Hope In Hard Times.

In the story, The Drummer Boy of Shiloh, by Ray Bradbury, there are many important themes.  For one, this short story shows how it is important to be brave and optimistic even in hard times, and when everything looks bad.  It shows this because in the story, the drummer boy, Joby, has to be brave even when he is in the midst of a war and could die even the next day.

In the beginning of the story, Joby is scared and hopeless.  He feels like he has no purpose and like he is going to die.  It shows this when in the story Joby says, “I got only a drum, two sticks to beat it, and no shield.”  This proves that he feels worthless and like he has no chance.  It also shows this, where Joby says, “That’s all very well for them, they can give as good as they can get,” about the soldiers around him.  He says this because he feels like they have so much greater a chance of survival than him.  He feels like they can actually do something, to not only make a difference in the war, but to simply save themselves.  Joby feels like he doesn’t even have a fleeting chance of survival, let alone help anything in the war.  

But, as the story progresses, Joby starts to feel more hopeful and like he has a purpose.  This starts to show when the general is talking to him.  The general convinces Joby that he can make a difference.  This is proved when the general says, “And for that, boy, I need you.”  This proves that Joby now has a purpose in this war, that he is actually needed and matters.  This really changes his perspective on everything.  You can tell that Joby really believes this and is optimistic when in the end, the story says, “ Then at last, very slowly and firmly, he turned the drum so it faced the sky.”   This is so meaningful thematically because the drum is a symbol for Joby's purpose.  In the beginning, he was disregarding it as useless, and turned it on its side.But him turning the drum up is a metaphor for him not only accepting his responsibility as a drummer boy, but also embracing it.

This story really proves how even when everything is looking down for you, it is important to look up.  Joby learns that everyone can make a difference and can really help even when everything seems worthless.  He learns to be optimistic and that he does have a purpose.  

What Really Happened

I am currently reading the heartbreaking book, The Pact, by Jodi Picoult.  This is about a girl and a boy who have known each other since they were born.  Or at least, since  Emily was born, a few months after Chris.  They have been best friends since forever, and are happily in love--until Emily dies.  She and Chris had a joint suicide pact, they would kill themselves together, with Chris's father's gun.  Emily had shot herself first, Chris would have gone second except he had passed out after Emily pulled the trigger.  The police had come before he could have awoken and killed himself too.

Or is that what really happened?

That is Chris' story, at least.  And because Emily isn't there to verify it, the state, and Emily's parents, have no reason to believe that it wasn't Chris who shot his girlfriend, and told the suicide story to cover it up.  There is evidence to prove he was the one who shot her, after all.  But then again, there is evidence that suggests that he didn't.  So, they take it to court.  But until the case, coincidentally scheduled on Emily's birthday, Chris is stuck in jail.

The reason this book is so heartbreaking for me to read-- except, of course, the fact that Emily died-- is that Chris might get what he doesn't deserve.  I am not yet done with this book, so I don't know if he is convicted guilty or not.  But, there is a perfectly good chance that he is sentenced to prison-- 30 years to life.  It's so hard for me to read this knowing that Chris, the athletic, caring, popular, straight-A student, could have his life basically thrown away.  He had a good future in front of him.  But what if he has to spend it in jail?  It will ruin his life.  And he wouldn't even have done anything.

But, then again, I can't even know for certain IF he is guilty or not.  Though I want to believe that he is innocent-- and I'm 99.9% sure that he is-- there is always that off-chance.  What is he thinking that was not told to us by the author?  What do we not know about what happened that night?  What do we not want to know?  Maybe Chris did kill Emily.  Maybe there is something glaringly obvious form either what Chris thought, or a flashback, that proves that indeed, he was Emily's killer.  But maybe I, along with the other readers of this book, and the characters along in the book, could not bare to believe that he was indeed guilty.  So it was ignored.

I don't know how Chris will be convicted.  And I don't know what actually killed Emily--herself or Chris.  And I don't actually know if I will find that last one out.  But until then, I can only do two things--read, and hope.

The Fault in Our Stars

Over the summer, I read the book The Fault In Our Stars by John Green.  This book was about a girl Hazel, who is a cancer patient.  At Hazel's support group, she meets a guy named Augustus.  Augustus also has cancer, and had one of his legs amputated as a result.  This book deals with a lot of major difficulties in life, such as the topics of loss, hope, and life in general.  This book really shows about being grateful for what you have, or what you used to have.

In the end of the book, Hazel's boyfriend Augustus dies.  But instead of just completely flipping out and being depressed, Hazel tries to think of what she had with Augustus.  She just recollects on all the memories they had together, because she knows that no amount of grieving will bring him back.  In a way, it's sort-of just like he moved out of the country and they will never see each other again.  She always knew Augustus was going to die soon, they talked about it together.  He'd even had a mock-funeral for himself with his best friend and Hazel.  So, although it's clear that Hazel will never forgot Augustus and always think about him, she can move on at the same time.  She knows that all Gus would have wanted was for her to move on.  So, even though she is always holding onto Gus, she can move on and move on with her life.

Even when things may seem tough, it's always important to move on.  Just because something terrible happens, that doesn't mean your life should completely stop.  Of course, that doesn't mean you should completely  forget, but your life can still go on.  This is really shown in the exciting book, The Fault in Our Stars.