Reading Response on "Girl Online" by Zoe Sugg

          Girl Online by Zoe Sugg is about a girl named Penny Porter who lives a simple life in England with her mum, dad, brother, and best friend. Penny suffers from anxiety and therefore has trouble expressing her feelings. She pretends to be someone she is not to blend in with all of her "friends." As a way to share her real feelings and just be herself she anonymously blogs as "Girl Online." Only one other person knows about this blog is her best friend Elliot who is gay. He struggles with his parents not really excepting or understanding his sexuality. This book has a lot of hard things happening with people not be accepted for who they are and how they feel.

          One hard thing happening in this book is people being afraid to express their real feelings and opinions because they just want to "fit in." Penny struggles with this.For example, Penny says, "I have this dream that, secretly, all teenage girls feel exactly like me. And maybe one day, when we realize that we all feel the same, we can all stop pretending we're something we're not" (blurb). This shows that Penny feels like she can not act herself because she will seem different. As a way to share her real feelings and be herself Penny has blogs anonymously. "I'm going to keep it real on this blog and keep it unreal in 'real' life." This quote shows how Penny is comfortable truly acting herself and expressing her feelings on her blog, but not in real life.

          Another hard thing happening in this book is people not be excepted for who they are. Elliot is gay and has trouble coming out to his parents because do not really understand his sexuality therefore they do not except it. For example, when Elliot first tries to come out to his parents they say, "don't worry , son, I'm sure it's just a phase." (page 18) This show that Elliot's parents do not really understand his sexuality. When he tries again his parents threaten "to disown him if he ever gets a boyfriend." (page 318) This quotes shows that due to a lack of understanding, Elliot's parents can not except is sexuality.

          A lot of hard things happening in this text are happening in the world today. A lot of people are afraid to be themselves and be different. A lot of people can not be excepted for who they truly are.