Opening Act

In “Opening Act”, the main character Amanda, is going through an emotional stage with her break up with her boyfriend and some trust issues with her mother. Amanda, the average girl with a musical background is very stubborn, arrogant and sensitive. She may be stubborn and arrogant but, she doesn’t show anger unnecessary to anyone, only to those who make her frustrated. Amanda’s feelings for her mother change throughout her experience.

In the beginning of “Opening Act” it mentioned Jeff (Amanda’s ex-boyfriend) broke up with her for Marie McCall. Amanda was devastated from that. Since she thought the best way to deal with heartbreaks was to write poetry in secret, she expressed her feelings through her poems in her secret notebook. She would feel better after writing poems but, she would never forget what happened. Bottomline is Amanda was going an emotional break up with her ex-boyfriend.

During the story, Amanda’s mother had invaded her privacy. She had read Amanda’s secret notebook without her permission. That day, Amanda had stormed out of the house for school, not talking to her mother for days. Amanda was extremely mad at her mother for violating her privacy. The point is Amanda was having some problems with her mother during the middle of the story.

Days after Amanda stormed out of the house, her dad took her to her mother’s concert. At the concert, Amanda is recognized for her talent in writing poems. Amanda was very mad at her mother for telling everyone her poems. But at the end, Amanda called her poem, “Our Song” (Amanda and her mother’s song) because her mother could make a connection to the song. The anger against her mother disappeared and a stronger bond had formed. At the end of the story, Amanda was happy with her mother.

Amanda’s experience had a small price for the great bond between her and her mother. The young girl had learned that her poems can relate to many people. Her experience had taught her to understand better. Bottomline is Amanda had emotionally changed throughout the story. She has changed from being mad at her mother to having a better relationship with her mother.

By: Abijeeth R