Vlerke vir almal (Marion Erskine) Chapter 18 Summary
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WHAT HAPPENED, IN 50 WORDS:
Chapter 18 sees Dewald recover in hospital, then deliver an impactful speech unveiling Schmetterling's purpose and Nicola's suicide to a stunned crowd. Dewald and Karlien's bond deepens, and Aldi's mysterious disappearance concerns him. Mr. Visser reveals a tragic past, strengthening his connection with Dewald.
FULL SUMMARY:
Chapter 18 finds Dewald waking up in the hospital, disoriented, only to be comforted by Karlien. He learns he has been unconscious for two days following an injury. His mother informs him that his accident involved Aldi, who carried him to the hospital. Aldi's sudden disappearance confuses him. His friends' jubilant arrival reinforces their solidarity. Pausing their banter, Dewald and Karlien share a heartfelt exchange, affirming their budding relationship. Regaining composure, their friends humorously coin a new nickname for them, 'Karwald,' to signifying their union. A week later, Dewald works towards reconstructing his life after a concussion. He is scheduled to present a speech about Schmetterling, their anti-bullying initiative, finally making public what has hitherto remained veiled. Overwhelmed by the thought of his upcoming speech and the presence of the media, he retreats into the music of VNV Nation for solace. Mr. Visser shows unexpected vulnerability, sharing his tragic past about the loss of his son Rudi due to Sudden Adult Death Syndrome and the deep depression it sent his wife into, illuminating his deep connection and commitment to aiding Dewald. This complex sharing of narratives deepens their relationship, uniting them in shared loss and resilience. As Dewald prepares for his speech, a touching moment with Karlien further calms him. Taken aback by the astounding turnout and capture of attention his presentation has garnered, Dewald steps onto the stage, intending to instill resilience and courage, addressing the horrors of bullying by sharing his personal history. Despite his initial scripted speech, he casts it aside, embracing vulnerability and speaking directly from his heart, formulating a powerful message against bullying. His struggle with stuttering re-emerges, leaving the audience in anticipation for his next words. On the verge of delivering his speech, Dewald struggles to find words, feeling Karlien's supportive presence. In a touching gesture, Karlien stands and forms a butterfly symbol with her hands, and one-by-one, the audience follows, filling the auditorium with silent gestures of solidarity. Inspired by a hallucination of Nicola's comforting presence, Dewald, for the first time, openly discusses his best friend Nicola's suicide last Christmas, confiding that she had been a victim of cyberbullying. This devastating revelation leaves his friends in disbelief and moves his mother to tears. Dewald further highlights the dangers of bullying, highlighting that sometimes, the worst bully is not an outsider, but the individual themselves. Offering a touching insight into Nicola's last moments, Dewald advocates empathy for individuals like Nicola, who are driven to their breaking point. He believes Nicola didn't plan her suicide but was merely trying to stop the pain she was experiencing. Dewald introduces 'Schmetterling', their anti-bullying initiative, revealing its purpose as a safe harbor for individuals who struggle with various issues. However, he recognizes some of the initiative's unintended consequences, finding it became a platform for victims to turn into bullies. The recent bullying of Aldi Lotter, who has vanished for over two weeks, is cited as an example. In an appeal for empathy and unity, he urges his peers to use social media to find Aldi, believing she is scared and alone wherever she is and emphasizing the transformative power of forgiveness. By concluding with a collective call to action against bullying, Dewald highlights the profound cost of Nicola's loss and emphasizes the urgency of change.
WHAT HAPPENED, IN 50 WORDS:
Hoofstuk 18: Dewald ontwaak in hospitaal na botsing met Aldi. Terug by skool, hy praat openbaarlik oor Schmetterling, Nicola se selfmoord, en sy eie worstelings sonder sy gewone ondersteuning van musiek. Hy betrek gemeenskap in soeke na Aldi, terwyl hy kalmte en selfvertroue toon.
FULL SUMMARY:
In hierdie deel van Hoofstuk 18, ontwaak Dewald in 'n hospitaal na sy fisiese botsing met Aldi in die vorige hoofstuk. Hy ontdek dat hy al vir twee dae in die hospitaal is en dat hy 'n ongeluk gehad het. Hy is met skok gevul wanneer sy ma hom vertel dat dit Aldi was wat hom hospitaal toe gedra het. Terug by die skool word hy gevra om voor 'n saal vol mense te praat oor die Schmetterling-projek en die bekamping van boelies. Met sy oorfone in en 'n voorbereide toespraak in die hand, betree Dewald die verhoog, net om te ontdek dat hy nie die formeel voorbereide woorde kan uitspreek nie. Hy frommel die toespraak op en trek sy oorfone uit, voorbereid om die gehoor voor hom sonder sy gewone krukke toe te spreek. In die tweede deel van Hoofstuk 18, staan Dewald voor 'n gehoor van mense om oor die Schmetterling-projek en die bekamping van boelies te praat. Aanvanklik is hy sprakeloos, maar aangemoedig deur Karlien, rig hy homself en begin praat sonder sy gebruiklike musiek as crutch. Hy erken openlik die tragiese selfmoord van sy beste vriend, Nicola, en maak gewag van haar pad na dood deur cyberboelie. Dewald adressering skryf die verhaal van Nicola se onuitgeleefde lewe, sy eie sameloop en worsteling met selfkampt, en die noodsakelikheid om boelies aan te spreek en te ondersteun diegene wat deur boelies gebreek is. Sy beroep op die gehoor om te help om Aldi, 'n vermiste individu onder verdenking van boelies, op te spoor, verhoog die spanning en toon 'n groot besef van verantwoordelikheid vir sy gemeenskap. Vir die eerste keer slaag Dewald daarin om kalm en vloeiend te praat, wat sy persoonlike groei en selfvertroue aandui. Hy sluit sy toespraak af met 'n bemoedigende noot, die belangrikheid van vergifnis en die ophou van selfboelie. Hierdie segment wys op die impak van Nicola se dood, die groei en maturiteit van Dewald en die ontwikkeling van 'n gemeenskapsberoep vir hulp en verstaan.