Just Listen

Owen functions as Annabel’s foil and love interest. He is her opposite in terms of always being honest and seeking truth, letting out his emotions, and tackling conflicts fearlessly. Owen doesn’t want to upset people either, but he thinks being dishonest does more harm than good; even if you would share a white lie to protect others’ feelings or lie through omission, you’re lying to yourself. Owen feels that releasing emotions rather than letting them fester is healthier. His unique journey with anger management classes has taught him that it doesn’t work to keep feelings inside. Owen has learned coping mechanisms, especially escaping into music, that help him deal with his anger rather than erupting with violence or screaming. Owen has already changed by attending anger management classes when he meets Annabel, aware of how to control his rage if it arises. He is almost always calm with Annabel, only upset when Annabel won’t tell him why she left the Truth Squad concert without telling him.

Owen’s high value on honesty creates a life-changing conflict for Annabel; only through losing Owen and listening to the “Just Listen” CD he gave her does she transform. Annabel’s shift into sharing her deepest secret also makes him rethink his policy. If Owen had known that Annabel endured a rape, he wouldn’t have pushed her to share the truth about why she left the concert. Owen learns to not push others too much if they aren’t ready to share information, but he continues to believe being truthful is the ideal way to live.

Ultimately, Owen grows into a more understanding and compassionate boy due to his romance with Annabel. He also learns that music isn’t the most important thing in life. Though music is his passion, Owen cares more about Annabel and his family and spends time with them discussing more than music. Owen’s insights, such as his views on honesty and that people shouldn’t think in extremes, and his encouragement in telling Annabel that testifying could make a real difference, help Annabel grow into the best girl she can be and strengthens their relationship.

Although she was once Annabel’s closest friend, Sophie and her boyfriend Will are the novel’s antagonists. Sophie is spirited and fun but also moody, cruel, jealous, and vengeful. She believes that her perspective is the only correct viewpoint, easily getting upset with others who don’t see the world as she does and fighting often with Will. She takes pleasure in others’ pain and values her social status as the head girl in the high school. When Sophie explains to Annabel that other girls shouldn't even be talking to Will, her strict jealousy and defensiveness are apparent. Sophie is so protective of her boyfriend that she calls Annabel insults like “bitch” daily without remorse after she misinterprets the rape as Annabel sleeping with Will intentionally.

Sophie’s cruelty can be traced to her backstory of her parents’ divorce before she moved to Annabel’s city in sixth grade. Sophie’s father left her mother for a much younger woman, and he gives Sophie expensive gifts but never visits her. Her tough relationship with her father doesn’t excuse Sophie’s behavior, but Annabel feels bad for her family’s struggles.

Because Sophie doesn’t attempt to repair her friendship with Annabel after Will is arrested, she can be viewed as static. She only changes by losing her social status and becoming isolated and antisocial after Will is accused of rape. Though some classmates feel pity for her with comments like “poor Sophie,” Annabel and others think they should have more care for Will’s victims. Her character arc is filled with drama and intensive conflicts, and she doesn’t undergo a personal transformation, unlike Annabel and Whitney.

Whitney is a mentor for Annabel and also a mirror to her sister in some aspects. As the middle child, Whitney feels like she’s the “gray” in between black and white, the one who separates young, sweet Annabel and bold, fearless Kirsten. Both Annabel and Whitney are more private and withdrawn, but Whitney has stronger emotions and silent, sulking periods when she fights with Kirsten. Like Annabel, Whitney denies her personal problems until she’s in a life-threatening state. She denies her eating disorder until Annabel finds her passed out in the bathroom, frail and malnourished. Though she’s normally quiet, Whitney explodes at her family when they mention her eating habits, particularly Kirsten, who is attempting to save Whitney’s life by sharing the truth.

Whitney embodies the theme of Appearances Versus Reality. Whitney is naturally gorgeous, but she sees herself as too fat and starts losing weight to keep up with the modeling competition. Her self-worth is extremely low despite her outer beauty that stops others in their tracks. Whitney earns prominent modeling roles in NYC, but they still aren’t enough. Her outer appearance doesn’t match her inner self-esteem issues and deep insecurities. Whitney also denies the truth of her eating disorder, creating a rift between her and Kirsten when her sister tells their family the reality of her health.

Whitney grows as a character gradually, starting with acknowledging her eating disorder. She slowly opens up, trying unorthodox therapy assignments like gardening and cooking. Unlike her pessimistic past view, Whitney becomes hopeful and open-minded. She finds a passion for cooking, gardening, and writing, spending her time with these purposeful activities. She learns to channel her ideas and emotions into writing, which offers her solace.

Annabel is particularly inspired by Whitney after she reads her short story aloud at the coffee shop. Annabel can’t believe Whitney, the most private person she knows, would read a nonfiction story to strangers. Whitney’s strength to work through her eating disorder and share her deepest thoughts and emotions inspires Annabel to speak up. She leans on Whitney as an inspiration and a mentor more than anyone else when she finally tells her family about her rape.