Mrs. Ryan

As part of the eighth grade independent novel project, students are required to choose  and complete a creative writing piece based on the book they have just finished.  One student, Kelly T. chose to write a song based on the novel Izzy, Willy-Nilly, with  outstanding results.  Her song and commentary on it are printed below.

Living a Lie

i flash my teeth, I move my lips
I don't know what to make out of all of this
All I know is
I've got to fake it

Put a false smile on my face
Just to get through another day

I'm not okay

I wait till the sun disappears
And I can let go
Of my fears
Just sit in my room
And cry
I...

I pretend I'm doing fine, there's nothing wrong
I'm doing well. I'm still staying strong
I've noticed
I've fooled them all

When the moon's not glowing in the sky
I'm okay, I will not cry

It's all a lie

I wait till the sun disappears
And Ican let go
Of my fears
Just sit in my room
And cry
I...
I don't know what to do now
I...
Don't want to lie to you
I...
Can't take anymore
I...
Won't lie anymore

I wait till the sun disappears
And i can let go
Of my fears
Just sit in my room
And cry

But now the light is in my life
Again, and everything is right
I'm feeling good
I'm not crying anymore

I'm not living a lie

     I think that this song represents Izzy's struggle to hide the fact that she was essentially breaking down every night, hysterically crying because she was having a hardtime accepting that she only had half of her leg.  She was pretty much living a liebecause she made everyone believe that she was over it.  She did really well to hide it during the day, when she could keep herself busy and be constantly thinking about something else, but at night, there was nothing to occupy her mind except for the fact that she was a cripple.  By the end of the story, however, Izzy was finally set on the path to accepting the fact that she was an amputee.  She had high hopes that, with the help of her new friend, Rosemunde, she could live a relatively normal, happy, productive life.