The
Oracle
BETRAY: v.TO VIOLATE A TRUST OR CONFIDENCE; TO BE
UNFAITHFUL, TO LET DOWN; TO GIVE AWAY
TO THE ENEMY.
It's hard to tell how many times a character in Sweet
Valley betrays another--I think there might
be at least
some form of betrayal in each book.
For example, we all thought Lila would always be
Jessica's best friend, but in Senior year, Lila
turns
on her almost immediately. When Melissa Fox and her friends
from El Caro High transfer to Sweet Valley High,
Lila abandons
Jessica and joins Melissa's side. Even Jessica and Elizabeth betray each other.
So, what kind of advice can we get from the Sweet Valley
series when your friend, boyfriend,
or family betrays you?
WHEN A FRIEND BETRAYS YOU
There are many responses to when a
friend betrays you. You might not talk to
them for awhile
because you think: "How can they do this to me?
" When Lila and Jessica compete for something, like a boy, they
do
not always act like good friends. They get caught up in the
race and forget how they're treating others. But Jessica and
Lila remain friends for almost their whole life it seems, despite
all the times they turn on each other. Friendships
last because
both people are willing to forgive and move on. No one's perfect,
and you can't expect your friends to
be perfect either. Talk things
out and find ways to build back the bond.
Or maybe you might not want to even remain
friends anymore
after a friend betrays you. If he or she does something that you can't forgive them for at the time, perhaps
it's easier to let them go instead of live with the knoweldge that you can't trust her. But before you turn away, try not
to leave issues unsolved, because you could dwell on them for a long time after the friendship ended, and that's destructive
to yourself.
WHEN A BOYFRIEND BETRAYS YOU
Romantic relationships are fragile
because both people have ideas of how the
relationship
is supposed to be like, and the other person does
something that you don't approve of, it can have a snowball-effect.
The negative feelings can multiply and it becomes too hard to stay together
anymore. If you feel a boyfriend betrays
you, thoughts of ending the relationship
come to mind much quicker than if you were just friends.
But just like with friendships, you have to be able to
talk things over, work on resolving the
problem, and learn to forgive.
Remember to give him time to explain without jumping to conclusions.
However, don't
ever compromise youself and let him disrespect you. Anyone
who loves you shouldn't hurt you, physically or emotionally.
So if you feel
discontinuing the relationship is the best thing, remember that it's not the end
of the world and you
can always try building a friendship with him.
WHEN FAMILY BETRAYS YOU
This may be the relationship
that can be hurt the most, because you expect your
family to
be honest with you and be there for you no matter what.
When you find out that your mom or dad break your trust, you might
feel hurt
and disappointment, just like with friends. Except that hurt can be deeper and
last longer, even if
you do forgive them.
When Jessica or Elizabeth turn on
each other, they always seem to find a way
to patch things
up. Because family bonds are closer to friendship bonds--
you can't easily stop talking to your brother or sister for the
rest of your life
if you live in the same house with them. So give them chances to explain and
tell them how
you felt when they betrayed you. They may not know how much
they hurt you unless you tell them.
