Hearts Unbroken

This chapter is Emily’s Arts and Entertainment article about the casting of the musical in the September 18 issue of The Hive. In it, Chelsea Weber, the senior cast as leading role Dorothy, says that she almost did not try out, as she did not get leading or featured roles in past musicals at the school. Emily quotes Mrs. Qualey saying before auditions that “every student who auditions will receive fair and equal treatment” (95). Emily quotes Peter Ney’s mother, Rochelle Ney, as well: “Everybody knows ‘fair and equal’ is code for lowering standards to give an unfair advantage to minorities” (95). Mrs. Ney also refers to the color-conscious casting as “reverse racism.” Emily mentions the name of the newfound organization, Parents Against Revisionist Theater (PART), and names the other leads in the show, including freshman Hughie Wolfe as Tin Man.

Louise, Hughie, their parents, Louise’s cousin Fynn, and Fynn’s toddler Aiyana go to a restaurant to celebrate Hughie’s role in the musical. Louise tries to enjoy the family time but notices a story on the news about a terrorist bombing in Egypt. It appears on all four screens and makes Louise sad: “Bombing, bombing, bombing, bombing” (98). Mama asks the waitress to change the channel. The waitress replaces the news with a fashion show. The mood at the table is happy as they discuss the impractical clothing of the high-fashion models. Then, a model comes down the runway wearing a turquoise minidress and an exaggerated, stylized, “Plains-Indians-inspired” headdress (100). The laughter and good mood “falter[s],” then returns as the family members turn away from the show. Mama asks the waitress to turn off the TVs.

Louise discovers an anonymous letter in the mailbox that reads “There is no place like home. Go back to where you came from” (101). The family discusses the note. Hughie mistakenly thinks the anonymous writer of the note is telling them to go back to Texas, and Louise explains that the writer of the hate note thinks they are immigrants. Louise becomes better friends with Emily and Emily’s friend Rebecca, whom Louise interviews for her article on sexual bullying. Rebecca explains the daughter of a man who dated her (Rebecca’s) mother called her a “slut.” The label unfortunately stuck: “I’ve lost babysitting gigs because of the rumors” (105).

Hughie tells the family that cast members Chelsea and A.J. received the same note. Louise interviews the guidance counselor Mrs. Evans for the sexual bullying article. Mrs. Evans uses notes but stumbles when referring to Indigenous women, first saying “American Indians” before changing to “Native American” (107). Louise’s parents meet with Chelsea’s and A.J.’s parents; they decide collectively to avoid a reaction to the hate notes for now, hoping it will be a stand-alone incident: “Right now the consensus is to not give the haters the signal boost or satisfaction” (108).

Louise offers to help Emily with articles on the musical, admitting that she feels strongly about the topic due to Hughie’s involvement and the unfairness of PART. Emily wants her help, and Karishma says she can run an editor’s note indicating the family connection for transparency. Louise reflects in interior monologue, “Basically I needed to figure out who’d sent the anonymous messages, and being on assignment for The Hive would give me an excuse to ask around” (110). 

This chapter is an editorial by Karishma that appears in the September 25 issue of The Hive. In it, she points out that Chelsea will be the first lead of color in the school’s history. She asks the former theater director, Mr. Leary, why that might be; his response is defensive: “How dare you try to besmirch my forty-three-year record of excellence in public education with your hateful insinuations!” (112). Karishma notes in her editorial that the reaction to the color-conscious casting has been mixed; more students of color are involved in the theater program, but the Parents Against Revisionist Theater objects to the casting choices. Karishma concludes by saying that Mrs. Qualey’s casting choices are positive and progressive.

Louise helps her father construct a mini-Hobbit village in their yard. He and Hughie had “bonded, long-distance, over Tolkien” when her father was in Iraq. Louise confides that she likes Joey and details the competitive environment of the newspaper office during class. Her father suggests being straightforward and telling Joey that she likes him. He mentions how caring about their family made difficult days overseas helped him.

The librarian Ms. Zimmerman will not do an interview with Louise about the parents in PART, but Brooke Johanson, a student library aide, tells Louise she will meet her after school. Louise finds Brooke in the school basement, where Brooke ushers her into a janitorial closet and keeps the light off. Brooke tells Louise that the members of PART are controlling and homophobic as well as racist. Brooke’s parents (PART supporters) think she looks for inappropriate books in the library to remove, but she is against their views. She warns Louise not to “underestimate them” (121). Brooke also gives Louise a book for Hughie from Ms. Zimmerman that he requested. Louise sees that Ms. Zimmerman purchased it from an independent bookstore as a gift. The book is Eric Garnsworth’s If I Ever Get Out of Here, a contemporary fiction set in 1975 about a Native junior high boy struggling against poverty and racism.

Louise finishes a test in Mr. McCloud’s Government class while thinking about speaking with Joey after class. She plans to ask Joey to the new bowling alley. When she tries to catch him after class, she bumps into Mr. McCloud, causing the test papers to fall. Joey comes back to help and asks Louise to the bowling alley Saturday night.

Four brief letters in the Letters to the Editor section of The Hive, dated Friday, October 3, make up this chapter. The first is a complimentary review of Chelsea’s talent: “Prepare to be blown away” (126). The second is a note that questions Karishma’s ethnicity and (referring to Karishma’s editorial) states “Is it too much to ask for a Kansan’s opinion on casting The Wizard of Oz?” (126). Karishma replies, stating that she was born in Kansas. The third questions why “two brown boys” in the musical don’t have better roles to fill. The fourth questions how Black students would react if the school produced The Wiz with white actors. Karishma responds, “It’s different because of who has the power and how it’s been abused” (127).