Eleanor and Park Character Development so far

This week’s question:  What understanding do you have of the main character so far? Who is s/he when the story began?  What changes in character have occurred?  What have been the catalysts for these changes so far? 

So far, both Eleanor and Park are pretty misunderstood and judged by those around them. They haven't changed much since the beginning as of now, but I believe their relationship is developing. They both feel awkward sitting next to each other on the bus considering they don't know each other very well, but Eleanor has started to not completely hate Park as she did in the beginning, for example she said that she liked his shoes and that they were cool, although she never told him that. Also, in their english class, they are required to pick out a poem and memorize it and the teacher pointed something out that really stood out to me because I could relate it back to the two characters. Their teacher, Mr. Stessman, tells them to pick a poem that speaks to them, to pick a poem thar will help them speak to someone else, which stood out to me because I thought that both Eleanor and Park should pick a poem that will help them speak to each other, and they might. I know that the two bond over music and that poems are like music without a tune, so maybe the first thing they will bond over is the poem they pick for Mr. Stessman's class. So far, Park still thinks Eleanor is weird, however, he admits that it's rude not to talk to her when they sit next to each other on the bus, he also has changed a little since the beginning because he feels sorry for her. He felt sorry for her in the beginning because he let her sit with him, but he hated her, and now he is beginning to feel sympathy towards her considering she has to deal with Tina and her mean friends and Park had to deal with them before, but now they are too preoccupied with Eleanor to make fun of Park, which in a way makes him feel bad. So I believe the main catalysts for these changes were the constant bullying from Tina and the way Mr. Stessman always calls on Eleanor in class in a way making fun of her as well.