Sources of Light Reading Response

In the book, Sources of Light, by Margaret McMullan,  the main character, a young girl, Samantha, moves to a new town with her Mom soon after her Dad died. Her Mom's new friend, Perry gives her a camera of his to capture the essence of Louisiana. Samantha does so, but then begins to face many problems such as racism, popularity, and poverty along with losing her dad. Samantha changes from being an outcast to then being very popular in school and then being a very unliked person.
 

In one part of the book, Samantha talks about this really shy, poor girl and starts to bully her in many ways, even though Samantha is poor herself and just hasn't told anyone. Samantha then finds out that girl almost killed herself and stopped attending the school. Samantha then starts to realize that she has changed much and isn't being her true self.
 

In another part of the book, Samantha tells her friends that she hates her black maid (even though she really likes her maid) and tells them how she doesn't do any work and has no respect and loyalty that she should have towards white people. Samantha regrets that she said that, but of course she can't take it back. Soon after, when Samantha has her friends over her house, they talk about it and Willa Mae (the maid) overhears them and gets offended and doesn't talk to Samantha anymore. Samantha then is really sad and furious with herself for saying all those mean things about Willa Mae.
 

Lastly, there is a part in the book where Samantha has a huge fight with her Mom about why they are so poor and how she wishes her Dad was there. Samantha says that she hates her Mom and hates her life and is being very ungrateful in that part. Samantha and her Mom make up afterwards and do talk to each other about how they miss her dad. They also talk about how they each could be better in some areas of their lives.  Samantha then soon becomes more herself again and is no longer popular, but that does not matter to her anymore.
 

Overall, Samantha did change and became a very unliked person. She was very mean and ungrateful, as well as disrespectful and a bully. However, inside, she never liked what she did and she only did it to get more attention from everyone. Samantha then became herself again and more like the person she used to be and she starts taking pictures again. She apologizes to the girl she bullied and Willa Mae. She learns to love her life and decides that she wouldn't change it for anything in the world.