Flipped

The high point of suspense in the story occurs as Bryce’s emotions for Juli overtop his self-conscious concern about what others think of him; he leaves Miranda’s and Shelly’s impulsive catfight, compelled to pull Juli literally and figuratively away from Jon. The part of the picnic lunch scene when Bryce takes Juli’s hand recalls to the reader’s mind Bryce and Juli’s first meeting; on that day, he wound up holding her hand inadvertently, accidentally igniting Juli’s years-long infatuation with him. Now, in juxtaposition to that earlier hand-holding incident, Juli is confused and embarrassed by Bryce’s behavior; she is mortified that he shows his feelings in front of others at the lunch so boldly and incensed that he waited until she no longer cares for him to give her the kiss she used to wait for so hopefully. For both of them, then, the climax is anticlimactic: Their actions and realizations are painfully awkward, deeply ironic, and emotionally unfulfilling. Moreover, this anticlimax leaves the conflict between them unresolved, and the two drift into the falling action contending with the same unsettledness of the previous two chapters. The hoped-for resolution comes with Julie’s decision to go to Bryce after he plants the tree, but their actual meeting, undelivered to readers in the real time of the novel, is only implied.

Bryce’s last chapter of the narrative (the next-to-last of the novel) is entitled “Flipped,” exactly as the first chapter in Juli’s perspective is. The author plays on the motif of the word flipped a few times in these last chapters; Garrett says that Bryce has “flipped,” meaning Bryce has unclear thoughts and does not know what he is doing. Bryce thinks to himself minutes later that he had indeed “flipped”—for Juli. When Juli’s mother concernedly talks to her after school about the auction, Juli is first stomach-down, head into the pillow, but she “flips” over to see and better speak with her mother. At that moment, she is confused and emotional, but turning upright symbolizes her open-mindedness to her mother’s news and viewpoints. Initially, she wonders if her mother will understand, but Juli soon confides in her the events of the day and the factors that motivate her decision-making. In an archetypal Mentor role, Juli’s mother reveals that she already knows that the Loskis heard about Uncle David, that Mrs. Loski is in a troubled relationship, and that she thinks Bryce acted bravely and from the heart.

More than any begging to talk or repeated apologies, Bryce’s choice to plant a sycamore tree in Julie’s yard is a fulfilling moment for the characters and the reader. It is a nod to their shared past, their memories of the kite, and Juli’s climbs; it is also an acknowledgment on Bryce’s part of his inability to commit in the past, as he refused to climb the tree or try to save it with her. Even more, it is a symbol of Bryce’s commitment to their friendship or romantic relationship moving forward, as a planted tree takes root and lasts longer than many other growing things. It is a fitting choice considering that Bryce’s first clue of his new love for Juli surfaced with the continued study of her photo in the old sycamore tree.

Furthermore, that he plants the tree then leaves without any attempt to talk to Juli is the strongest indication of Bryce’s new maturity; he is saying (without saying a word) that he respects her reactions and feelings. Once the tree is planted, the two begin anew with a simple exchange of waves. While the gesture is basic, it is also filled with possibilities; Juli’s last line of interior monologue, which she recalls from a discussion with her father, reveals that she is eager to talk to this stranger who has lived across the street since second grade: “Maybe it’s time to meet him in the proper light” (212).