Jessica Carlisle Character Analysis

In this journal I will be evaluating the mentality and personality of Jessica Carlisle. Jessica Carlisle is a very determined and optimistic person. In addition to this, she is an emotional person at times of joy. “I wipe my eyes with my napkin, and somewhere inside me I can feel a shift” (Draanen 83). This quote refers to how Jessica can be emotional in joyful situations. One example that supports this is when she returns to school and Fiona and the track team are waiting for her with a “welcome back” party and it deeply moved Jessica due to her absence in school for the past months. Another example is when the track team surprised her with her running leg, Jessica feels overwhelmed with all the mixed emotions that she was experiencing. At that moment Jessica was feeling

Also it could be said that she is a very determined and optimistic person. “We smile and say our goodbyes, and as I hobble out to the car on my crutches, I’m filled with a very strange feeling. One I thought I might never feel again. Hope” (Draanen 131). Although this might be true for many occasions, there was a time where Jessica thought that Lucy, a girl who passed away due to the accident, was the lucky one; however, once she realized that this was not accurate, she began to try to be thankful for everything that she has and will eventually have. In second place, when she first got her running leg, Jessica tried her best to make it work. She waited so long to run again, and now that she had that opportunity Jessica had to put in a lot of effort in order for the leg to work. In third place, Jessica wanted to be the one who crossed Rosa through her first finish line. She started training with the wheelchair and a sack of dirt. When the 10-mile race ended, Jessica understood that she can accomplish anything when she works hard for