We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen Book Analysis

“Different people are smart in different ways,” Susin Nielsen states in “We Are All Made Of Molecules.” Thirteen-year-old Stewart Inkster is academically talented but socially "ungifted." Ashley Anderson, 14, is a popular ninth-grade student with failing grades. Not everyone is gifted in the same manner, but everyone is gifted in their own way. Stewart is smart but hopelessly awkward in social situations. Ashley may not be the brightest person in the room, but she has figured out how to manipulate people to be a part of her social circle. When Stewart and his father move in with Ashley and her mother, they realize their feelings are contradictory. Nielsen utilizes these contradictions to show the importance of accepting and respecting people for who they are throughout the novel. Ashley is a bully who sees the worst in others. Stewart, a brilliant and caring boy, finds the best in others. Nielsen uses the characters in "We Are All Made of Molecules" to highlight how our identities shape the way we view the world.

Ashley's selfish identity shapes the way she perceives the world, which shows her focus on remaining on top of the “social ladder”. She bullies her friends in order to show them that she is superior to them. She behaves in this manner as a result of her perspective toward popularity. “When I saw the midget freakazoid walk into my classroom, I honestly thought he was lost.”  Ashley began thinking poorly of Stewart despite the fact that she didn’t even get to know him.  She regards Stewart as a "midget freakazoid" which shows how mean she is.   She hasn't even met him yet and already thinks he's a nuisance. She could have tried to establish a bond with him at the very least. She tends to avoid him at school since he embarrasses her and she aims to preserve her popularity. Ashley also reveals her selfish characteristics when she feels resentful when Leonard- Stewart’s dad- holds the salad bowl during family dinner. “It twisted my insides, seeing the bowl in his hands.” Ashley's thoughts reveal her perspective. She thinks that Leonard is not suitable for a pretty woman like her mom. She definitely does not care about his human characteristics, such as his affectionate expressions. Through Ashley’s thoughts, we can see that she is a cruel, conceited, and self-centered individual. Many people have different identities, which causes many different actions. So how does Stewart’s identity affect his actions?

Stewart's kind spirit shapes how he sees the world. As opposed to seeing only the negatives in others, he prefers to see the ethical qualities others possess. When interacting with Jared, a conceited classmate, Stewart states that “I overheard what you said about Ashley in the change room the other day.” When Stewart learned that Jared was calling his stepsister a tease, he needed to know why, so he summoned all his guts and confronted Jared about it. This demonstrates how much he cares about Ashley, despite the fact that she despises him and treats him terribly. In this way, Stewart shows his concern for others. Stewart knew for sure that Jared is obnoxious because he called Ashley a tease. Later in the novel when Stewart stands up to Jared it emphasizes how his kind attitude toward Ashley overcomes his fear.  “I ran behind him and pulled his gym shorts, along with his underwear, down to his ankles.” Stewart's anger is demonstrated by his actions. He feels anger due to Jared earlier trying to take inappropriate pictures of his sister, Ashley, when she had consumed too much wine and was unconscious. Stewart cares for Ashley even though she doesn’t show the same care for him. Stewart accepts people for who they are even if they aren’t kind. Undoubtedly, we can conclude that the way we see the world is dependent on our identity.

In Susin Nielsen's novel, "We Are All Made of Molecules," the main characters Ashley and Stewart have vastly different identities which influences how they see the world. We see throughout the book how Ashley’s identity enables her to be a bully and how Stewart’s identity keeps him thinking positively of people. Stewart accepted Ashley for who she was and stuck up for her when he pulled Jared's gym short’s down. This shows Stewart’s compassionate identity because even though Ashley wasn’t kind towards Stewart Stewart. Throughout the book Stewart’s heart makes him see people in a positive manner. In contrast, Ashley’s identity drives her to want to remain on top of the “social ladder” causing her to be a bully. We all know that how we act, who our friends are, how we think things happen, determine how we see the world. As Susan Nielsen says, "people are smart in different ways," we should find a way to focus on the exemplary things in everyone.