In many ways, the social workings of high school prepare us for how life beyond high school works. There are the haves, the have nots, and everyone who falls in between. Unfortunately, high school can mimic real life too much. People with high social standing want to keep others who want to join the group (Trina) out; people in authority (teachers) think they have social power, but they might not; people on the fringes seek to improve their standing by trading information (Leticia); and threats have the ability to make or break a person's social status (Dominique).
In the end, nothing changes for the school or the characters in it in Jumped, and that doesn't really bode well for life beyond high school for any of the main characters.
Questions About Society and Class
- Who has more social power—Dominique or Leticia? Why?
- Even though it seems like the teachers and adults should be at the top of the social food chain, they aren't. Who is, and why is this the case?
- How does money or lack of money affect the three female narrators' world views?
- How does each narrator seek to improve her social status in the novel?
Chew on This
By jumping Trina, Dominique has improved her social capital at the school.
If Leticia had told Trina about the threat, Leticia would have decreased her social standing at the school.