Bullies, popularity, lies and peer pressure are always on the minds of most high school students. I couldn’t imagine having to through a life threatening illness into the mix. Then to top it off with losing a friend in a tragic way is unbearable. Well in Carol Plum-Ucci’s novel, What Happened to Lani Garver, a fictional character named Claire McKenzie had to deal with it all. Claire was a sophomore who is in remission. She had been struggling with leukemia and just got back to school. She scored a spot at the popular table, made it on the cheerleading squad and landed a hot boyfriend. Then Lani happened. Lani was a guy everyone picked on in school. He happened to be the guy that was the only true friend Claire had. Lani and Claire’s friendship ended in tragedy. (Plum-Ucci) …show more content…
Peer Groups is one of the first main points that the novel addresses. Claire hides her true self to score a more popular group of friends. During her outstanding popularity, Lani Garver, a new student arrives at the school. He is made fun of and picked on because the way he looks. Claires best friend makes fun of him and ask him if he is a he or a she. Lani becomes an even bigger target when Tony, one of the most popular boys in school says Lani put the moves on him. When Claire becomes ill and faints at school Lani helps her. Claire feels she cannot talk to her friends about her illness in fear that they may judge her. She confides in Lani and is able to talk with Lani and open up to him about her problems. She keeps their friendship a secret to save her popularity. She then finds out that the rumors that Tony started about Lani are untrue and that infact Tony is sexually harassing him.