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What Is The Main Conflict In 'Smile' And How Is It Resolved?

2025-06-30 08:15:38
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3 Answers

Violet
Violet
'Apology, A / Smile' (visited May 7, 2016) -- A dental emergency plus teenage insecurity equals an amusing middle school story. In 'Smile,' Raina's dental mishap draws attention to all of her already existing flaws and her bout with pain and humiliation triggers typical bullying behavior by both kids and grown ups alike. A really satisfying resolution, not a neat fix for all of the story's tension and no change in popularity status, comes when finally Raina learns to draw and ultimately come to terms with her newly "different" self.

The support of her family is felt throughout the book but never in a saccharine way. They tease her in a gentle manner but also give her space and are angry with her when she needs them to be. Raina’s growth throughout the book is such that she eventually finds peace by not conforming to others' ideas of normal. The final panels of the book are of Raina smiling with her braces, indicating that she has finally found happiness not because her teeth are perfect but because she has finally stopped waiting for them to be.
2025-07-03
Grace
Grace
Raina Teitelbaum’s conflict in ‘Smile’ is two-fold: her mouth and her emotions. First, after her face-planted incident during a race to get home for her sister Polka Dot’s birthday party, she develops two spaces between her two front teeth, which require years of orthodontic work and ensuing repair to her mouth, including painful surgery. Throughout most of the book, her mouth is sore and housed in numerous dental contraptions. Then, there is the way others peruse her face, even her friends treat her badly. For instance, she is even called ‘Braces-face’ by a group of teens.

It’s not necessarily a dramatic change but a turning point nonetheless. After discovering her love for art, Raina also gets to distance herself from her terrible friends and find new ones who appreciate her for who she is: for her humor and creativity. When Raina finally gets her last dental procedure done, it coincides with her newfound confidence to stand up for herself. Instead of finally having a perfect smile, she’s found another way to heal and the graphic novel shows that these small victories do add up in the end.
2025-07-04
Lily
Lily
The main conflict in 'Smile' is the author Raina’s conflict with her self-image after a freak accident broke her two front teeth. Her physical pain from her several surgeries mirrors her emotional conflict as she tries to navigate through middle school including trying to make and keep friends as well as deal with a serious bully. Throughout the book the author gradually comes to terms with her new image and how to confidently smile again, first physically then emotionally. She is helped by her artwork, her family, and true friends. Raina realizes that even though she has had many painful and rigorous surgeries including ones where she had to wear braces, she can smile again.
2025-07-06

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