Claudette, My Spirit Animal.

Me and Claudette being the same person

        Ha get it, because Claudette is a wolf-girl. I'm not sure if I'm supposed rep being a "selfish bitch" but hey that just comes with being a human, I guess. Claudette definitely isn't the sweetest person ever but neither am I. My favorite bitchy Claudette scene is when in Stage 2 Mirabella came to her because she had splinters covering her hands, then Claudette basically told her to fuck off but you know not in a unkindly way of course, and she felt a throb of compassion. Then she congratulated herself and said "This was a Stage 3 thought." I found this hilarious because I've totally done this before but you know minus the whole sister splinter accident. Like I've done something mean or terrible, then a few moments after I'm like that was really harsh of me, but then I'm like, wow that's something a good person would feel, I'm so great, I actually felt bad. I'm really out here congratulating myself over the bare minimum. I'm not saying I'm proud of it, but damn, I really do relate to that. Claudette is the narrator, so we get her thoughts she would never say out loud, like her little selfish thoughts, and I happen to think selfishly too. I also relate to how Claudette didn't talk to Mirabella because she couldn't afford to. I know its an asshole move to not want to interact with someone simply because of their reputation but I've also done that. I know, I'm awful and I don't judge a book by its cover but I sure will judge it based on its synopsis (their reputation in this case). 

        I don't just relate to her negative attributes though, but positive ones too. Like how in Stage 2, she wanted to go back home because she felt bewildered, depressed, and uncomfortable. She missed her home and wanted to go back to her parents but she didn't want to betray them. Now how did does this relate to me? Well not like my parents sent me off or anything but school is my version of St. Lucys, School drains the shit out of me. If it isn't the annoying ass kids (and I'm so sorry to say this but some teachers too), then its the fact that algebra is actually getting confusing now and most of the time I just sit and stare at my paper having no idea what to do. But guess what, I have a 99.11% in that class. I actually have 90+ in all my classes, did I want to flex my grades a little, yes, but school is a pain. However, my number one motivation is my parents. My parents sacrificed basically everything in order to give me and my brother the world, you know the cliche of immigrant parents moving into America. Now don't get me wrong, I wasn't gonna drop out of school or anything that far if they didn't motivate me, but I would definitely care way less. I don't want to disappoint my parents, they gave me everything and all they ask for in return is making the right decisions to have a bright future. If good grades is what they want, then that's what they will receive. Claudette doesn't want to disappoint her parents either, since she knows they sacrificed everything for her and her siblings, for a better life. So if becoming more civilized is what Claudette's parents want, then that is what they shall receive. 

        Claudette is basically how humans are just some people don't want to admit it. Maybe people are just afraid to realize how selfishly humans think. I, on the other hand, find it really fascinating on how Claudette was written, she wasn't an over achiever nor an underachiever, she was right in the middle, and that fact that I felt I would've made most of the decisions she made, it was almost like I was Claudette.