Recap / Recess S 3 E 15 The Library Kid

• An Aesop:
  • Both the kids and Library Kid learn something from their respective experiences. The kids (minus Gretchen who's already intellectual) learn that books can be fun to read if you find the right one. And Library Kid learns that there's more to life than books, and some things you have to experience for yourself to understand how good they are. Unfortunately, they learned it a bit too well. (See A Lesson Learned Too Well)
  • Also, it's healthier to take things in a balanced moderation than to the extreme.
• Became Their Own Antithesis: After getting a taste of recess, Library Kid goes from being a quiet, literate little mouse to a cackling adrenaline junkie who throws herself into all sorts of dangerous stunts, just to make up for all the recesses she missed out on. It backfires stupendously when she finds herself stranded atop the flagpole and scared out of her wits without her glasses.
• Blind Without Them: Library Kid is rendered helpless when she loses her glasses up top the flagpole.
• Everyone Has Standards: Miss Finister is understandably horrified upon seeing Library Kid holding on for dear life on the flagpole.
• Gone Horribly Right: The whole idea of taking Library Kid outside the library was to help her experience a world outside her books. Although she does eventually have fun with it, she starts to escalate into more and more extreme activities.
• A Lesson Learned Too Well: Library Kid was supposed to learn there was more to life than reading books, but by giving her a taste for recess, she becomes obsessed with excitement and fun, to the point she nearly gets killed during her adrenaline high. Meanwhile, the other kids try to calm her down by reading her books, but in the process, are too distracted with their respective books to put it down. Although they do learn that books can be fun unto themselves, it was the wrong time to do so.
• Noodle Incident: For some reason, the episode ends with the Library Kid genuinely having fun jumping rope with the Ashleys of all people. How this unlikely friendship came about (or if it's possible) remains a mystery.
• Take a Third Option: Towards the end, Gretchen approaches a calmed-down Library Kid, who refuses to give recess a chance so she won't have a repeat of her overexcited episode. Instead, Gretchen proposes that instead of only choosing one, she can choose both. She can read in the library without being a shut-in, but also enjoy recess without going into a frenzy. Although she's hesitant at the idea, the episode ends on the note that Library Kid took Gretchen's advice to heart.
• What the Hell, Hero?: Averted. Miss Finster is about to tear Gretchen a new one for pulling the fire alarm until the latter justifies her actions by pointing at the Library Kid on the top of the flagpole. The moment Miss Finster sees this, she immediately contacts the fire department.