Jim was universally well-liked in high school for his friendly nature. He had a special nickname for Laura, “Blue Roses”, but they didn’t have much communication beyond that. The only time they conversed was when Jim expressed concern about her extended absence from school, showing his kind and friendly persona. Throughout high school, Jim exuded self-assurance unlike Laura. According to Tom, Jim always seemed to be the center of attention, constantly on the move instead of simply walking.
Evidence from the text indicates that Laura lacked self-confidence. She expressed this when she mentioned, “Yes, it was so hard for me, getting upstairs. I had that brace on my leg – it clumped so loud!…I had to go clumping all the way up the aisle with everyone watching!” In contrast, Jim always surrounded himself with others and appeared to thrive in the spotlight. This is supported by the statement, “He seemed to move in a continual spotlight. He was a star in basketball, captain of the debating club, president of the senior class and the glee club and he sang the male lead in the annual light operas.” Unlike Jim, Laura was introverted and preferred solitude. She believed that people were mocking her, causing her to simply blend in with everyone else. However, Jim cherished his high school days as Tom described him as “a star in basketball, captain of the debating club, president of the senior class and the glee club and he sang the male lead in annual light operas.”
This is the memories that Jim has from high school. Laura, on the other hand, has only one fond memory of high school, and that memory is Jim. She remembers Jim as this perfect guy that everyone liked. And she liked him too, just because he took the time to give her a pet name and inquire about her health. Other than that, her memories of high school were all bad. As she would say, “I had that brace on my leg – it clumped so loud!…I had to go clumping all the way up the aisle with everyone watching!” Laura basically remembers high school as a time where everyone was making fun of her because of her disability. In reality though, hardly anyone, if anyone, even noticed! How this all ties in with their relationship now, is that it is still basically the same, with a few slight changes.
Despite her initial lack of confidence, Laura’s self-assurance begins to grow with Jim’s assistance. This transformation becomes evident when he inadvertently breaks the unicorn figurine, prompting Laura to gift it to him. This act symbolizes her increasing self-assuredness, as the unicorn used to be her most cherished possession for being unique among others. However, Jim’s intervention removed her uniqueness, making her similar to everyone else. Conversely, Jim still retains some level of confidence, yet he no longer embodies a heroic image. Although he believes in his potential, he lacks the support system he once had in high school.
