Simon Spier Character Analysis in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Simon is the seventeen-year-old titular protagonist of the novel. He's a junior at Creekside High School and is secretly gay. Emailing under the pseudonym Jacques, Simon begins an email correspondence with another secretly gay boy, who goes by the name Blue. Through their emails, Simon gradually becomes more comfortable with the idea of coming out and explores aspects of his identity he feels uncomfortable discussing with his friends and family in real life. In Simon's real life, he tries very hard to keep his sexuality a secret. He's distraught when his classmate Martin discovers Simon's emails and threatens to out Simon if he doesn't help Martin date Abby, one of Simon's best friends. Simon also struggles with his relationships with his two longtime best friends, Nick and Leah. Simon feels that because they've been friends for so long they don't need to talk about anything important, though his sense of not having much security in his friendships suggests that this isn't exactly true. Because of this, Simon chooses to come out to Abby first since he hasn't known her as long. Simon believes that Mom and Dad make a big deal out of the tiniest changes they observe in their children, which makes Simon and his two sisters, Nora and Alice, secretive about the things they’re going through. After Abby rejects Martin right before Christmas break, Martin posts online that Simon is gay. Following this, Simon comes out to his family and friends. All are supportive, and when Simon returns to school to a flurry of homophobic bullying, all of his friends stand up for him, and Martin is deeply apologetic. Throughout all of this, Simon begins to think that Blue is Cal Price, but Blue turns out to be Nick's quiet, soccer-playing friend Bram.

Simon Spier Quotes in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

The Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda quotes below are all either spoken by Simon Spier or refer to Simon Spier. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

“I actually think people would be cool about it,” Martin says. “You should be who you are.”

I don't even know where to begin with that. Some straight kid who barely knows me, advising me on coming out.

Related Characters: Martin Addison (speaker), Simon Spier (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 3

Explanation and Analysis:

As Martin talks to Simon about the fact that he read Simon's private emails, he suggests that Simon should come out, a suggestion that makes Simon roll his eyes. Martin's suggestion is the reader's first clue that he, to a degree, considers himself an expert on other people's stories, regardless of whether or not he has any firsthand experience. Martin's suggestion is necessarily filtered through his own experience as a straight, white male—essentially, he has no idea what it's like to be gay in small-town Georgia. Later, Martin’s claim that “people would be cool about it” turns out to be Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaq

“Remember the way people would look at you blankly and say, ‘Um, okaaay,’ after you finished talking? Everyone just had to make it so clear that, whatever you were thinking or feeling, you were totally alone. The worst part, of course, was that I did the same thing to other people.”

Related Characters: Blue / Bram (speaker), Simon Spier

Page Number and Citation: 14

Explanation and Analysis:

In this passage, Blue and Simon email about how awful middle school was for them, specifically because people made a point to act as if they don't care about anyone else. The kind of exchange that Blue describes is the starting point from which all of the novel's characters then learn to truly care about others. While they see that their maturity levels in middle school entailed making others feel bad, as Simon, Blue, and others progress to high school and closer to adulthood, they begin to realize how important it is to truly recognize others as worthy of time, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Ac

If Blue were a real junior at Creekwood with a locker and a GPA and a Facebook profile, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be telling him anything. I mean, he is a real junior at Creekwood. I know that. But in a way, he lives in my laptop.

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Blue / Bram

Page Number and Citation: 17

Explanation and Analysis:

Here, Simon explains how his relationship with Blue is entirely dependent on remaining anonymous to each other. This begins to show how, at this point, Simon thinks of Blue as someone separate from the mysterious classmate who is absolutely walking around Creekwood. By separating these parts of Blue's identity, Simon is able to engage with the part of Blue that makes him feel safest. This anonymity also provides a starting point for Simon and Blue to eventually figure out who they are in real life and in doing so, merge their online and real-life identities into one that's authentic to Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accu

Like the way you can memorize someone's gestures but never know their thoughts. And the feeling that people are like houses with vast rooms and tiny windows.

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Blue / Bram

Page Number and Citation: 18

Explanation and Analysis:

In this passage, Simon explains how he found Blue on the creeksecrets Tumblr and offers some quotations from Blue's anonymous post about being closeted. When Blue suggests that people are like houses with vast rooms and tiny windows, he shows that he recognizes the difficulty of truly getting to know someone—after all, what's immediately visible can only be seen through metaphorical tiny windows. The fact that this part of Blue's post resonates with Simon so much that he chooses to relay it to the reader foreshadows Simon’s development as he learns to care more deeply about the people around him. Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia

Leah once said that she'd rather have people call her fat directly than have to sit there and listen to them talking shit about some other girl's weight. I actually think I agree with that. Nothing is worse than the secret humiliation of being insulted by proxy.

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Leah, Dad, Mom, Alice Spier, Nora Spier

Page Number and Citation: 17

Explanation and Analysis:

After Dad makes an offensive joke about a contestant on The Bachelorette being gay, Simon feels secretly humiliated. Dad's comments in general, which Simon later says are fairly regular, make it clear that it's extremely important to not assume that people won't be offended by questionable material. This is one way that Dad could also learn to recognize the importance of being kind to people, even in these small ways that may be not so noticeable. For Simon, this begins to tell him something about his dad—essentially, that his dad may or may not take gay people seriously and by Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicab

“I completely see the appeal of being someone else for the evening (or in general). Actually, I was a bit of a one-trick pony myself when I was little. I was always a superhero. I guess I liked to imagine myself having this complicated secret identity. Maybe I still do. Maybe that's the whole point of these emails.”

Related Characters: Blue / Bram (speaker), Simon Spier

Related Symbols: Holidays, Superheroes

Page Number and Citation: 36

Explanation and Analysis:

In this passage, Blue writes to Simon that as a kid, he was very into superheroes and always dressed as one for Halloween. Blue's interpretation of the way he still might feel about superheroes suggests that he views being gay as a kind of secret identity. This then sets up one of Blue and Simon's ongoing in-jokes where they joke about having "superhero identities," or who they are with each other in emails, and "civilian identities," which refers to who they are in public. This shows that Simon and Blue both view their identities as fundamentally split because of their Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem

I need to spend some time in my head with this new Simon. My parents have a way of ruining things like this. They get so curious. It's like they have this idea of me, and whenever I step outside of that, it blows their minds. There's something so embarrassing about that in a way I can't even describe.

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Mom, Dad

Page Number and Citation: 54

Explanation and Analysis:

After Garrett's Halloween party, Simon excuses himself to think about how having a beer at the party may have changed him and to keep this fact from his parents. It's telling that Simon finds that having a beer makes him so different from the person he was earlier; it suggests that he's in tune with all the tiny ways he's changing and growing up. However, when he speaks about how overly interested his parents are in his many tiny changes, it reveals that he probably feels very insecure about the changes he’s going through and simply doesn't want to share Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde en

But I'm tired of coming out. All I ever do is come out. I try not to change, but I keep changing, in all these tiny ways. I get a girlfriend. I have a beer. And every freaking time, I have to reintroduce myself to the universe all over again.

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Mom, Dad

Page Number and Citation: 56

Explanation and Analysis:

In this passage, Simon explains how all of the little changes he's going through are treated like coming out moments, and it's not normal that he has to keep feeling this way. This shows that for Simon, he's fully aware that he's supposed to be changing in this chapter of life as he moves towards maturity. However, his parents cling to all of his changes and make everything a big deal, which Simon finds incredibly off-putting. His tone in this passage suggests that he's not just interested in having these changes normalized; he'd also just like to stop having to Dolorem et quae. Exercit

So here's the thing: Simon means “the one who hears” and Spier means “the one who watches.” Which means I was basically destined to be nosy.

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 99

Explanation and Analysis:

After Simon overhears girls crying during rehearsal, he justifies eavesdropping to the reader by insisting he was destined to be nosy. It's telling that Simon refers to himself as nosy in the first place, as he actually knows very little about his classmates or even his own best friends. It's important to separate Simon's conception of nosiness from true curiosity about and empathy for other people, which the novel suggests is a far more fulfilling and worthwhile pursuit. While Simon never says what he's nosy about or offers any tidbits of information about his friends to the reader, he does Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusan

I mean, how does a person look when his walls are coming down?

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Cal Price, Blue / Bram

Page Number and Citation: 131

Explanation and Analysis:

After an email conversation in which Blue and Simon discuss how they're feeling about coming out, Simon makes an effort to keep an eye out for someone at school who looks like they're going through a major life of change. Though Simon is looking at Cal when he has this thought, this does suggest that Simon is beginning to become more aware of the people around him and more curious about what different moods and life stages look like for his friends and peers. The fact that Simon asks the question in the first place, however, suggests that Simon instinctively Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates.

I hate feeling so distant from Nick and Leah. It's not like keeping a normal crush a secret, because we never talk about our crushes anyway, and it works out fine. Even Leah's crush on Nick. I see it, and I'm sure Nick sees it, but there's this unspoken agreement that we never talk about it.

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Nick, Leah

Page Number and Citation: 133

Explanation and Analysis:

The week after Simon comes out to Abby, he considers coming out to Nick and Leah as well but can't bring himself to do it due to their unspoken agreement to not talk about more emotional, personal matters. Though Simon has said throughout the novel that his relationships with Nick and Leah are strong, despite the fact that they don't talk about more personal things, the distance he feels from them here suggests that it's time for that to change. This reinforces that as individuals change, their family structures and friend groups must also change to accommodate new thoughts, feelings, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut ali

“As a side note, don't you think everyone should have to come out? Why is straight the default? Everyone should have to declare one way or another, and it should be this big awkward thing whether you're straight, gay, bi, or whatever.”

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Blue / Bram

Page Number and Citation: 146

Explanation and Analysis:

In an email to Blue, Simon declares that everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, should have to come out and announce their orientation to the world. With this, Simon gestures to the way that society unfortunately assumes that individuals are straight until they come out and say otherwise—a situation that's fully to blame for all the anxiety that Simon and Blue feel about coming out. By insisting that it needs to be awkward, Simon seeks to make up for some of the grief that non-straight people get for their sexualities and having to announce it. Simon's question also very much alludes Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam cons

“It is definitely annoying that straight (and white, for that matter) is the default, and that the only people who have to think about their identity are the ones who don't fit that mold.”

Related Characters: Blue / Bram (speaker), Simon Spier, Martin Addison

Page Number and Citation: 147

Explanation and Analysis:

In Blue's reply to Simon's suggestion that everyone should have to come out, he notes that white is also the default and suggests, essentially, that straight white people are the only ones who never have to question or announce their identity. This is the first significant clue that Blue is Bram, given that he brings race into the equation. Since he is neither straight nor white, Bram is aware of this problem in a way that Simon isn't. Though neither Simon nor Blue mentions Martin here, Blue's observation absolutely applies to Martin and explains one of the major reasons that Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus te

It's Christmas Eve day, and something feels a little bit off.

Not bad, just off. I don't know how to explain it. We're hitting everyone of the Spier traditions.

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Dad, Mom, Alice Spier, Nora Spier

Related Symbols: Holidays

Page Number and Citation: 151

Explanation and Analysis:

On Christmas Eve, Simon has the unshakeable feeling that things are off, though he can't pinpoint why. When he specifically mentions that he can't explain it because his family is appropriately observing every Christmas tradition, it suggests that Simon believes that even though his family is fundamentally changing, he expects holidays to still feel the same exactly because of their traditions. This shows that Simon views traditions as unchanging and a means for stability. The fact that Simon still feels this way in December, after both Halloween and Thanksgiving feel different than usual, suggests that Simon still isn't fully comfortable Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut ve

In this moment, all I want is for things to feel like Christmas again. I want it to feel how it used to feel.

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Dad, Mom, Alice Spier, Nora Spier

Related Symbols: Holidays

Page Number and Citation: 157

Explanation and Analysis:

After dinner on Christmas Eve, Simon feels even more strongly like the holiday is nothing like what he remembers when he was a kid. His discomfort points to his desire for things within his family to remain the same. It's telling that he feels this way despite the fact that he himself is changing and resents his parents in part because he perceives that they want him to stay exactly the same. Taken together, this observation suggests that these changes are inevitable, and every single member of Simon's family will need to come to terms with them and adapt. While Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provide

“And you know what? You don't get to say it's not a big thing. This is a big fucking thing, okay? This was supposed to be—this is mine. I'm supposed to decide when and where and who knows and how I want to say it.”

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Martin Addison

Page Number and Citation: 196

Explanation and Analysis:

After Martin forcibly outs Simon and sees firsthand the homophobic bullying that Simon suffers as a result, he attempts to apologize—which Simon doesn't accept. Simon's emotional speech calls Martin out on attempting to take control of Simon’s own personal story and specifically takes issue with the fact that Martin didn't think coming out was going to be such a big deal. As Simon and Blue have discussed, Martin was unaware of how big of a deal this was going to be because he's straight and has never had to think about the consequences of coming out as gay in Georgia. Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corru

The problem is, I'm beginning to realize I hardly know anything about anyone. I mean I generally know who's a virgin. But I don't have a clue whether most people's parents are divorced, or what their parents do for a living […] And these are my best friends. I've always thought of myself as nosy, but I guess I'm just nosy about stupid stuff.

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Nick, Blue / Bram, Abby Suso, Leah

Page Number and Citation: 211

Explanation and Analysis:

After incorrectly guessing that Blue is Cal, Simon comes to the realization that though he considers himself nosy, he's not actually curious enough about other people's lives. Though he feels horrible about it, this provides Simon the information he needs to make a positive change and begin treating his friends with more empathy and curiosity. It's also notable that he comes to this realization after misidentifying Blue, as this shows how becoming close to someone else for the first time in one's life has the power to make these shortcomings clear—and further, that they must change and evolve in order Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantiu

“I feel stupid for not knowing that,” I say.

“Why would you feel stupid? I guess I never mentioned it.”

“But I never asked.”

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Abby Suso (speaker), Blue / Bram

Page Number and Citation: 215

Explanation and Analysis:

When Simon finally asks Abby why her dad and brother still live in Washington, D.C., he feels horrible for never asking her about the situation even though they’re best friends. Again, this shows how Simon is beginning to learn what he discovered through misidentifying Blue to make positive changes in his life. By doing this, he's able to grow closer to Abby and form a deeper and more emotionally fulfilling relationship with her. When Simon makes this realization, it primarily impresses upon him how self-centered he's been for much of his life. By recognizing this, it allows him to care Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor

“But they're supposed to be Alice and Nora. They're not supposed to be different,” I explain.

“They're not allowed to change?” Abby laughs. “But you're changing. You're different than you were five months ago.”

“I'm not different!"

“Simon, I just watched you pick up a random guy in a gay bar. You're wearing eyeliner. And you're completely wasted.”

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Abby Suso (speaker), Nick, Alice Spier, Nora Spier

Page Number and Citation: 235

Explanation and Analysis:

As they leave the Atlanta gay bar, Simon drunkenly asks Abby to be his sister since Alice and Nora are changing too much for his liking. Abby's questions back to Simon reinforce that she's the character really responsible for bringing positive change to Simon's friend group, as she's the one who points out that the changes that Simon's family is going through are perfectly normal. Further, she suggests that while Simon's changes are certainly interesting, they're also very normal and nothing alarming. By starting to make an attempt to convince Simon to normalize change, Abby begins to help Simon understand Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita dele

“I owe you an apology, kid.”

I look up at him.

“What you said on Friday. About the gay jokes.”

Related Characters: Dad (speaker), Simon Spier, Mom

Page Number and Citation: 247

Explanation and Analysis:

When Mom and Dad talk to Simon about his night of drinking, Dad first apologizes to Simon for his longstanding habit of making tone-deaf jokes about gay people. This apology represents a major shift in Simon's family, as it means that there's going to be a fundamental change in the way that the Spier family members relate to each other. Most importantly, it shows that Dad is going through a relatively similar process to Simon as he learns to recognize other people and treat them kindly and with respect. By apologizing and choosing to no longer make these insensitive jokes, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mo

“It's just, you know. I get that you were in a difficult position. But you don't get to make the decisions about my love life. I choose who I date.” She shrugs. “I would think you would understand that.”

Related Characters: Abby Suso (speaker), Simon Spier, Martin Addison

Page Number and Citation: 253

Explanation and Analysis:

On opening night of Oliver, Abby calls Simon out for helping Martin try to get her to go out with him. Specifically, Abby draws comparisons between what Simon helped do to her and what Martin did to Simon; this impresses upon Simon that he unwittingly tried to rob Abby of her agency over her own life. This reinforces for Simon how important it is to respect other people's agency, especially given how much it affected him when Martin tried to control Simon's life. It's also telling that in this situation, Abby trusted Simon to have her best interests at heart—they're Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expe

It's weird, because of all the things I feel guilty about, it never occurred to me to feel guilty about Abby. But I'm a fucking idiot. Because who you like can't be forced or persuaded or manipulated. If anyone knows that, it's me.

I'm a shitty friend.

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Abby Suso, Martin Addison

Page Number and Citation: 254-55

Explanation and Analysis:

After the play, Simon feels miserable about the fact that he manipulated Abby. His thoughts here show that after all he's learned over the course of the novel, he is now able to apply what Martin did to his own life and recognize the similarities between what Martin did to him and what Simon did to Abby. This impresses upon Simon the necessity of treating others with genuine respect and recognizing they're in control of their own stories and experiences. By assuming that Abby could be manipulated into liking Martin, Simon robbed her of the ability to choose her own Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dol

But then I think about Ms. Albright making it her life's mission to get those in-tha-butt guys suspended. And how pissed off and determined she looked, slapping the handbook down on that chair backstage.

I wish I had brought her another bouquet or a card or a freaking tiara. I don't know. Something just from me.

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Ms. Albright

Page Number and Citation: 261

Explanation and Analysis:

After the closing performance of Oliver, Simon wishes he'd done something for Ms. Albright to thank her for standing up to the bullies who crashed a rehearsal after Simon was outed. Because one of Simon's major journeys throughout the novel is learning to recognize other people, this moment reads as one in which Simon realizes he should've been more grateful to Ms. Albright and done more to show it. In this instance, it's less important that Simon didn't actually do anything for her than it is that he recognizes he should have. With this, the novel suggests that Simon's development Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequunt

I guess I assumed that Blue would be white. Which kind of makes me want to smack myself. White shouldn't be the default any more than straight should be the default. There shouldn't even be a default.

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Blue / Bram, Cal Price

Page Number and Citation: 261

Explanation and Analysis:

Right after Bram reveals himself as Blue at the carnival, Simon feels horrible for assuming that Blue would be white. This first reinforces that Simon's lack of curiosity about his friends and peers meant that he tackled the issue of discovering Blue's identity with pretty minimal evidence—remember that he suspected Cal at first simply because Cal has blue eyes. Because Simon didn't know much about Bram, even though Bram has eaten lunch at Simon's lunch table every day of school since September, he was unable to piece together that Bram might be Blue, regardless of Bram's skin color. When Simon Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostr

Simon Spier Character Timeline in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

The timeline below shows where the character Simon Spier appears in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Simon and Martin are sitting together backstage when Martin admits that he read Simon's email—apparently, Simon... (full context)

...person and would never forget to log out of his email on a school computer. Simon tells the reader that the school blocks the wireless in the auditorium, so he has... (full context)

Simon is enraged, and then it clicks—Martin is blackmailing him. Martin doesn't seem to understand why... (full context)

Family, Change, and Growing Up Theme Icon

When Simon gets home, he has an hour before dinner, so he gathers up Bieber, the family... (full context)

Nick and Leah are drinking sweet tea from Chick-fil-A, and Simon admits he feels weird eating there after he heard they "donate money to screw over... (full context)

In an email to Blue, Simon refers to middle school as an "endless horror show" and lists some events that helped... (full context)

Blue writes back that it would be depressing if Simon's actual proudest moment took place in middle school, as middle school was absolutely awful for... (full context)

Simon thinks the worst thing about Martin blackmailing him is that he can't bring it up... (full context)

Simon avoids Martin all week and feels cowardly for doing so, even though he's already decided... (full context)

Nora sets up the video chat on the living room computer and calls Alice. Simon tries to participate in the conversation, but he's distracted thinking about Martin and wondering if... (full context)

...Alice discuss one contestant, Dad insists that contestant is gay and a "one-man Pride Parade." Simon thinks he agrees with Leah that it's terrible to be insulted by proxy, but reasons... (full context)

A week after Martin and Simon's first conversation, Martin runs into Simon at lunch and asks to sit at his table.... (full context)

Days pass, and Simon says nothing to Abby. He does his best to avoid Martin by sticking close to... (full context)

On Thursday, Simon gets to rehearsal early, so he steps outside to listen to music. Martin joins him... (full context)

As Simon steps back inside, Ms. Albright calls for Simon and some other actors to rehearse a... (full context)

After rehearsal, Simon sits with Abby, who has to wait for a bus to take her an hour... (full context)

Simon emails Blue and tells him that he's never worn a scary costume for Halloween before;... (full context)

Simon feels as though the energy at school on Halloween, which is conveniently on a Friday,... (full context)

When they arrive at the party, Simon feels immediately alienated—kids are drinking alcohol, while he's used to parties with junk food and... (full context)

Two drunk girls slam piano keys and laugh, and Simon almost wishes he were home watching TV and eating candy with Nora. He finds his... (full context)

Simon starts twisting Leah's hair. He thinks it's pretty and smells wonderful, thanks to the beer—which... (full context)

...herself, leaving the boys to bob and sway near her. Leah watches this and tells Simon that this is more painful than what happened at Nick's bar mitzvah. (full context)

At midnight, Leah drops everyone off at Nick's house and Abby and Simon walk to Simon's house. He observes the smashed pumpkins and toilet paper littering the sidewalk.... (full context)

Mom greets Simon and Abby when they arrive with a plate of snacks. Abby tells her about everyone's... (full context)

Blue emails Simon that his Halloween was very quiet and he ate a bunch of candy. He admits... (full context)

...say what he's going to dress up as for Spirit Week, as he doesn't want Simon to figure out who he is. Blue doesn't think that their strange relationship will work... (full context)

Wednesday is "gender bender day," which Simon explains really just means that kids cross-dress. Mr. Wise shows Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night in English... (full context)

Simon thinks that it's funny that the straight guys end up going all out for this... (full context)

...are covered in hay to go with the country music theme for the junior class. Simon loves it. At lunch, Simon pointedly avoids Martin and sits down in the middle of... (full context)

As Nick and Simon return to school that evening for the parade, they discuss that they're on Leah's "shit... (full context)

After the parade, Simon and Nick head to the bleachers to find the soccer team. The team is able... (full context)

Simon and Blue are emailing about whether or not Oreos are a food group. Simon insists... (full context)

Simon feels jittery after reading that Blue likes to imagine him fantasizing about sex. He's confused,... (full context)

Monday is Simon's birthday. Leah grabs him in the morning, gives him a mix CD, and Simon apologizes... (full context)

Simon takes the leftover cake to rehearsal. He sits on the risers to watch when he's... (full context)

At four in the morning on the day after Simon's birthday, he emails Blue and apologizes for the sugary, exhausted mess that his email will... (full context)

...the entire Spier family sits outside playing a game. Alice is home from college, and Simon finally realizes how weird it's been without her. Simon's phone buzzes with a text from... (full context)

...for a minute and then asks if they remember his bar mitzvah. Nora giggles, and Simon throws a pillow at Alice. At Nick's bar mitzvah, Simon had danced embarrassingly to "Boom... (full context)

In school on Monday, Mr. Wise hands back quizzes on Thoreau. Simon is amazed when he discovers he got 100% until he realizes that Mr. Wise gave... (full context)

At rehearsal that afternoon, Abby is frantically and silently running lines when Simon interrupts her. He assures her that she'll be fine to have them memorized by the... (full context)

Simon looks around at the drama club and notices one girl crying over something someone wrote... (full context)

Blue emails Simon and admits that in his curiosity about Simon's email address (hourtohour.notetonote), he searched for the... (full context)

In Simon's reply, he is shocked to learn that Blue is Jewish and commends Blue for thinking... (full context)

On Thursday, Simon is far too preoccupied thinking about Blue and the fact that Blue's mom and Blue’s... (full context)

On Friday night, Simon sits across from Abby and Martin at Waffle House. Martin asks Abby all sorts of... (full context)

Simon emails Blue and asks if he came out, and Blue says he didn't exactly come... (full context)

Simon comforts Blue about having divorced parents and says he's planning on just sitting his parents... (full context)

The following Friday, Abby and Simon arrive at the Waffle House first. Martin arrives a few minutes later, promptly destroys Abby's... (full context)

Two hours later, as Simon and Abby climb into Simon's car, he feels strangely electric and excited. They listen to... (full context)

Blue writes to Simon that Blue’s mom took the news relatively well. She's an epidemiologist, so she was mostly... (full context)

Simon tells Blue about his own coming out experience. He says that now he feels as... (full context)

Simon feels as though he absolutely has to meet Blue in person. He tries to tell... (full context)

Simon grabs his dog Bieber and walks to Nick's house. He runs into Leah just pulling... (full context)

Simon spends the first Saturday of Christmas break at school for an all-day rehearsal. He feels... (full context)

Simon goes and sits down next to Cal, who is drawing in his binder. Cal comments... (full context)

...and Taylor have a go on the chairs, and when they're done, Abby collapses into Simon. They sit on the floor, arms around each other, and watch the freshmen race. When... (full context)

...his dad said that Blue's stepmom is pregnant. Blue signs off his email using "love." Simon tries to make jokes, offers congratulations if Blue wants it, and suggests that Blue's dad... (full context)

Blue very much appreciates Simon's humor and admits he's not too upset about having a stepsibling. He agrees that it's... (full context)

On Christmas Eve, Simon feels as though things are off despite the fact that his family has observed all... (full context)

Simon gets a text from Leah that she's outside. He goes to let her and Nick... (full context)

Simon's family has French toast for Christmas Eve dinner on nice china, per tradition. Simon still... (full context)

Soon after, Nora knocks on the door and lets herself in. She reaches for Simon's computer and says she needs to show him something. Simon snatches his computer from her,... (full context)

After a few minutes, Simon says it's true that he's gay. Nora said she could tell from Simon's reaction to... (full context)

On Christmas morning, Simon wakes up relatively early. He sits with Bieber on the couch until everyone else gets... (full context)

...their presents in a frenzy of paper and bows. When all the gifts are opened, Simon tries to casually tell his family he has something to talk about. Dad starts joking... (full context)

Later, Alice follows Simon into his room. She refuses to let him put on his depressing playlist aptly titled... (full context)

Simon emails Blue and says he had a weird and awful Christmas in which he came... (full context)

The Saturday after Christmas, Simon, Alice, and Nora go to Waffle House for breakfast. Alice smiles at a guy across... (full context)

On New Year's Eve, Simon and Mom argue about Simon needing to clean the basement before having a party. She... (full context)

Finally, Simon says that he is gay, but he doesn't want it to be a big deal.... (full context)

Blue emails Simon and writes that his New Year's was pretty slow. His stepmom and the wife of... (full context)

...the superhero Sharpies and then says he's not ready to exchange numbers. He's afraid that Simon would call, get his voicemail message, and recognize his voice. Blue insists he's just scared... (full context)

Simon considers just sitting in the car all day on his first day back at school... (full context)

Abby and Leah shoot dirty looks at anyone who looks at Simon funny throughout the day. At lunch, the girls discuss who Simon should date, though things... (full context)

Things seem okay at rehearsal until Martin suddenly stops singing. Simon follows Martin's gaze to the back of the auditorium, where two boys, one dressed like... (full context)

Abby is stuck at school until the late bus arrives, and Simon feels somehow responsible. They decide to go watch soccer tryouts so they can pester Nick.... (full context)

Simon feels surprisingly good until he gets to his car. Martin is leaning against it and... (full context)

Simon emails Blue, excited that it's snowing but upset about his day. He asks Blue if... (full context)

Simon isn't surprised that Blue figured out his identity, but he feels horrible for thinking that... (full context)

On Thursday, Cal casually mentions he's bisexual and suggests that he and Simon hang out. Simon can barely respond. He forgets all about it until the next day... (full context)

Simon emails Blue and promises he won't push Blue to reveal himself before he's ready, but... (full context)

On Sunday, Simon spends his day on his bed listening to music. He's annoyed that Nora is mysteriously... (full context)

On Monday, Simon finds a grocery sack looped through his locker. He initially thinks it's a homophobic prank,... (full context)

Simon is exhausted all week, as it's two weeks until Oliver opens. Dad is sad that... (full context)

Abby finishes Simon's makeup with a flurry of powder and tells him he looks extremely attractive. Simon agrees;... (full context)

As Abby and Simon peek at the audience and point out Nick and Leah, they notice Cal frowning about... (full context)

Simon feels as though he's tired of caring about what people call him. He watches Ms.... (full context)

While washing his makeup off that afternoon, it suddenly hits Simon that Blue could be Martin—he shares a name with former president Martin Van Buren. Simon... (full context)

Abby and Simon meet Nick in the parking lot. Abby asks if they've talked to Leah, and Nick... (full context)

There's a short wait, during which Simon, Abby, and Nick giggle over the menu items, all of which are innuendos. Simon tries... (full context)

All of Peter's friends are nice and cute guys, and someone passes Simon a beer. He drinks it even though things are already spinning. Simon finds himself telling... (full context)

Nick and Abby walk Simon to the car as Simon talks about how cute Peter was. He says hi to... (full context)

Simon tells Abby he loves her and invites her to be his sister, insisting he needs... (full context)

When they get to Simon's house, Simon lurches inside. He finds Mom and Dad watching TV. They ask him why... (full context)

Mom comes back inside and sends Simon to get water. Mom and Dad talk for a moment alone and then come into... (full context)

When Simon goes back to school on Tuesday, Abby is waiting for him, worried. Simon explains his... (full context)

...another kid had birthdays over the weekend, so there are two sheet cakes at lunch. Simon is confused, however, because Leah isn't there and wasn't in classes either. Another girl tells... (full context)

Simon feels antsy and upset when he gets home. He thinks that Leah is often mad,... (full context)

Simon says he only hesitated to come out because he knew Mom and Dad would make... (full context)

Simon is nervous on opening night. He changes early and waits for Abby to arrive so... (full context)

The play goes well, but Abby disappears immediately afterwards. Simon feels miserable. Dad gives Simon a ridiculous bouquet and asks on the way home if... (full context)

Simon gets his computer and logs into his secret email. He suddenly realizes that every email... (full context)

On Sunday morning, Simon writes a lengthy email to Blue. He says he knows who Blue is on the... (full context)

Simon tries not to think about his email to Blue as he heads to school for... (full context)

Before heading to the carnival, Simon drives home to get the Elliott Smith shirt that Blue gave him. After the shirt... (full context)

Simon gets to the carnival by seven. He's worried that Blue has already come and gone,... (full context)

By eight thirty in the evening, Simon still hasn't found Blue. He feels like an idiot for having had Blue's phone number... (full context)

Simon does his best to keep the ride from spinning too much as Bram holds his... (full context)

Simon apologizes for not figuring it out, and Bram insists that all of Simon's dropped hints... (full context)

On Monday, Simon spots Bram in English class and thinks he looks adorable sitting next to Garrett. Garrett... (full context)

Bram shows up at Simon's locker right before lunch and suggests they go off campus. Only seniors are allowed to... (full context)

They eat in the car. Simon says, "Abraham," and then leans in to kiss Bram. After they kiss, they turn back... (full context)

The next day, Abby asks Simon what's going on with Bram. Simon blushes, and Abby tells him he's cute and sends... (full context)

Mom notices that Simon is in an unusually good mood, but Simon declines to explain why. He hears Nora... (full context)

Simon tries to apologize and asks if their friendship is over. Leah accuses Simon of being... (full context)

Martin writes Simon an apology email. He says he can't stop thinking about what Simon said about taking... (full context)

...that he felt desperate about liking Abby. He admits that he's jealous that Abby befriended Simon over anyone else. Martin apologizes again, wishes Simon good luck with Bram, and says he... (full context)

Nick and Simon arrive for the school talent show just as the lights are going down. They find... (full context)

Emoji's music is electric, and girls dance in the aisles. Simon thinks that Bram was right that people are like houses, with big rooms and small... (full context)

Bram looks mischievous and says he's in as he heads to the atrium with Simon. Simon goes straight to Alice, who admits she's been stalking Bram on Facebook for weeks.... (full context)

Alice tells Simon to keep his phone on so she can text when they're on their way home,... (full context)

Simon feels as though he's seeing his house for the first time when Bram walks in.... (full context)

Bram and Simon are seated in the living room with textbooks by the time Mom and Dad get... (full context)

Simon Spier Character Analysis

Simon Spier Quotes in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Chapter 1 Quotes

Chapter 2 Quotes

Chapter 3 Quotes

Chapter 4 Quotes

Chapter 5 Quotes

Chapter 11 Quotes

Chapter 17 Quotes

Chapter 18 Quotes

Chapter 19 Quotes

Chapter 23 Quotes

Chapter 27 Quotes

Chapter 28 Quotes

Chapter 30 Quotes

Chapter 32 Quotes

Simon Spier Character Timeline in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda