Lee Fiora's Identity In Prep By Curtis Sittenfeld

The novel Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld follows the life of Lee Fiora in her four years spent at a boarding school called Ault. Ault is a prestigous high school in Boston which is made up of wealthy kids and very few kids on scholarships. Lee is one of the few students there on a scholarship since her parents could not afford to pay for Ault. She struggled from her Freshman year to her Senior year of high school trying to find who she really was and how she could fit into the community there. Lee struggles with her identity at Ault and begins as a responsible, smart, social girl but then becomes confused, lonely, and embarassed. To begin, Lee was a completely different girl before she came to Ault. While observing Dede, her freshman year roomate, studying for her classes she sees a flash of the past. Lee thought, "She was so responsible. It was as if I were seeing a version of myself from a year before" (40). Lee sees her former self, a more responsible person who cared more about school than she does now at Ault. Her grades have dropped dramatically from A's and

In the first few weeks of being at Ault, Lee thinks,"I thought about how coming to Ault had been an enormous mistake. I would never have friends; the best I'd be able to hope for from my classmates would be pity" (8). Lee had been on a scholarship the whole time she was there which is very rare since most kids there could pay for Ault. She was so embarrased by being on a scholarship that she wanted others to pity her so she could have friends. Often, she felt she didnt belong at Ault because of her personality and wealth. Lee stated,"I always worried someone would notice me, and then when no one did, I felt lonely" (17). She always seeked attention from others and when she didnt get any it often left her confused about her identity and her part in the