SPOILERS for Big Girl Blitz. This annotating project is best for readers who have finished Big Girl Blitz and would like to reflect on the book through some annotating.
Aunt Addy is a principal figure in Jazmyn Payne’s story in Big Girl Blitz by Danielle Allen. Because of Aunt Addy’s guidance, Jazymn goes after what she wants in her life before it’s too late. One way Aunt Addy encourages Jazmyn is through her “stand in it” advice.
Standing In It
Aunt Addy’s Advice Becomes a Refrain
The first time Aunt Addy’s advice comes up in the terms “stand in it” is in Chapter 4. Aunt Addy asks Jasmyn: “Are you figuring out what you want, or do you know what you want and you’re afraid to stand in it?” From this point on, “afraid to stand in it” becomes a refrain for the book, appearing again in Chapter 11, Chapter 28, and for the last time, in a gorgeous full circle moment, in Chapter 34.
Aunt Addy’s Advice Becomes Wordplay
In the Chapter 34 “stand in it” moment, Danielle Allen gets really playful with words and imagery, layering up all kinds of examples of what “standing in it” looks like:
She has Jazmyn
- fully standing up for this scene
- while she’s in the stands of a football stadium
- while saying she not afraid to stand in it and go public with Lamar
If you want to, you can find many more “stand in it” wordplay examples in the book. Danielle Allen uses the many meanings of the word “stand,” and she plays around with idiomatic phrases rooted in the word too. I thought it was super creative how often she worked “stand” into this story as a clever, lighthearted way to emphasize the most-important advice Aunt Addy gave Jazmyn.
Here are few examples of the way “stand in it” is emphasized through other meanings of the word “stand” in Big Girl Blitz by Danielle Allen.
- standing up for someone being bullied
- knowing where you stand with someone in a relationship
- having good standing on the football team
- standing by your word
- standing out because of the way you look or who you are in a relationship with
A Poignant Dichotomy: Before Jazmyn stands, Aunt Addy is laid to test
There’s a poignant aspect of Aunt Addy’s “stand in it” phrase. In the novel, Aunt Addy is in the twilight of her life after a long battle heart disease. She urges Jazmyn to rise and stand as she moves in the opposite. Slowing down. Preparing for death. Aunt Addy wants Jasmyn ready to stand fully on her own when she is laid to rest.
How to Annotate “Stand In It” in Big Girl Blitz by Danielle Allen
You’ll need 18 tabs of the same color for this annotating project, plus a coordinating highlighter or pen color for underlining. 1 tab will be for your tab key. The other 17 tabs will be for marking pages with “stand in it” or various uses of the word “stand.” The yellow highlighted quotes point out the moments when Aunt Addy or Jazmyn say “stand in it” directly. The other quotes with no highlighting are times when the word “stand” comes up in other ways, for both wordplay and for emphasis.
Tab 1 – Chapter 4, p 37
“Are you figuring out what you want, or do you know what you want and you’re afraid to stand in it?”
Tab 2 -Chapter 5, p 60
“I have no problem being honest. Part of my charm is that you’ll always know where you stand with me.”
Note: This moment is rich with dramatic irony! Jazmyn DEFINITELY DOES NOT let Lamar know where he stands for most of the book. She calls him a friend when he is certainly way more than that to her.
Tab 3 – Chapter 10, p 114
She nodded. “It was easier to do nothing than to stand up for you or offer you friendship.
Tab 4 – Chapter 11, p 134
She stared at me silently for a moment; a sympathetic expression crossed her face. “Are you figuring out what you want, or do you know what you want and are afraid to stand in it?”
Tab 5 – Chapter 16, p 195
The birthday girl cocked her head to the side. “You definitely downplayed this ‘friendship’ because from where I’m standing, it’s true love.”
Tab 6 – Chapter 19, p 230
Jazmyn Payne: I can’t stand you! I just came back from church!
Tab 7 – Chapter 21, p 251
Jazmyn Payne: I can’t stand either one of you.
Nina Ford: Jazz got a famous boyfriend and now she can’t stand us.
Aaliyah James: Can’t do nothing with money!
Still slightly amused by their commentary, I shook my head. “I can’t stand them,” I muttered, dropping my phone in my handbag and scooping up my workbag.
Tab 8 – Chapter 21, p 253
I stand by leaving because you deserve so much more…
Tab 9 – Chapter 25, p 310
“Is there some special meaning to dyeing your hair?” she wondered. “Yeah,” I said, looking down at my phone. Seeing the notification of a text from Lamar, I smiled. “This is me being bold and standing out. And it’s a great fall/winter color.”
Tab 10 – Chapter 25, p 311
We don’t know if it’s a friendship, a one-night stand, a date, or a relationship, but we do know he’s not married yet so he’s still fair game.
Tab 11 – Chapter 28, p 347
Are you figuring out what you want, or do you know what you want and you’re afraid to stand in it? I put my hand to my chest.
Tab 12 – Chapter 29, p 311
“Because she doesn’t deserve to be dragged like that just for standing next to me in a picture,” he countered.
Tab 13 – Chapter 29, p 364
Stand loudly and proudly in who you are and whose you are.
Tab 14 – Chapter 30, p 369
“I would like that, but I don’t want you to jeopardize your standing on the team for the service,” I told him. “Your mom and stepdad are going to be there, so they can represent you.”
Tab 15 – Chapter 33, p 418
“his standing with the Monarchs,”
Tab 16 – Chapter 34, p 428
“I knew what I wanted the whole time. I was just afraid to stand in it,” I admitted, leaning over the railing.
Tab 17 – Epilogue, p 446
“You are a woman who stands up for herself,”
Tab 18 – Epilogue, p 447
He pushed himself into a sitting position. “Is this about the tenth thing on your list? Because my offer still stands.”
Annotate With Sara 