The Impact of Choices Choices and the consequences these choices have can be monumental. Throughout the year in eighth grade English, the novels we have read have had choices as a central theme. “Life is about choices. Some we regret, some we’re proud of. Some will haunt us forever.” This quote from Graham Brown perfectly illustrates how important choices are. They can have a big effect on people and us around us. While some people don’t immediately think of choices being a central theme in a novel, they are wildly important. In the books we read this year, the choices made by Brady in The Red Kayak and Peekay in The Power of One had a phenomenal impact on themselves, the other characters in the novels, and even me as the reader. In …show more content…
While some things, such as being forced to go to boarding school at five years old, were out of his control, many other things in his life were not. Unlike Brady, Peekay does not have one choice that stands out. Peekay makes multiple choices that add up to change his childhood. The first choice that affected Peekay was to bring a kaffir chicken, named Granpa Chook, to boarding school. Granpa Chook became Peekay's only friend and helped to ease the pain of being horrifically bullied. Peekay’s choice then affected him negatively when he had to go through the trauma of seeing his beloved chicken die. Peekay’s next big decision was to befriend Karl von Vollensteen who Peekay knew as Doc. This changed Peekay because Doc helped develop Peekay’s intelligence, academics, and taught Peekay to play the piano. Doc also gave Peekay a reason to go to the Barberton Prison. Where he made his next major decision, which was to take on boxing. This affected Peekay at the end of the book when he got his revenge on his childhood tormentor, The Judge. Doc also lead Peekay into getting into an excellent private school. After his school, he made his last big decision, which was choosing to work in the mines for a year to pay for his colledge. This event causes Peekay to make a friend and puts him in many life threatening situations. Because of this, his friend dies. Peekays decision to work in the mines also …show more content…
The impact of his decision had a tremendous impact on four families and many other people as well. The biggest impact his choices had on others is that his best friends were sentenced to nine months in forestry camp. This means they were set behind in their educations and forestry camp is not fun.Their families will have to be without their sons for the sentence time and possibly longer. This has a significant impact on JT’s family because his dad is in the hospital and he has to go away. This means they will have no one to help on the farm and will have to pay money to hire someone. Bray’s decision does get justice for the Di Angelos. His decision also puts a financial burden on his family because of the lawyer they had to hire. Brady’s decision also brings a media spotlight to Ben’s death. Last but not least, it changed the lives of everyone that went to the court hearing because it would have never happened without
In Red Kayak by Priscilla Cummings, guilt is shown in almost every character in the story, but it is through Brady that we see the most guilt.
Throughout the novel Gene loses his innocence and matures under the influence of Finny. Gene gradually lets go of his childish jealousy over Finny, who he believes is superior to him and feels hatred towards. He however comes to realize what Finny’s friendship holds for him and recognizes his need to be a part of Finny. Gene first gains confidence in himself and starts maturing when he refuses to lie about his rich heritage...
The diverse alternation of point of views also provides the story an effective way to reach out to readers and be felt. The characterisation is effectively done and applied as Sam, Grace, and the other supporting characters play individual, crucial roles in the course of the story. All the elements of a typical young adult novel, consisting of a gap-filled relationship between children and parents, emotion-driven teenagers, and a unique conflict that makes the book distinct from fellow novels, combined with the dangerous consequences of the challenges the couple encounter, make the book different from all other of the same genre. The plot unfolds slowly giving readers enough time to adjust and anticipate the heavy conflict when it arises. It has gotten us so hooked but the only thing we could possibly dislike about it was the slow pace of plot. The anticipation was too much to handle and we were practically buzzing and bouncing to know how the story turns out as we read. It builds the anticipation, excitement, thrill, sadness, grief, loss, and longing in such an effective way to entice and hook readers further into the world of Sam and
In the end, Finny’s death is the outcome of Gene’s actions which are provoked by his initial feelings of jealousy. Gene loses a good friend, but his remorse has allowed him to take on a new identity has Finny, eventually forcing him to let go of his true self. Overall, one is able to witness from Gene that emotions can do a significant amount of damage to relationships, as well as cause an individual to lose themselves in the
As the sweltering, hot sun signified the start of a scorching afternoon, a young boy lay in the fields harvesting vegetables for another family. He had been enslaved to perform chores around the house for the family, and was only given very few privileges. While his stomach throbbed with pangs of hunger, he continued cooking meals for them. After the family indulged in the cozy heat from the fireplace, he was the one to clean the ashes. Despite his whole body feeling sore from all the rigorous work he completed, the young boy had been left alone to suffer. As months passed by, he desired independence. He wanted to cook his own food, make his own fire, harvest his own plants and earn money. The lad soon discovered that he needed faith and courage to break away from his restricted environment. When put in a suppressive situation, every person has the aspiration to escape the injustice. This is what Harrison Bergeron and Sanger Rainsford do to liberate themselves from the external forces that govern their lives. Harrison, the main character of “Harrison Bergeron” written by Kurt Vonnegut, is a strong, fourteen year old boy whose talents have been concealed by the government. Growing up in an environment where equality has restricted people’s thinking, Harrison endeavors to change society’s views. Rainsford, the main character of “The Most Dangerous Game” written by Richard Connell, is a skilled hunter who believes that animals were made to be hunted; he has no sympathy for them. Stranded on island with a killer chasing him, he learns to make rational choices. While both Harrison and Ranisford are courageous characters, Rainsford’s prudence enables him to overpower his enemy, whereas Harrison’s impulsive nature results in him being ...
Write a composition based on the novel you have studied discussing the basis for and impact of individual choices. What idea does the author develop regarding choices?
When Peekay first meets him he treats Piet as an equal not as a prisoner, not eve for being an African American. They grow even closer when Pielt decides to teach Peekay some methods for boxing, helping Peekay become a better boxer then he was before. This relationship also has a business aspect because Pielt and Peekay work together to start a black market for the prisoners, but this relationship could end with one of them being caught because they are involved. This unfornatley happens to Piet who is caught with letters and will not name people who are helping him. Pielt is beat and eventuately killed because he keeps his honor and promise and never rats on Peekay for helping him with the black market.
“To follow or not to follow?” is the conflict of both A Separate Peace by John Knowles and Initiation by Sylvia Plath. Each main character must choose what action to take; however, it is the way they choose that sets these stories apart. Different examples of conformity in each book yield different results, showing readers potential outcomes of decision making.
The theme of the third book in the selection series, The One, by Kiera Cass is to be careful of what you say because your words can get you into trouble. In the novel, The One, by Kiera Cass America doesn’t think hard about her words. She says what
Many families are left like the Giudice family just because one of their family members sentencing to a nonviolent
These novels inspire their readers and take them on a journey where they are able to learn more about themselves and face the evils in their
The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less, by Barry Schwartz, is focused on the analysis of personal behavior in relation to decision making. As the title implies, the author emphasizes the main point that more choices actually lead to less of an ideal experience. In recent years, choices have become almost unlimited, and this has led to an increase in unnecessary stress placed on the consumer. The availability to make decisions in virtually every aspect of life creates a new level of responsibility on individuals. Decision making can lead to an enormous group of positive and negative feelings. Some of which include satisfaction, happiness, regret, disappointment and even depression. It is important to explore the broad category of decision making
This novel could have easily had the plot destroyed by one lapse of Christopher's inquisitive judgement. Had he not been so bold in pursuing
There are many major themes of the book, but revenge is the most imminent theme, the factor that leads the protagonists to their dismal fate. Bronte proves there is no peace in eternal vengeance, and in the end self-injury involved in serving revenge’s purposes will be more damaging than the original wrong.