Left Out Theme

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The thought of having selective hearing would be a gift to many teenagers. The idea of being able to ignore the barking commands of parents and lectures of teachers would be a gift only few could dream of. In the sports fiction novel Left Out, written by Tim Green, the notion of that dream is a real-life nightmare. In 341 pages, the life of Landon Dorch is nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. If being born deaf with cochlear implants to hear wasn’t hard enough, having to move from the fields of Cleveland to the metropolis of the Bronx may have pushed the limit. As Landon overcomes outcasted parents, a fiery sister, and endless bullies, one thing seems to always catch his eye; football. Although he’s not talented and plays the position of …show more content…

The main theme of the story is not to judge a book by its cover. Left Out is a prime representation of this motif because of the layout of the novel and the language that comes with it. In the novel, Landon’s life starts out as struggling and problematic. It’s clear when Landon says,”Creep! Doofus!”, describing the names he is called by his peers (LO 2). Later in the novel after the structure of the book is near the climax, Jonathan Wagner is presented. He is the main character that helps to carry out the motif, and it’s obvious when he says,”What do you think? Maybe I can whip him into some kind of usable shape” (LO 279). He is the only character throughout this whole book who takes the time to believe in Landon and use his size as a gift and not a humiliation tactic. Lastly, Jonathan never uses Landon’s hearing disability as an excuse like the other coaches and players. Instead, he encourages him to push through it and make the best of it. Therefore, the motif of this story is to never judge a book by its cover and with the presence of Jonathan Wagner, Landon is more than just a school reject. With the right drive and support, he becomes a wandering all star on and off the

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