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The theme of This book is acceptance and looking beyond the surface of people. Throughout the entire book, every character struggles with self acceptance and excepting others, Russel doesn't accept himself for being gay, Gunnar thinks his self worth is lower for not having a girlfriend, Min thinks she isn't living up to standards, etc. Brian Bund represents self acceptance and accepting others. Everyone avoids him, everyone hates him for no reason, But Brian is completely content with himself. At the same time others learn to accept Brian and include him in things, they start to accept themselves more. In return to befriending Brian, Brian helps him out by taking the rumor from Russel, but by that time Russel is done caring what people think about it because he isn't insecure anymore.

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Theme

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Gunnar, Russel's best friend, blackmails him into going on a third double date so he can be with Kimberly. Russel gets angry because he is being treated unfairly and they all get into a fight. Russel walks home very upset because he thinks he has lost his best friend. When he calls Kevin to come pick him up he isn't really expecting much. Russel realizes that Gunnar isn't acting as his friend, and how much he relies on the Geography Club. Kevin resembles all of the Geography Club and what it has done for Russel.

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"At least I still had Kevin" (Hartinger 186).

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The conflict starts when the Geography lub votes on letting Brian Bund into the geography club. "The three of us didn't say anything. We didn't have to. We all know what had happened. The Geography Club had come undone." This causes a major problem that puts a dent in their friendships and lives. They are no longer able to talk about their feelings and their closest bonds have been paused.

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Conflict

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In this image many different people can be seen. Each person is unique in their own way and no two are exactly alike. Some of them may be unlikely friends, and some of them may be completely compatible. Even though each one is different, they all have at least one thing in common. They can talk to each other, they can listen, and they can provide advice in a time of need. In the geography club, there is no one you would expect to be friends. The members of the club range from star baseball players to the weirdest kids in school. The club provides a place for them all to share what their life is like from their point of view, and they are able to talk about whatever they would like in a safe environment.

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After spending some time being treated the way Brian Bund is treated everyday, Russel realizes that the way he is being treated is very wrong. A rumor that Russel is gay is spread that causes everyone in school to give him nasty looks, and the baseball team that has new found respect for him disowns him because of it. Russel gets to see first hand how unfair it is to treat a person with such disrespect. Turning down the table invite after "everything is cleared up" by Kevin, one of the most important people to him, really shows that he has changed from days before when he was picking on Brian.

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"But what Kevin didn't understand was that by sitting with Brian, I was gaining something too, something i couldn't quite name, but that was more important than any of those things" (Hartinger 225).

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It turns out that the purpose of the Goodkind High Geography Club is a temporary one --- a short, important first step in Russel and company's longer journey toward accepting themselves. Throughout the novel, one senses that if these gay kids and their straight schoolmates were more comfortable with themselves, they would be less cruel to each other.

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This review asks the question "What was the purpose of the Geography Club?". At first the club is recognized as a secret place for gay kids to talk and form a trusting bond, it isn't until after the club is shut down that they realize the main reason behind it. I agree with this review that the club did have an underlying meaning. "The purpose of the Geography Club at Goodkind High isn't immediately recognized by any of the gay, lesbian and bisexual characters who make up the club." The characters all struggle with acceptance and accepting others. The club opens up a way for them to learn new things about others and other problems they may not be going through and are not aware of. The club opens them up to the struggles of alcoholic parents, physical abuse, and bullying. "It turns out that the purpose of the Goodkind High Geography Club is a temporary one --- a short, important first step in Russel and company's longer journey toward accepting themselves." I believe that the Club was a step towards acceptance, but I do not believe that it was temporary. The club opened up everyone's eyes to help them grow as a person and grow new friendships.