Standing Against the Wind

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Standing Against the Wind by Traci L. Jones. I am always quite fond of well written books about overcoming obstacles and different forms of oppression.

In this particular book, everyone underestimates the strength and bravery of little, skinny, timid Patrice:

“Girl, she can’t take it. She ain’t got no fight in her…This place gonna eat her up.”

However, Patrice has more power than for which anyone gives her credit. It is inspiring to witness Patrice blossom from the timid little mouse to the girl who no longer needed protection.
I would like to think that Patrice found this strength within herself or that her passion for the scholarship to Dogwood Academy drew out this inner strength and confidence that she develops; however, this change seems to have been brought about through her friendship with Monty. Monty’s reactions to her was the catalyst for change. After Monty got irritated with her timidity in chapter 9, Patrice started acting more self assured. She completely stopped answering questions with “I guess.” While Patrice finally started to feel like she was worth being treated with respect, it was not until Monty treated her in such a manner that she started to act in a way that would garner it. While I agree that love (not necessarily romantic love) can bolster one’s strength, the fact that Patrice finds her strength in Monty is a little bothersome for me. Why couldn’t she find that strength within herself? Why did Patrice have to have a guy come to her rescue? Why did it have to be the popular guy in school that helped her find it? Why was it that it took a boy’s approval of her to ignite the fire she demonstrates throughout the story?

Monty has already been criticized as being a little too good to be true (see http://www.myshelf.com/teen/fiction/06/standingagainst%20the%20wind.htm). The author admits to being influenced by the “knight in shining armor” characters found in the romance novels she was reading at the time she wrote this book (see www.embracingthechild.org/ajones.html). I must admit that I am influenced by my previous studies in Feminist perspectives which makes me a little more critical of the “knight in shining armor” idea. I think I would have had less of an issue with the strength Patrice draws from Monty had their relationship remained on a plutonic level. Am I being too critical? Am I reading too much into their relationship and the inspiration it provided Patrice?