Establishing Context for The Shape of a Girl

The Shape of a Girl chronicles the struggles of Braidie, a teenage girl who has been involved in tormenting and bullying her friend, Sophie. Throughout the play, Braidie tries to convince herself that her actions, and those of her friends, were neither wrong nor damaging to Sophie. However, as the play proceeds, we see Braidie undergo a gradual change that leads to her important decision at the end of the play.

Throughout the play, Braidie refers to an actual event that occurred on ?oethe Island,? which is Victoria Island, off the southwest coast of British Columbia. Frequently throughout her monologue, Braidie wonders what could have made those teens do what they did and how they will live with themselves after their atrocious acts of violence. On the following pages, you will read an online news article and account of what occurred on November 14, 1997 to Reena Virk, a young girl who was enticed by her peers to a remote spot and then murdered.

Factual data differs from what we read in the media on a daily basis due to the sensationalistic nature of many news carriers. This article was written by a lawyer named Corey D. Steinberg who, after combing through the facts of the case, presented this accurate record of evidence.

Corey D. Steinberg, the author of the account provided on the following pages, is a general litigator with Double Diamond Law in Whistler, British Columbia. He has appeared at all levels of court in both provinces. He is co-author of the legal texts Procedural Strategies for Litigators, 2nd ed. (LexisNexis, 2007) and Discovery: Principles and Practice in Canadian Common Law, 2nd ed. (CCH Canadian, 2009). He has contributed numerous articles to various publications. He has also taught law and lectured in various areas and collaborated in 1999 to create Canada's first law-school course and accompanying textbook on Internet law.

When reading this article, be sure to note: the tone of the article the use of evidence to frame the events the context in which it was written Tip: Jot your ideas in draft form to assist you with your next assignment and in reading the play.