Not liking people because they're immigrants? That's prejudice. Not liking Erik because he's a psycho? That's just good sense. Unfortunately, we see a lot more prejudice than good sense in Tangerine. Joey is prejudiced against the racial minorities at Tangerine Middle School. Various kids tease Paul about his eyes. The rich look down on the not-so-rich. Mrs. Fisher freaks out just at the suggestion that you could call an older, run-down neighborhood a "development." But those who live in the older parts of town look down on the richer people, as well, thinking they're snobs. Hey! Here's an idea. Maybe we should all just wait until after we know people to judge them. Then you can judge away.
Questions About Prejudice
- Why does Joey look down on the kids in his class at Tangerine Middle? How do they react?
- Do you think the people at Lake Windsor were prejudiced against Paul because of his glasses? Why or why not?
- How would Tino act if he was sent to Lake Windsor for school?
Chew on This
If the kids from the War Eagles were transferred into Lake Windsor Middle, and the kids from the Seagulls were transferred to Tangerine Middle, the War Eagles would fit in and make friends more easily than the Seagulls.
Judging people is only a problem if you do it before you know it. It's fine to judge people like Erik and Anthony, because they deserve it.