Throughout Jumped, we get three distinct versions of reality. And each one is unreliable. Trina thinks that she's more popular than she actually is, Leticia shirks any form of personal accountability, and Dominique considers herself justified in responding to Trina's invasion of her space by beating Trina literally within an inch of her life. As readers, we only start to get the whole picture when we smush all three perspectives together.
Even scarier, though, is the moment when we as readers realize that each character wholeheartedly believes her perspective. It makes us wonder (1) why these characters believe their truths, (2) what the truth really is, and (3) if there even is one truth. It's a lot more complicated than we would think high school might be. Or, come to think of it, exactly as complicated as we remember high school being.
Questions About Versions of Reality
- Which perspective of the events of the school day is the least skewed and most truthful? What makes you say this?
- Of Trina, Dominique, and Leticia, which one is the most delusional? Which girl takes the most responsibility for her actions?
- How might AP Shelton describe the events of the day if he were asked?
- Why might it be to Leticia's benefit to manipulate what she saw in the morning and blow it out of proportion?
Chew on This
Ivan is the only reliable narrator in Jumped.
Trina will never understand why she was attacked because the only one who holds that truth is Dominique.