Jesse Aarons

Jesse Oliver Aarons Jr. is an average kid from a poor family. He lives in a three bedroom house with: Mary, his mother, who is a homemaker, and Jesse Sr. (Jack in the movie), his father, who’s job doesn’t pay much more than minimum wage. This setup wouldn’t be so bad if Jesse Jr. was an only child unfortunately he is the middle of five children. The oldest is Ellie (roughly 14), after her comes Brenda (13), then Jesse (11), following him May Belle (6), and last Joyce Ann (4 by the book/in between 18 months to 2 years in the movie.) Book Jesse has blonde, shaggy hair that is constantly falling in his face. His wardrobe consists mainly of t-shirts, blue jeans, and overalls. He has a couple of nice shirts and one pair of corduroys that are reserved for church, the first day of school, and other special occasions. He has one pair of worn out tennis shoes that are mentioned but nothing else.

In the 2007 film Jesse (often referred to as Jess) has brown, semi-shaggy hair. His bangs are cut short so that his hair doesn’t get in his eyes. His clothes are not much different from the other kids. He wears a pair of hand-me-down shoes, which once belonged to his older sister Brenda, through out the movie.

In appearance Jess is no different from the other kids. Jess has tried all his life to blend in with the rest of kids, but unfortunately all it takes is one quirk for you to stick out, especially in a small community. Jess has many of these quirks the first of which is that is favorite hobby is not football like the other boys, but art. Jess has kept this hobby to himself ever since the 1^st grade when his father found out. Needless to say Jesse Sr. was not impress by his only son’s choice of activities. His father’s disapproval is only one reason for his keeping his skills a secret. Another very big factor in Jess’s choice to keep his passion for art hidden is a simple one: Jess is shy. He doesn’t like the spotlight to shine in his direction, unless in doing so he receives the one thing he wants most, his father’s affection. Whether he lost his father’s love when he found his passion for art or if he ever had his father approval in the first place, he doesn’t know. The only thing he is sure of is that this is the one thing he craves the most. Jess believes that he has found the way to find favor with his father and that is where the story begins.

Jess’s master plan to winning his father back is to become “the fastest kid in the third, fourth, and fifth grades.” The races that the boys held on the playground during recess are the perfect time and place for Jess to prove himself. The fact that his sister, May Belle had his father wrapped around her finger and her mouth tends to run constantly, should be the perfect way for his father to find out about his triumph. His plan is perfect all factors and variable accounted. The race on the first day of school is the moment that will change his life.

“There’s this new girl moved in next door she beat all of the boys, even Jess.” That was not the message he had wanted his sister, May Belle, to deliver to their father but it was the truth. Leslie Burke had beaten him. A girl was faster than him. It was all his fault too; if he had just kept his mouth shut everything would have been fine. She wouldn’t have gotten to race, and he would have won. That was the last time he would ever stand up for Leslie Burke…or so he thought. When Leslie heads to the back of the bus for the ride home, Jess finds himself once again keeping Leslie Burke from being turned into a puddle of goo. This is the day that Leslie begins to repay Jess. After a short race across the field behind the Perkins’ place and swing across the creek Jess finds himself in a world like nothing he has ever seen before. It is in this amazing land that Jesse Oliver Aarons Jr. goes from the quiet loner he has been to the king he is meant to be.

As he and Leslie explore their magical kingdom of Terabithia Jess shows courage, strength, wisdom, cleverness, and many other qualities that Jess didn’t know he possessed. The more time he spends in Terabithia and with Leslie in general the more those qualities start to bleed through to his everyday life.

The thing that changes the most about Jess is his confidence and self-esteem. You start to see it in the movie just by the way he holds his head up. He begins to display his pictures in his room. When his father talks to him he is able to look his father in the eye. He speaks to Ms. Edmunds his music teacher. The look in his eye when he brings back his father’s keys.

His cleverness comes through when he helps Leslie to write the love note to Janice Avery. His courage is shown when he delivers the note and when he stands up to Scott Hoager and Gary Fulcher. In the book you almost have to see the story between the pages and lines in order to see the change. It isn’t really shown in any specific event but more in the tone and feel of the story. It isn’t until tragedy strikes and you begin to see Jess recover from it that you really start to see the impact Leslie and Terabithia has made on him.

After Leslie dies Jess is torn apart. The love and acceptance he had felt from her almost filled the hole left by his father’s rejection. For a while you can’t help but wonder if Jess will recover, but when he builds the bridge and crowns May Belle you can see Jess’ true character. Jess will never forget his best friend Leslie Burke and the lessons she taught him.