I picked the song Lullaby by Nickelback because his lyrics are about how someone always has someone else there for them, and that they should never give up. I think this song relates to Josie in the book because throughout the whole book she talks about how alone she feels, and how she's feels so sad and empty. Good lyrics from the song that really relate to Josie's life is, "laid out on the floor, and you're not sure if you can take it anymore." This relates to her life because Josie had those pills, just in case she really thought she couldn't handle reality anymore. Also, it relates to Josie because having to act perfect in front of almost everyone she talks to made her feel empty, and like no one really cares about her. The whole entire song relates to her life because it's Nicklelback telling that he cares for people, and everyone shouldn't take the easy way out. Josie some days didn't want to be alive, and this would be a song that tells her to fight through her sadness, and don't give up. Also, I believe this song goes along well with the theme bullying, and who the victims of bullying would relate to this song. They would relate to it by feeling like they have no one to talk to, and are mentally sick of being alive. This song would give them the strength to make it through another night. One line of lyrics that goes along with bullying is "Stop thinking about the easy way out, there's no need to go and blow the candle out." This realtes well because most victims of bullying, including Josie, want to end there life to not deal with it anymore. The lyrics are telling them not to for through with it, and that things will get better.
The song Invisible by Hunter Hayes was also picked because it describes the feelings that Peter always had, how he always felt invisible and inferior to everyone around him. The song also tries to pass out the message that Peter needed to hear, that "there’s so much more to life the what you're feeling now," you’re never alone because someone out there understand what it's like to be bullied and that "one day all this pain is going to be invisible." Peter didn't really hear the message he should have till after the shooting when he received a letter from one of his victims saying that they had always liked his smile and they would have been his friend if he wanted one. Peter tried to outlast his bullies but he physically and emotionally couldn't anymore so remained quiet but "To them quiet looks like weakness." Peter was not weak if he with stood almost 18 years of bullying. He felt so inferior to everyone. His bullies were practically invisible to everyone around him since nothing was ever done for him. This song could have given Peter the hope that after high school; things would have gotten better but he didn't realize that his pain and emotions are only temporary. It also might have helped him realize that he really isn’t as alone as he feels, that someone out there understands his pain and has some words of encouragement for him. Peter had felt invisible and inferior for so long, he found that to be his normal.
The song All I Want by Kodaline also connected to the book in many ways. The line, "If you loved me, why'd you leave me?" connects to the relationship of Peter and Joise. They were best friends and Peter was even convinced that she liked him as much as he liked her. He was proven wrong when she left him for the popular crowd. Another line, "All I want is nothing more, than to hear you knocking at my door," shows how Peter felt about Josie in another way. He knew that what she did was wrong but he could not stop himself from wanting her to come back and be best friends with him again. In a way, Peter gets his wish when they both have their secrets kept by each other after the shooting. Trusting each other again showed Peter that his best friend never really left, she was just disguised as someone who wanted to be popular.