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Why Harriet Spies

 

            
             Harriet is an outsider, and an observer. She takes notes of everyone around her, including her friends. Harriet chooses many people to spy on, each person with a somewhat failed life. Harriet does not want to be her subjects, but she does want to understand them. Harriet's downfall is not her brutal honesty, or her quick and superficial observations, but the simple fact that once her friends have seen what she has written, they do not try to understand, and get angry. Harriet spies so she can gain knowledge understand the world and make choices for herself.
             To Harriet, her subjects on her spy route live ". . . meaningless, disconnected lives" (Wolf 34). However, Harriett does not realize that her subjects and she have things in common, despite their differences. For instance, Fabio Des Santi, Mr. Withers are outsiders like her, and each is struggling to be an individual. She admires Sport, Janie, and at the end even Beth Ellen for their ability to stand up and be individuals. Harriet views the Robinsons as stupid for their fear of refection. Harriet also views Mrs. Plumber as stupid for not wanting to face the world because she may be rejected. Yet, Harriet then feels sorry for Mrs. Plumber when she is not allowed out. Harriet then compares herself to Mrs. Plumber, shown by When Harriet wonders if she will be unhappy for getting what she wants, to be a writer. Harriet also identifies, and feels sorry for Mr. Withers when he is left alone. Both the Robinsons and Mrs. Plumber avoid rejection by isolating themselves before others do. Harriet does not understand until her own fear of rejection is realized. .
             Harriet begins to hide and isolated herself when her friends turn on her. Harriet stays home, often in bed, trying to hide from the world. .
             Harriet is disconnected with the world and reality because she separates herself from the world. To truly understand another person, Harriet must connect her subjects with herself to find differences and similarities with her subjects.


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