Character Analysis: The Dirt Diary

Cleaning houses are a girl’s best friend. Or is it diamonds? In The Dirt Diary, by Anna Staniszewski, the main character, Rachel Lee, must clean houses with her mother in order to pay back the money that she stole until her mom finds out about her purchase. Rachel uses the money to buy a one way ticket to Florida, where her father ran off to, to bring him home. However, there’s only a slim chance of him actually coming home and a large chance of her mom finding out and forbidding her from going in the first place. When Rachel steals almost 300 dollars from her college fund to try and bring her family together, a major theme falls into place. People will do anything for a sliver of hope. Another, equally important theme found in this novel

once said, “He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.” Ironically, that’s exactly what Rachel begins to understand. Depriving her father of forgiveness only makes herself feel worse, and after carefully thinking, Rachel realizes exactly this; everybody deserves a second chance. “He left us behind and is going to start a life with someone new. And here I was stupidly thinking that I could fly down to visit him and patch everything up. As if one little trip could make any difference… But what if I’m wrong? I have to give it a shot anyway. He’s my father for Pete’s sake. He deserves more,” (Page 181). Rachel’s father is given a second chance, not because he is a good person, but because Rachel is a good enough person to forgive him. Abandoning your family, without warning for another person is an inexcusable act. But Rachel teaches us the power of forgiveness in people you love and how second chances are so important. In the next example, Rachel is the one given a second chance. After Rachel apologizes, she says, “I stare at Marisol, waiting for some kind of reaction. Hoping my apology is enough… She smiles. ‘I’m really sorry too.’ Relief floods through me. I throw my arms around her and hug her so tight that she actually lets out a little squeak,” (Page 222). When Rachel and Marisol, two long time best friends, get in a major fight, the only thing left to do is turn around and forgive one another - which is

When Rachel is doing terrible things (like stealing money and buying a plane ticket) for a good reason, we can truly see how hope can change our minds to do even the worst things. And by ignoring what her mom says and forgiving her immature father, Rachel shows us all how everybody deserves a second chance. So next time you have a decision to make, think about this; don’t do something just because you hope something good will come out of it and remember that forgiving is sometimes the only way to move