Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of bullying, physical abuse, and antigay bias.

Piddy, the narrator and protagonist, details her experiences in 10th grade at a new school. Before she and her mom move, she is a happy, confident teenager, who has good relationships with her mother, her mother’s friend, Lila, and her best friend, Mitzi. Furthermore, before attending Daniel Jones High, Piddy is a smart, intelligent, and confident young woman who knows who she wants to be: “I’m going to be a scientist. I want to work with animals, but ones like elephants, maybe even live halfway across the world” (17-18). At this point, Piddy is ambitious and ready to go after her dreams. Although she desires an uncommon career, caring for elephants, she is not scared to pursue it.

However, when Yaqui begins bullying her, Piddy changes significantly as she experiences The Impact of Bullying on Mental Health. She doubts herself, expresses self-hatred, changes her looks, becomes sullen, and avoids people and things she loves. When Rob chases her down the hall about her essay, Piddy notes, “I whip around, suddenly irritated. His pinched face is more than I can stand.