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Literature / The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth

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"Awkwardness defines my life."
Eli

The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth - written by Alexandra Robbins and published in 2011 - explains that popularity may not be all what it's cracked up to be, and that the qualities that make kids unpopular in high school are those that help them later in life. It follows the lives of seven individuals struggling with the harsh realities of high school social life over the course of a year.

  • The Loner, Danielle: She withdraws from her classmates when she is tricked into joining her own hate club.
  • The Popular Bitch, Whitney: The popular cheerleading captain who both wants to be a part of her clique and simultaneously feels trapped by it. Although she desperately wants to be popular, she is also best friends with a punk, whom Bianca and the others disapprove of.
  • The Nerd, Eli: Students laugh at him because of his differences and his mother doesn't help by constantly telling him he isn't normal.
  • The New Girl, Joy: She tries to stay positive, which isn't easy. Her classmates make fun of her mannerisms and her race.
  • The Gamer, Mark "Blue" Laurent: Underachieving and in danger of not graduating, he tries to connect with other students, all while dealing with the wrath of his abusive mother.
  • The Weird Girl, Regan Davis: She battles discrimination and the like at school, but manages to have a joyful life outside of it. She's also a lesbian and a teacher, not a student.
  • The Band Geek, Noah Giancoli: He runs for class president despite being branded too "emo" and too serious.


Tropes:

  • Abusive Parents: Blue's mother, who at one point suddenly asks how he would draw a lion and then threatens to hit him with a knife lest he answer.
  • Alpha Bitch: Bianca. Even though Whitney is introduced as "The Popular Bitch", Bianca tries to convince Whitney to attend a party while the latter is suffering from bronchitis. When Whitney doesn't attend, Bianca gives away Whitney's position in the party car.
    • The book explains the science behind such people and what causes them to act the way they do.
  • Asian and Nerdy: Noah
  • Auto Erotica: Whitney and Luke.
  • Driven to Suicide: As of 2011, many students who are being bullied.
  • Emo: The book brings such people into a positive light, claiming that they are simply more in touch with their emotions.
  • Loners Are Freaks: Danielle is viewed as such and was isolated from her peers before she unknowingly joined the "I Hate Dominoes" Club.
  • Non-Fiction Literature: Although it can read like fiction, all of the individuals portrayed are real as are their stories.
  • Redheads Are Uncool: One girl is bullied because of this rare hair color.
  • Teens Are Monsters: When Danielle underwent dermatological surgery, The leader of the "I Hate Dominoes" (really the "I Hate Danielle" Club said that she hoped Danielle would die from the anesthesia.
  • Title Drop: "They are realizing at an early age that the geeks (and loners, punks, floaters, dorks, and various other outcasts) shall inherit the earth."
  • Wham Line: "You would think that someone in her thirties would have a little more sense than a typical teenager."

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