Extended Character Analysis

Olivia is August’s fifteen-year-old older sister. She is a freshman at Faulkner High School, and she learns to navigate the world of high school while August attends school for the first time. Olivia earned the nickname “Via” at school, and her family continues to call her this years later.

Prior to August’s birth, Olivia was an only child, and family pictures indicate that she was always the center of attention. After August’s birth, however, her role in the family changed. Via learned how to live in August’s shadow, managing her own schedule and arranging her own rides. Olivia is a loving sister and fiercely defends August from bullies, but she often feels neglected.

Her social life becomes turbulent when her best friends, Miranda and Ella, gain popularity at Faulkner while Via doesn’t. Though these social changes deeply distress Olivia, she refuses to talk about them with her parents, because she has learned to be private and self-sufficient so as not to draw attention away from August. She starts to lie to her parents after her friendship with Miranda disintegrates, leaving her without a ride to school. Instead of finding another ride, she takes the subway home, against her mother’s wishes.

Wanting something just for herself, she starts dating a boy named Justin, whom she convinces to try out for the lead male role in the school play, Our Town. At first, Olivia keeps her participation in the play a secret from her family, because she worries that if her family attends the performance, her classmates will judge her for being August’s sister. Olivia is glad when she doesn’t get the lead female role, because she doesn’t want everybody staring at her. Nevertheless, when Miranda pretends to be sick, Olivia takes the opportunity to play the lead.

Miranda’s pretend illness proves to be a gift to Olivia that allows the two friends to reconcile after the performance. Even though Olivia does not want her family to see the play, they learn of it and show up to watch. As a result of their attendance and Miranda’s fake illness, Via finally receives her family’s full attention, an experience she relishes and appreciates.