Imagine you are in a situation where your brother has just killed two boys and your mother has left you to marry another man. In the story, Peace Like a River by Leif Enger, the main character Reuben copes with the realities of the unkind world he lives in. Unfortunately, Reuben is put into this very poor situation time and time again throughout the story. Reuben’s father was fired by his boss in front of the whole school, finding out that his brother intentionally shot two boys he knows Israel Finch and Tommy Basca and he sees his father very sick and frail with pneumonia, all contribute to why he sees the world as such a harsh place to live in. First and foremost, Mr. Holgren unjustly fires his father Jeremiah, who is a janitor while all the kids in his school are watching. At that time, Reuben declared: “He roared a few words, and dad became the former janitor” (Enger 79). When Reuben heard the superintendent yelling at his father and getting ready to fire him, he became extremely humiliated and embarrassed. It was even worse since the superintendent puts him in a position where he knew he would not be able to defend himself. His father being accused of such severe allegations as being drunk and not doing his job properly was devastating for Reuben to hear. Therefore, the public firing of his dad played a role in his thinking of the …show more content…
After Davy murdered the two boys, he emphasizes: “Don’t say it’s all right, Rube, don’t say it. I meant to do it. I meant to. Hear me?” (Enger 51). At this moment, Reuben must come to the realization that his brother meant to do it and it was not out of self-defense. This was a premeditated act, and he did not want to see the two boys alive any longer. Ultimately, taking things into his own hands by murdering these two boys showed his great anger and frustration with them as well as the evil in the
The narrator whose name is unknown finds out that his brother Sonny was incarcerated for the use of and dealing heroin, raised in a society where being afraid of fear is constantly affecting both of their life’s in turmoil. “He was frightening me a little” (Baldwin 19). Fear shaped the older brother in becoming an Algebra teacher, endeavoring to save his younger brother from a lifestyle of street habits, influence specifically on drug abuse. According to the narrator, he expects Sonny to follow his footsteps in finishing an education because “If you don’t finish school now, you’re going to be sorry later that you didn’t” (Baldwin 20), in addition the narrator describes the life of Sonny “weird and disordered” (Baldwin 21). The narrator uses his fear to form a communication with his brother, however Sonny’s decision of freedom in becoming a professional musician, and escaping misfortunate moments is not in communion. Thus, Sonny feels neglected by his older brother’s expectations and judgments based on his own future. “I think people ...
Throughout the life of an individual most people would agree that dealing with tough conflict is an important part in growing as a person. In “The Cellist of Sarajevo” all the characters experience a brutal war that makes each of them struggle albeit in different ways. Each of them have their own anxieties and rage that eventually makes them grow as characters at the end of the book. Steven Galloway’s novel “The Cellist of Sarajevo” exemplifies that when an individual goes through a difficult circumstance they will often struggle because of the anger and fear they have manifested over time. The conflict that the individual faces will force them to reinforce and strengthen their identity in order to survive.
John Edgar Wideman’s essay “Our Time” presents us the story of his brother Robby. The essay is unique because Wideman uses the “voices” of his brother Robby, his mother, and himself to convey the different perspectives of each person. The author uses the three different points of view in an attempt to express his emotions, and what he was going through while trying to understand the motives behind Robby’s transgressions. Wideman articulates that choices in life are often difficult to make, and other people will be unable to understand the reasons behind a particular choice. In addition to telling Robby’s story, Wideman includes the problems he faced as a writer in order to tell the story from his brother’s point of view.
Throughout the book Peace Like A River, there are several mentions to landscape and setting. I believe that the landscape is a analogy for the main character, Jeremiah’s, health. Throughout the book there are obvious analogies such as the badlands and winter. But those can be talked about later. In the start of the book they are at August Shultz’s farm hunting geese. He describes the landscape as “soaked swaths with a december smelling wind” (Page7) from this we can say for certain that Jeremiah is in good health.This could also mean a fresh start. This setting comes into play a few times and can mean different things contextually. Throughout the second chapter, through chapter 10, the landscape does not play a huge
Baldwin’s story presents the heart breaking portrayal of two brothers who have become disconnected through respective life choices. The narrator is the older brother who has grown past the depravity of his childhood poverty. The narrator’s profession as an algebra teacher reflects his need for a “black” and “white,” orderly outlook on life. The narrator believes he has escaped life’s sufferings until the death of his daughter and the troubling news about his brother being taken in for drug possession broadside him to the reality of life’s inevitable suffering. In contrast, his brother, Sonny has been unable to escape his childhood hardships and has ended up on the wrong side of the law. While their lives have taken ...
In the story "Shiloh" by Bobbie Ann Mason, The reader gets different points of view and different feelings about the characters and the story. In this story the narrator explains how time and distance can create a gap between two people. It also talks about how naïve Leroy really is and also how self-centered he is. It allows the reader to understand that sometimes in doing something good people could be doing something that hurts others.
In the commencement of the story, the narrator is shocked and in disbelief about the news of his brother’s incarceration, “It was not to be believed” (83). It had been over a year since he had seen his brother, but all he had was memories of him, “This would always be at a moment when I was remembering some specific thing Sonny had once said or done” (83). The narrator’s thoughts about Sonny triggered his anxiety that very day. It was difficult to bear the news of what his brother had become, yet at some point he could relate to Sonny on a personal level, “I hear my brother. And myself” (84). After the news had spurred, the narrator experienced extreme anxiety to the point of sweating. Jus...
His development of the characters seems to focus on one main character at a time, shifting from one to another. Sonny, who the story is about, is a troubled young man, who is also very private and some would say he’s a bit of a dreamer in a sense. At an early age he becomes addicted to heroin. He is also an aspiring musician who tends to keeps all of his problems bottled up throughout the story—except when he plays his music. Music for him is a freeing outlet. The narrator, also known as Sonny’s older brother is compared to Sonny and the many young men of Harlem. He served in the military in his earlier years and then became a successful, hardworking math teacher. Grace, the narrator’s daughter, dies of polio while her Uncle Sonny is in prison. Her death was the reason that the narrator takes the time out to write to his brother Sonny. Her death becomes an act of grace, resul...
Every person feels rivalry or competition towards others at some point in their lives. This rivalry greatly affects our ability to understand others, and this eventually results in paranoia and hostility. It is a part of human nature, that people coldly drive ahead for their gain alone. Man's inhumanity towards man is a way for people to protect themselves from having pain inflicted on them by others, and achieving their goals and desires without the interference of others. This concept of man's inhumanity to man is developed in A Separate Peace as the primary conflict in the novel centres on the main character, Gene, and his inner-battles with feelings of jealousy, paranoia, and inability to understand his relationship with his best friend Phineas. Competition is further demonstrated by the occurrence of World War II. It is shown that, "There were few relationships among us (the students) at Devon not based on rivalry." (p. 37) It is this rivalry and competition between the boys at Devon that ripped their friendships apart.
Faith is belief in what you cannot see and is a common theme shown throughout this book. The Lands family go through many different personal trials throughout their lives. Reuben had much faith in his own father, while Jeremiah never wavered in his faith with God because he always trusted in Him. But, Davy, his son, only believed in himself because he continued to run away from his issues because he believed that he could deal with them on his own. In the book, Peace Like a River, Reuben, Jeremiah, and Davy apply their faith to different people.
The eldest brother who is also the narrator of the story gives the reader a glimpse into their lives and the struggles that he and his younger brother Sonny go through. Through the narrators eyes Baldwin does a wonderful job showing how the brothers grew up to lead different lives but are both still struggling from the hold that poverty in Harlem has on them. Baldwin shows how both “the narrator and Sonny are both imprisoned and also free in exactly opposites ways” (spark note). For example, Sonny has physically been imprisoned due to his addiction to drugs but was able to escape from Harlem and create his own life through music. Whereas the narrator is physically free but trapped in the housing projects of Harlem which he clearly hates. It is Baldwin’s unique style of writing that has the characters asking themselves the question, “Does one embrace the hand that they are dealt in order to live or does one bow down and allow it to consume them?” Baldwin shows how each brother at different times in their life allowed for it to do both. For instance, in the beginning Sonny seemed to be consumed by his suffering which led him down the path of drugs but by the end he had embraced it and let his suffering playout through music. The narrator on the other hand seemed to embrace everything that he was dealt and did the best he could to better his life.
“The story employs a dramatic point of view that emphasizes the fragility of human relationships. It shows understanding and agreemen...
The story begins with the narrator’s brother, Sonny, being arrested for using heroin. When the narrator discovers what has happened to his brother, he slowly starts to relive his past. Up to this point, the narrator had completely cut his brother and his childhood from his life. He disapproves of the past and does everything in his power to get rid of it. The narrator had become an algebra teacher and had a family who he moved to get away from the bad influences on the street. As a result, it is shown in the story that he has worked hard to maintain a good “clean” life for his family and himself. Readers can see that he has lived a good life, but at the toll of denying where he came from and even his own brother. For years, his constant aim for success had been successful. However, as the story progressed everything he knew started to fall apart.
The narrator allows Sonny to move into his apartment. By allowing Sonny to live with him he has allowed to trust him again. For example, the narrator explains, “The idea of searching Sonny’s room made me still. I scarcely dared to admit to myself what I’d be searching for. I didn’t know what I’d do if I found it. Or if I didn’t” (pg. 91). This shows how the narrator had the opportunity to search his brother’s room, but had the ability not to. Tension grew among brothers while living under one roof. This starts the climax of both arguing in the apartment. The narrator doesn’t understand why his brother wants to be a musician. This argument was built of emotion both had and not yet discussed among each other. Such as the narrator expressing his anger towards his brother’s drug use and Sonny’s frustration towards the narrator not understanding his plan to become a jazz musician. For example, the narrator states, “I realized, with this mocking look, that there stood between us, forever, beyond the power of time or forgiveness, the fact that I had held silence – so long! – when he had needed human speech to help him” (pg.94). The argument with his brother made him realize that he abandon his younger brother when he needed him the most. He realized that if he would have spoken out and talk about his drug use that he wouldn’t have to go
Okay. Tell me this. Tell me this. What did I spend my life doing? Was it so wrong what I did?” (Sherman, 58). Before Reuben loses everything, he is also overly self-centered and has strong pride. The pride comes from his distinguished status in upper-class society; however, he now realizes that his pride cannot bring any benefits for himself and the community. Meanwhile, he also figures out that the incorrect shared ideology in this society is the main reason that causes him to own the strong pride. It is unfair to judge one’s personality based on their economic conditions. As a result, he jumps out of his superstructure and talks to the one who is in a lower class for some useful advice. At this point, Reuben is asking for the answer, but he is actually aware that his strong pride is the wrongest thing which controls the first half of his life, which makes him living arrogant and lonely. Fortunately, he opens heart freely to others and asks for suggestions, which becomes his first step to approach true