Cole Stuart - "Status Quo"

 Music for this reading: Compact Disco - Sound of Our Hearts

Cole Stuart's "Status Quo" is about the boy Jake. Jake describes his life as a "social experiment." That is, he likes dressing and doing things to see how people react to the non-normative action taking place in front of them. Many times, preparing for these antics have caused him to be late, and his latest experiment lands him in ISS for tardies (although it was his tenth, and the teacher says more than ten is needed to cause the in-school suspension). There, he gets the chance to observe the trouble-makers, a group he's never really understood.

The sheer strangeness of this boy is probably the greatest positive in the entire piece. He's a very-unique character that I can't say I've seen done in quite the same way before. His voice also seems to be a weird combination of dis-attached and caring that makes for an interesting read. Unfortunately, I don't find any of the characters that interesting at all. They seem to embody a stereotype with one unexpected trait to show that they are more than the stereotype being shown. Even then, I had to infer the stereotype. I'd like to see the characters get a bit more-developed, especially Philip (because he's close to being really round). Perhaps you can do this by having Jake share some of his previous observations and instances with this group?

Another high point was the use of the little dialogue that you used. It's very effective and well-written.

The use of the "buzz buzz" confused me terribly during my first reading, especially considering that the first "buzz buzz" is easy to read as a one-off joke before it's encountered again. That being said, they are important for your theme, but I have to wonder if his mind becoming emptier is really the main change, especially because that'll go back after he's down from his high. Could the real change be more that he went from being an observer or life to a participant in life? That he's living for the moment moreso than for data now? Just some things to think about.