“Now here is my secret. It is very simple. It is only
with one’s heart that one can see clearly. What is essential is invisible to
the eye.” –Antoine de Saint-Exupery, The
Little Prince
First off, I loved the quote at the beginning of this
part (the one above). It’s true for many of the characters in this story.
August’s parents, Via, Summer, Justin, and even Jack after a rough patch. They
all loved August because of his heart and the kind of person he is. They didn’t
judge him based on his face like many of the kids in school did, like Julian.
I saw Jack as the most realistic character in the novel. He has many of the same struggles
as most kids do during middle school. Jack was put to the test. On the day of Halloween
Jack was talking with Julian and their friends about why Jack was friends with
August. Without thinking August was around Jack went on to say, “I really think… if I looked like him,
seriously, I think that’d I’d kill myself.” (pg 77) Talking behind friends back is not a
good characteristic, but let’s face it, growing up pretty much everyone has
done it at least once to try and fit in. I think this is part of growing up. We
make mistakes, but we learn.
Jack had a turning point. His turning point
was punching Julian in the face. It was the first time Jack really stood up for
August, the first time Jack became one of August’s true friends. I believe that
Jack knows violence is not the answer, but secretly Julian deserved the punch
in the face, ever since the first day showing August around the school. A significant part of Jacks story is him being
bullied, the “war” he is going through with Julian and his group. Jack doesn't retaliate,
if anything August and him find a way to joke around about it. Even though the
bullying is hurting Jack’s he doesn’t let it show. He finds a way to mask the
hurt so August doesn’t see it along with giving the satisfaction to Julian and
the others.
Jack also saw himself kind of on the outside and wanted
to fit in because his parents weren’t rich like the rest of the kids. “I didn’t want anyone to know that I was the
“hobo” who had taken the sled,” (pg 150). In a way, Jack feels a sort of
connection to August like they’re on the outside looking in.
I thought of this song as a good way to describe August,
but reading Jack’s part I feel as though he is on the outside just as August is
in different ways. Yet somehow, they find a connection.
No comments:
Post a Comment