Vomit

Vomit is an important symbol to Raina as even the word triggers her into immediate stress. This is also an important symbol for the themes of guts, food is scary, and the motif of green. The memoir begins as Raina vomits one night - alongside her mother. At first it seems normal and fine, but then when she sees another classmate vomit at school and get subsequently intensely teased and even a nickname, vomit becomes a thing to dread. It is a public shaming and embarrassment, especially as it is something she cannot control. When she gets some indigestion one night, “I didn’t puke. But the thought that I might . . . was worse than if I actually had” (22). Telgemeier depicts her immediately surrounded in all green. Later on in the memoir when her mother asks if she is afraid of vomit - just the word makes...