Rosemary Well’s When No One Was Looking Essay, Research Paper

Ambition

Rosemary Well’s When No One Was Looking is a suspenseful story

of a girl’s ambition, friendship, and love of tennis, that takes

her to the top. Although she is not beautiful, rich, or good in

school, fourteen year old Kathy Bardy has a natural talent for

tennis. One day, Kathy loses a match against Ruth Gumm that should

have been simple for her. The next day Kathy finds out that Ruth is

dead. Although Julia, Oliver, and Kathy’s parents try to comfort

her, Kathy feels guilty for wishing Ruth was dead the other night.

Because of Ruth’s death, Kathy has problems concentrating, and she

starts lazing off. Kathy’s will, spirit, and love from her friends

takes her to the New England championships.

Kathy loves tennis. She finally finds something that she is

good at, and practically makes her into a celebrity. Kathy is told

by many people, including Marty her tennis instructor, that she has

got what it takes to make it to the top. When Kathy plays against

Ruth, she becomes annoyed because it should have been a simple

match. When she finds out ruth is dead, people accuse Kathy of it,

and kathy even blames herself. Kathy proves she was at the ball

game the night of the murder. She regains her confidence, and works

her way up to the top.

Julia and Kathy have been best friends since they were in

first grade. Because of Julia’s wealth, she is different, and is

treated just that way. Kathy would defend her when she used to get

picked on. Since then, Kathy and Julia are inseparable. They have

such a good relationship, that they would do anything to stop the

other from getting hurt.

Ruth Gumm has no special talent when it comes to tennis, she

is just okay at the sport. When Kathy competes with her, she

expects it will be a snap, but she actually loses. Annoyed by the

match, Kathy wishes Ruth was dead. The next day, she finds out Ruth

was drowned in the pool. Some suspect Kathy of the murder, and

because of some clay (that appeared to be from a tennis court)found

on the floor surrounding the pool, investigations are done. It

turns out the clay is molding clay, and Kathy proves she was at the

game. Finally, after hard detective work by Kathy, she discovers

that Julia put extra chlorine in the pool to distort Ruth’s vision.

Kathy doesn’t tell Julia that she knows, but she sympathizes with

Julia and tries to imagine the guilt Julia must be feeling. After a

while, the murder case is forgotten, but Julia and Kathy’s

friendship is not.

The mystery When No One Was Looking is proof that where there

is a will to accomplish something, talent to do it with, and the

help of the ones who love you, you can conquer the world.