Miranda Character Analysis

Miranda was one of Via's best friends before they began high school. They hung out often with Ella and went to school together through middle school. Growing up, they hung out at Via's house and played with August, and Miranda has a special affinity for him. She even bought him his space helmet, which he wore out in public for several years until it mysteriously disappeared. The summer before the novel starts, Miranda's parents undergo a nasty divorce and send Miranda to summer camp to remove her from it. Miranda hates camp but soon finds herself inexplicably speaking about August and the Pullmans as though they're her family, which boosts her popularity immensely. The popular girls at camp completely makeover Miranda's look, which means that she looks like a stereotypical popular girl by the time she returns to school. Though Miranda enjoys parts of her popularity and maintains her friendship with Ella, she and Ella begin to ostracize Via so they don't have to admit that they're changing. Miranda secretly wishes that she and Via were still friends and signs up for a theater elective to spend time with Via. There, Miranda has several opportunities to “choose kind.” First, she talks the theater director, Mr. Davenport, out of putting on a production of The Elephant Man, which deals with physical disability and she believes wouldn't be well-received by the Pullmans. Then, on opening night, she allows Via to take her place in the lead of Our Town and shine for her family. The Pullmans, including Via, accept Miranda's opening night kindnesses and embrace her as the good friend they know she still is, despite the changes she made to her appearance.