"Note to Sixth-Grade Self" is a coming-of-age short story in which the narrator realizes that while people may show sympathy toward them, they can only rely on themselves for strength and confidence. This is an important concept for the narrator to learn, because in the future she will continually be disappointed that others do not help her in her time of need. At first the narrator gives in to what the bullies want, when her bully trips her, but she learns from this experience through her bullies cheating on her at the mall and with Eric's assertion that people won't support her not always. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Early in the story, it is clear that the narrator does not stand up for herself when she is being bullied. In a fit of jealousy, one of the narrator's bullies, Cara, deliberately trips the narrator. She “falls and sprains her wrist. [His] glasses will fly away and break in two… Stay still for a moment in the trampled clover” (82). The narrator lies there, waiting for someone to call out Cara's obvious misdeeds, but no one ever does. The narrator almost starts crying because she is upset that someone is hurting her and no one is helping her. The narrator begins to understand that she is giving her bullies exactly what they want, to make her appear helpless, and that most people will not defend her. The turning point for the narrator occurs when she finally comes to the conclusion that she can only rely on herself and have strength. To apologize for tripping the narrator, Cara and Patricia invite him to go to the mall with them. What seems like a kind gesture turns out to be a nasty prank. Upon arriving at the mall, the narrator waits for Cara and Patricia to show up, but they never do. The narrator comes to the conclusion that it is a nasty prank. She consoles herself by saying that she is in “Uptown Square with [her] mother’s credit card” (84). When Cara had mercilessly tripped him a few days earlier, the narrator stood helpless, waiting for others to come to his aid. Learning from her previous mistake, she doesn't do the same at the mall. Understanding from her past experiences that others will not help her, the narrator decides to transform a previously negative experience into a positive one. She has the perfect opportunity to have fun since she's at the mall and has her mom's credit card. The narrator does this, asserting her newfound strength and confidence.