55 pages • 1 hour read
Tae KellerJennifer Chan Is Not Alone
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2022A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Aliens
The novel’s subplot of extraterrestrial intelligence and unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) functions as an allegory for how people engage with the unfamiliar and the unknown. In an interview, the author Tae Keller explains that she chose to include the topic of aliens in the novel to symbolize themes of “uncertainty, belief, hope, and what we consider strange, weird, or ‘alien’” (Bullard, Lisa. “Tae Keller on Bridging the Gap Between.” Mackin Community, 25 Oct. 2021). Characters who are open minded, like Jennifer and her father, are not only willing to accept the possibility of extraterrestrial life, but are also excited to welcome and accept aliens, which shows that they are open to the different and unfamiliar. Others like Raegan and Tess mock Jennifer’s beliefs, revealing their closedmindedness.
Jennifer’s passion for extraterrestrial life also reflects her desire for optimistic possibilities and a comfort from loneliness. Ingrid observes that Jennifer’s notes about alien abductions are not as sensationalist as they first appear. In one transcription of a woman’s experience of being suspended in the air by light, Jennifer records, “I could see the whole world, my whole life, and I wasn’t alone’” (145). When Ingrid reads the entries, she comments, “That doesn’t sound much like an abduction” (145). Ingrid’s remark suggests that Jennifer wasn’t interested in abductions for the shock value. When Jennifer writes about abductions, she focuses on the philosophical implications of the stories and what they reveal about humanity’s condition of loneliness and the hope that solace exists.
Jennifer’s Orange T-shirt
During her first sleepover with Mal, Jennifer wears a “neon-orange t-shirt that read[s]: ALIENS WALK AMONG US!” (36). The brightness of the orange t-shirt and the phrase in all capital letters symbolize Jennifer’s energy and her unapologetic individuality. However, Mal finds the shirt embarrassing since it draws attention and fails to conform to ideas that Mal and her friends accept. Mal believes that Jennifer needs to suppress her interests; the more unique her identity is, the more she will stick out as someone who doesn’t belong. In contrast, Jennifer welcomes alien life and proudly wears her bright orange t-shirt as an invitation for others to share her hobby. When Mal suggests that she not wear her shirt or mention aliens to people, Jennifer responds, “But what if other people want to help us with our search?” (38). The t-shirt symbolizes Jennifer’s acceptance of difference, diversity, and inclusivity, which serves as a sharp contrast to Reagan and Mal’s conformity and exclusivity.
The t-shirt reappears later in the novel, and it illustrates how Mal has matured through the novel and come to see how misguided she was to value conformity. While looking for Jennifer’s journals, Mal finds the t-shirt shoved in the back of Jennifer’s drawers and realizes that she played a role in convincing Jennifer to succumb to social pressures. Mal thinks, “I picture her stuffing it into the back of the drawer, and something cold burns in my chest. I thought I was helping” (132). The imagery of the shirt “crumpled in the back” stings as Mal realizes that she’s made Jennifer feel insecure and encouraged her to hide a part of her identity (132). The pain Mal feels illustrates her awareness of how wrong she was to dampen Jennifer’s spirit.
Phones
The novel opens with the sound of a cell phone buzzing, and the device symbolizes the role of technology and social media in spreading gossip and facilitating bullying. Reagan uses her phone to mock Jennifer by taking unflattering photos of her behind her back. Both Tess and Mal participate, and the phone becomes a tool to harass and demean others. When Pete blocks Jennifer’s path to embarrass her with a racist stereotype, the students pull out their phones to record the encounter instead of intervening. Tess, who is one of the biggest gossips at school, uses the phone to spread rumors or dominate a conversation. Mal states, “She’s always on her phone, and she types inhumanly fast because she likes to have the first word” (31). For Mal’s clique and the other students at the school, cellphones become a way to monitor others’ behavior and invade their privacy.
In contrast, smartphones are rarely utilized in Mal’s interactions with Jennifer, Ingrid and Kath. Whereas Mal and Reagan are glued to their cellphones to text each other during their car rides with Mrs. Moss, Ingrid and Kath never check their phones in the car and converse with Mrs. Mal with polite attention. The small detail of both Ingrid and Kath not looking at their phones while speaking to an adult demonstrates their consideration for other people’s feelings. Also, instead of using phones to gossip about her peers, Jennifer is mainly concerned with the right frequency, or what she calls the “phone number,” to contact aliens and connect with the cosmos.
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