, but we are left in suspense as Patrick only mentions them briefly.
This is the beginning of the trial where Jordan preps for the day. He begins the trial eagerly which shows how ambitious and loyal he is to his client. This determination has been repeated throughout the entire novel which shows how hard of a worker Peter's lawyer is.
The Bullied Victims of America are present the day of Peter's trial which helps gain the audiences hope that a positive outcome will occur. This group helps inspire Jordan to continue with his work even when everyone else is against him.
The trial begins with Diana's presentation. After strong accusations, Diana ends the speech with the same paragraph at the very beginning of the novel. The only difference between the two quotes of what can happen in nineteen minutes is the final words. At the beginning of the first chapter, the description of what can happen in nineteen minutes is in Peter's point of view. The difference of opinions is what alters the last sentence. Peter believes in nineteen minutes you can get revenge, whereas Diana thinks the world can come to a pause. This comparison of opinions is an example of a hyperbole, which best enhances each characters disposition.
With the aid of a forensic physiciatrist to help defend Peter's case, the judge fails to believe the severity of Peter's illness.
Mr. Spears, the students gym teacher is later called to the stand to report any torment towards Peter he witnessed. Jordan makes an excellent point of how teachers are not expected to prevent bullying or administer any consequences. This is one of the most important points made during the case and in reality. The example Picoult provides helps the audience understand that bullying is a real issue today and in some cases no actions are taken into consideration to prevent this issue. This is a significant point made and helps society question bullying circumstances.
Josie later admits to her mother, "I wasn't brave enough to defend myself, I didn't want to be treated like them"(387). Picoult exemplifies the theme of the novel with this quote because majority of students have related to this lack of self confidence. Standing up for someone else first begins with self confidence to stand up for yourself first. Perhaps some of the audience can relate to Josie's character as we have all been through tough times in high school where bullying was a factor. If the audience can understand a possible outcome of bullying, maybe it will inspire us to stop the issue.