What Does Brian Caswell want to tell the reader about Being Different In the novel, A Cage of Butterflies? What Does Brian Caswell want to tell the reader about Being Different? In the novel, A Cage of Butterflies, by Brian Caswell, he explores many themes, the most important being the theme of 'being different. I believe that Brian Caswell is very passionate about this topic and that he wants to explore what being different and an individual really means. This topic is very relevant in today's society. Being drastically different is a burden because you will never be or feel accepted. Many of the kids at the Think-Tank had felt this way before they came to the institute when they were in the outside world and at school. On page 10, Greg says "It doesn't take long to discover what being different means so they learned early to blend it like Chris he'd fake enough mistakes to keep him near the middle of the class but they got him in the end you just couldn't live your whole life under a lie like that." From this quote we can see that the kids, before coming to the Think-Tank, tried to fit in by pretending to be something that they weren't just to be accepted. Greg also says "I guess that's why most of us don't mind it here, it's a place where we don't have to pretend to be anything but what we are." The kids feel comfortable and safe in the Think-Tank because they feel that they don't have to pretend to be something they're not, they don't have to 'live a lie.' Because the kids and the babies are different, when they were in the outside world they were labeled as outcasts. They felt like Tall Poppies. Poppies are usually all the same shape and size so a tall poppy would be one that stands out from... ... middle of paper ... ...ning of the book the reader gets the impression that being different is an incredible burden and that there are very negative effects, however by the end of the book you begin to change your opinion. It is as though because they are different they are drawn to each other and feel like a family. Susan expresses this on page 163, "Now I'm complete, with my family." If the kids weren't different they never would have found each other and would still feel alone in the world. All of the kids at the Institute would have had a lot to deal with as a result of being so different. I believe that Brian Caswell wants to tell the reader that although someone may be different due to physical, intellectual, mental or psychological reasons, we should not treat him or her differently. I believe that being different can be a burden, or a blessing its what you make of it.
In the Time of the Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez, takes place in the Dominican Republic during Trujillo’s control of the country. Dedé and Minerva are two extremely different Mirabal sisters, shown by how they respond to Trujillo taking over their country. Dedé and Minerva are only two of the sisters. There are four in total: Minerva, Dedé, Patria and María Teresa. The four sisters take turns throughout In the Time of the Butterflies telling their stories from the 1940s while living in the Dominican Republic. Manipulating her point of view and attitude, Julia Alvarez uses an impassioned style of writing to portray Minerva’s strong leadership and an explicit style of writing to portray Dedé’s willingness to compromise.
Until the child labor laws of the twentieth century came into effect, a child leaving school either temporarily or permanently, in order to work and help sustain one's family, was a rather common practice. For instance, Rondal is taken out of school because his father is unable to produce enough money to take care of the family on his own; therefore, Rondal is left to pick up the slack in the mine. This is only another step in the circle of ignorance. If one is taken out of a comfortable educational environment and thrown into a dark, cold, abyss first the ability to cope with life's simple problems is virtually nonexistent. This is later revealed in the book when Rondal cannot come to terms with how he feels about Carrie not to mention his "need" to keep moving and fighting for a better life for the coal miners' children of the future.
The world has experienced many changes in past generations, to the present. One of the very most important changes in life had to be the changes of children. Historians have worked a great deal on children’s lives in the past. “While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.”- Author Unknown
...ames society. Shifting the responsibility of our children's upbringing and their future for lack of parental accountability is inexcusable. We need to take responsibility for the decisions in our lives and the lives of our children. "To thine own self be true".
...ts set for them. Children are constantly aware of adults’ choices, and they begin to formulate their own understanding of general values at a young age. When adults are hypocritical of their pre-set standards, it sends children into a state of discombobulation. Staying true to one’s values as an example for children will be beneficial to them as they travel along the highway of childhood and come upon the exit necessary to reach the interstate of adulthood.
how children live in a world of their own. Adults try to get into this
No one can deny that science has evolved rapidly throughout history. One question, however, has not been able to be answered, even though it has been asked from times as far back as Plato. Do humans have minds; a separate entity from the physical brain that allows us to think? Or is there only a brain, controlling everything including choices and emotions? Thoughts have no physical properties, so how is it that they reside in a physical container such as the brain? These questions all describe the “mind-body problem.”
...’s play is, childhood is an endangered and fleeting phase of life for everyone around here.” –Christian Ezora
...rld, parents need to provide them with structure, discipline, and emotional support. The word, “child” shouldn’t be interchangeable with “small adult”. Treating them this way can leave someone insecure, lost, and unprepared for life, as I frequently feel. People are becoming more and more likely to write children into their narratives as these self-governing characters who know what’s best for themselves, but however convenient and valuable that may seem, that is never the role they were intended to play.
Ny, "The Kids Are More Than Alright.", New York Times article, entry Feb 5, 2012,
The influence of the people around you has a great impact on your life. In In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez and in Journey to Jihad by Ben Taub, radicalization is due to the influences of others. Minerva’s rebellion was caused by both Sinita and Trujillo. Patria’s rebellion was caused by the influences of Minerva and the Church. Jeojen’s radical actions were due to his girlfriend, as well as his neighbor. Minerva, Patria, and Jeojen all epitomize the significance of influential people within one’s life.
As a child, there are many things that affect a view, memory, opinion, or attitude. Children have many of their own daily struggles to cope with, as peer pressures are an example.
In A Bird in the House, Margaret Laurence is able to incorporate many themes and motifs into her stories such as, war, tragedy, religion, and faith. Another theme that is also shown throughout the book is identity, both national and individual identity. National identity is defined as “ a sense of a nation as a cohesive whole, as represented by distinctive traditions, culture, etc.”, while individual identity is what makes a person unique, it is what a person believes, thinks and feels. Sometimes in life identity gets mixed up and can become a confusing aspect of life. People are a product of their environment, which is a factor in shaping identity. The protagonist in the book, Vanessa MacLeod, witnesses and experiences both types of identity. She sees the influence of the Canadian national identity in her Grandfather Connor, Scottish heritage in her Grandmother MacLeod, Irish heritage in her Uncle Dan, which ultimately influence Vanessa’s personal identity.
... growth where a child is forced to start looking for solutions for everything that is wrong instead of simply being a child. This analysis prove that children have their own way of seeing things and interpreting them. Their defense mechanisms allow them to live through hard and difficult times by creating jokes and games out of the real situation. This enables then to escape the difficulties of the real world.
With no leaders or good authority figure, the kids are stuck in a dark situation. Children are forced into labor situation with zero security from authority. Facts show “Children were referenced in 2,668