Almost two decades ago, in 2005, the first book in the “Uglies” series by Scott Westerfeld was published. The series follows the life of a soon-to-be 16 year old, Tally Youngblood. In this alternate universe set hundreds of years in the future, the human race was almost eradicated from warfare and excessive fossil fuel usage. A cosmetic procedure was created to make humans “pretty” the day they turn 16.
Tally, in a quest to find her runaway friend Shay, discovers a community called “The Smoke” that defies the government and refuses to have the surgery done. Throughout the book, Tally makes connections and goes through new experiences that force her to pick a side.
In the following years, Westerfeld published three more books in the series: “Pretties,” “Specials,” and “Extras.” 11 years after the last book in the series was published, Westerfeld published a spin-off series called “Imposters.”
Judson Middle School English teacher Danielle Wright has taught “Uglies” to her students and spoke on the message of the book.
“I think there are a few major themes in the book, but ultimately I think an overall message of the book is in accepting yourself for who you are, and that we all matter, regardless of how we fit certain beauty standards… I think the author wants young people to truly think for themselves and not blindly follow everything that is told to them. In the novel series, free thinking is dangerous… In reality, thinking for ourselves is how we can continue to make the world a better place and solve the problems that are created along the way,” Wright said.
On Sept. 13, 2024, a movie adaptation of the novel “Uglies” was released on Netflix. Casted for the role of the main characters Tally, Peris, and David are actors Joey King, Chase Stokes, and Keith Powers, respectively.
Wright also reflected on the differences between the novel and the adaptation.
“In regards to body image, the characters are conditioned from when they’re young that they “ugly” and because of that, are less than everyone else. The main character, Tally, has to work really hard to accept that that isn’t true through the course of the first book. I feel this internal conflict is left out of the movie version. With autonomy as well, when the characters are ‘ugly,’ they have pretty strict rules and curfews to follow, with the fear of losing their pretty surgery as a consequence… Essentially, there is no autonomy because to this society, that is dangerous. In The Smoke, the characters are forced to take care of themselves, and this is where they find their true selves.
The movie covers the same basic plot of the book, though it alters some components for a more dramatic effect. Backstories to certain plot points are changed so that the impact of the scenes differ.
For example, the movie shows conversations between younger Tally and Peris that aren’t written in the book, and changes how the present Peris is perceived.
As well, the book covers the different dynamics of the stages of life in more depth. The movie hints at the complexities of the before and after of the operation, but they explain the concept extensively in the book.
However, the message remains the same. The way that people perceive their body images, comparing it to societal norms, can lead some to make drastic decisions. Additionally, both the book and the movie depict the government as strict overlords who don’t allow people to decide how to live their lives.