The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirstch

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Recommended: In depth analysis of the 11th plague novel

Age is just a number, well at least for Stephen Quinn it is. Stephen Quinn is 15 years old, but he does not let his age define who he is. Although Stephen was matured for his age when the plague started, he still had a lot of growing to do. Throughout the novel The Eleventh Plague Stephen is prematurely forced through the journey into adulthood. Stephen had to mentally mature enough to allow himself to open up and trust people. Stephen had to toughen up and become a man and he had to be strong enough to have courage in the worst of times. When he thought it could not get any worse he was hit with something that seemed unsurpassable. He had to suffer the pain of losing his dad to the plague.

At the beginning of this novel we see Stephen act very mature compared to his dad, however he still had a lot of growing up to do. Stephen never thought he could trust anyone who was not family. In the first chapter of this “Decency is at an all time low and there is no one to trust but yourself.” After the plague Stephen lost all reason he ever had to trust anyone, the only one person he trusted was his dad. Stephen is a very strong kid, but his dilemma to trust people was holding him back. If they wanted to move on, Stephen was going to have to eventually trust someone, but he could not comprehend the idea of trusting someone else who’s not his father. On their journey they stumbled over a small civilization by the name of “Settlers Land”. “I haven’t seen another kid since the plague has started.” Stephen said in chapter 5. This was Stephen’s bridge into trusting someone for the first time in a while. He realized that their were other people who are just like him and just want the best for their families. Stephen is turning more into ...

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.... In chapter fourteen Stephen says to himself “Dad laid before me, as still as ever ”. This was showing Stephen’s knowledge that he had to move on as he set his dad to rest then buried him. Stephen was very sad, but whatever he did from that point on, was for his dad.

Stephen Quinn was no longer the same fifteen year old he was when the plague started. Stephen was going through the plague with many problems and many decisions. Stephen has matured exponentially to into adulthood from when the plague started. If Stephen were to continue on this path he could be the smartest and strongest person in the plague. After all that has happened to Stephen there was no going back. Stephen turned into the man dad wanted him too be before he died. Stephen was a real courageous adult.

Works Cited

Hirsch, Jeff. The Eleventh Plague. New York City: Scholastic, 2011. Print.

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