Student Question
Why did Stargirl mysteriously move away at the end?
Quick answer:
Stargirl's departure at the end is left ambiguous by the author, Jerry Spinelli. The reasons for her move are not specified, allowing readers to interpret her actions. Although she and Leo had broken up, she maintained awareness of his life, as shown by her sending him a gift years later. The open-ended conclusion facilitated the creation of the sequel, Love, Stargirl, where she writes letters to Leo, suggesting ongoing feelings.
The author never says exactly why Stargirl and her family moved. He leaves that to the reader's imagination. She and Leo had broken up, so it makes sense that she did not tell him that they were leaving or where they were going. From comments Archie makes, he knew that she was leaving and has a general idea of where she has gone. She has asked Archie to deliver "The Early Life of Peter Sinkowitz" to his parents. We also know that Stargirl has continued to be aware of where Leo is and what he is doing through the fact he receives a porcupine tie about a month before his birthday, fifteen years after the story takes place.
By leaving things hanging, as Jerry Spinelli did, he was able to write a sequel, Love Stargirl. The sequel begins with letters Stargirl is writing to Leo, her "once (and future?) boyfriend."
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