Gracefully Grayson

The last section of the novel depicts the narrative climax of Grayson’s final confrontation with her bullies and her performance as Persephone. This leads to the resolution of all major plot points and an open ending that encourages readers to imagine the young girl’s future as hopeful, and one where she embraces bravery and her female identity. Grayson’s positive future is implied by her acting on Sebastian’s definition of courage, where she takes action in spite of being scared. She does this by returning to class in her pink shirt and Meagan’s hair clips.

As Ms. Landen symbolically predicts during one of the rehearsals, the last chapters show that “sometimes, everything needs to fall apart before it can come back together the way it’s supposed to” (163). This applies to the play as much as it does Grayson’s story, and foreshadows the final struggles and bullying she faces.

The novel explores Gender as a Societal Construct. In other words, gendered behavior is not something people are born with; rather, it is learned through social cues and performed. Theater then becomes a particularly fitting context in which an individual can explore their gender. In this safe space, Grayson is able to embrace the role of Persephone and her own female identity. By the end of the novel, her audience accepts her identity as well.

In Chapter 34, the script-like format is almost a meta-analysis of Grayson’s story. The audience watches Persephone on stage, a parallel to how the reader watches Grayson’s story unfold. The audience’s point of view shifts from derision to acceptance, which is shown by their shift from male to female pronouns to refer to Grayson.

The reader is encouraged to identify with the audience through the inclusive use of the first-person plural pronoun “we.” The audience’s acceptance of Grayson is meant to align with the reader’s. The audience’s initial skepticism may even mirror the reader’s initial skepticism or confusion about Grayson’s identity.

The last chapters are infused with Grayson’s emotional turmoil: “It’s like I’ve been waiting my entire life for this day. The brushstrokes surround me—the bright crystal and the darkness. [...] White and black. Light and dark. And me, in the middle of it all. Gray” (180). On the one hand, Grayson is realizing her agency over her actions and identity; for example, she confronts Sally and chooses to wear a pink cast. On the other hand, she faces more explicit backlash as Ryan, Tyler, and Jack band together and Finn distances herself from her. Grayson’s character development climaxes on the day when both the play (her biggest triumph) and Ryan’s assault (her lowest point) occur. Grayson is symbolically torn between Light and Darkness.

Although Grayson gains confidence and matures over the course of the novel, she still longs to express her identity fully. This is evidenced by her wish to use the girls’ bathroom rather than the boys’, and echoes her feeling that she is losing herself. In the last chapter, the two bathroom doors symbolize a choice and her possible future: “I look back and forth, from one sign to the other. BOYS and GIRLS” (202). At this moment, Grayson is not debating about how to conceal her identity, but whether to show herself as a girl, a shift which demonstrates her character growth. She walks into the boys’ bathroom, where she changes into her girls’ clothing, a symbolic moment before she goes back to class.

Though the novel resolves key plot points, some questions remain unanswered. Ryan switches sections, for instance, but whether Jack continues to bully Grayson is not made clear. Evan continues to demonstrate his support for Grayson by sharing memories of his brother and inviting Grayson to the theater, but Sally’s behavior is unknown. Finally, Amelia is friendly to Grayson after the play, but it is unclear whether they will be friends again.

The final paragraphs depict Grayson as she is about to show herself dressed publicly as a girl for the first time, then end abruptly as she enters the room. The open ending is a narrative technique that allows the reader to imagine their own version of Grayson’s future. The conclusion remains ambiguous enough to allow for multiple interpretations; this fits with the motif of Light and Darkness, which emphasizes the complexity of Grayson’s emotions. The narrative thus suggests that there is no clear or prescribed way for Grayson—and, by extension, for any LGBTQ+ individual—to learn how to live a fulfilled and happy life. However, the novel ends on a hopeful note. As Grayson’s last gesture in the story illustrates, “to be brave means there’s something important you have to do and you’re scared, but you do it anyway” (195).