Fic: Day of Silence, Rachel

[puppetdumbly]

Prompt: Kurt gets the Glee club to participate [in Day of Silence]. Day of Silence, for those unaware, students going all day without speaking to memoralize/draw attention to others in the past who have been bullied, judged for their sexuality, or generally never had their voices heard. Would love to see how the gleekers are affected by the

Comments

[alter_alterego]

Oh, Rachel. Reading about her day was almost painful. Reading all of the hatred spewed towards her was hard enough; knowing that she couldn't respond verbally just made it even worse. (I admit that I may have cheered a bit when she pulled hair / flipped the bird, however.) The part about her dads was particularly brutal; that girl was saying the worst things possible on the worst possible day.

Those comments--and the whole of this story, actually--did a great job of highlighting the side of Rachel that would do anything for her family and friends.

And speaking of friends--returning to the NOH8 photos she took with Kurt and Jesse was very clever and very moving.

[puppetdumbly]

I love Rachel. Probably so much it doesn't make sense half the time, so I really wanted to show how much she does care. She loves her dads and she loves her friends so much that she'll give away the one thing she has to protect herself: her voice. I feel like a terrible person for putting her through all this, though. But I'm glad you liked it!

[faile_neume]

These stories never fail to make me cry. I don't even like Rachel that much but my heart is breaking for her in this. She just wants to do the right thing for her dads and for Kurt and everyone is making it so hard for her, making it about her when for once shes not being self centred.

I have a desire to see the pictures of Kurt, just because I know they'd be utterly gorgeous and painful. And Rachel's thoughts about the pictures seem so in character for her and just really lovely. She wants people to see the truth.

I am impossibly excited/apprehensive to read Kurt's chapter.

[puppetdumbly]

Oohh yay, I was hoping the whole Rachel-is-not-being-selfish-so-lay-off thing would come across. Because that's exactly what she's doing: giving up her voice for people she loves. And obviously the actual pictures don't exist, but I can give you links to the photos that inspired them!

http://www.noh8campaign.com/photo-gallery/creative-group-photos-2/photo/8300
http://www.noh8campaign.com/photo-gallery/creative-group-photos-2/photo/8330
http://www.noh8campaign.com/photo-gallery/creative-group-photos-1/photo/8123

[faile_neume]

Those are beautiful photos. We don't really have the NOH8 campaign in Australia and one of the best things about this fic is that I have been learning about it. So thank you for that along with the beautiful fic.

[jedishadowolf]

Rachel really does have a very large heart. I swear it seems like that high school has some of the cruelest kids in the world going to school there. I have to admit I giggled at the thought of prim and proper Rachel flipping someone off - totally appropriate reaction when she couldn't speak, but completely outside her usual character so it was a small flicker of amusement. Powerful stuff here, love how her parents were at home waiting for her ready to comfort her after a rough day too.

[puppetdumbly]

I hate doing this to all these kids we love. Seriously, this chapter and Finn's chapter were so hard to write because I didn't want to put either one of them through this. But little things like her dads waiting for her made it worth it. And I'm so glad you liked that part. It's my favorite part. :)

[syikana]

I've been reading this and seeing it so clearly in my mind. I'm slightly wondering what might happen with Tina.. Will and really scared to see what might happen to Kurt....

This is so powerful in all the right places.

[puppetdumbly]

Completely missed your comment, sorry! Thank you so much for reading!

And your icon!!! Love it!