Quote Responding, Saving Francesca

“I miss the Stella girls telling me what I am. That I’m sweet and placid and accommodating and loyal and non-threatening and good to have around. And Mia. I want her to say, “’Frankie, you’re silly, you’re lazy, you’re talented, you’re passionate, you’re restrained, you’re blossoming, you’re contrary.’”

I want to be an adjective again.

But I’m a noun.

A nothing. A nobody. A no one.”

(Page 44)

I chose this quote in Saving Francesca because it really sums up all of Francesca Spinelli’s feelings of stress, anguish and confusion inadequacy and self-loathing.  This statement takes place after she sees her father and cousin pretending to be cheerful even though it is obvious that they are grieving the almost loss of there wife and aunt. At this point in the book her mother, Mia, has fallen ill with acute depression.  Mia was the force that drove Francesca (and the rest of the family) through the day. When Mia won’t leave her bed and is constantly throwing up and crying, Francesca doesn’t have energy to get through the day without feeling sad, worthless, or alone. Francesca is worried that her mother will never get out of this state. She feels lonely and unsupported. Also, she is longing for her friends from her old school. She calls her closest one named Michaela, hoping to hang out. Michaela’s mother picks up the phone and completely forgets who Francesca is even though her daughter has gone to school with Francesca for the past 4 years. Michaela’s mom says Michaela is out with friends. Francesca feels forgotten, irrelevant. She becomes worried for the rest of the book starting around this thought of her meaning nothing.

Other stressful factors are school. Francesca is a 16-year-old schoolgirl who is dealing with going to an all boys’ school that has just accepted girls. Unfortunately, the only girls who attend St. Sebastian’s from her last school are: ultra-feminist Tara Finke, boy obsessed Siobhan Sullivan, and nerdy Justine Kalinsky. The boys are hardly as appealing.  There is Thomas Mackee who finds fart jokes amusing. Will Trombal the house leader who Frankie believes is seriously lacking personality, but cant stop thinking about him, and Jimmy Hailer who seems nice enough but Francesca’s dad calls a “drug fiend.” The school is mixed with unlikely friendships, enemies, and forbidden romances, which promote anxious feelings for Francesca.

  At home, Frankie’s life changes suddenly. She has a soft-spoken but peaceful father, her “Papa.” She and her younger brother are surprisingly close.  Mia, however, was the driver of the family before she became ill.  Every morning she would get up, ready to give Frankie her next pep talk about doing her best in school or making friends.  Everyday she would play motivational music.  It was her routine for the morning.  But one morning Francesca wakes up without music.  Without any advice about her classes, no plans or agenda schedules.  And the next day this repeats.  The days turn into months that her mother hasn’t gone out of bed. Mia just cries, throws up, eats and sleeps. This leaves Francesca without a motivational figure to guide her through her tough school days. Francesca ends up being a nobody to herself and everyone else. She simply slips away from consciousness.