Impossible Goodbyes

A book adds suspense whenever a great alteration comes about that forces a character to change their present situation. "The First Part Last" By Angela Johnson is one book where the situations in both the beginning, and the end vary in level of intensity and emotion from all characters involved. Only, in this book, The main character, Bobby, has to improve himself, so he can help his daughter, Feather, grow up with a parent who was there. To do this Bobby must change, become not just a man, but a good man. I think that for a sixteen year old kid, he did alright. i intend to prove it using a few symbols that i found within the pages of this book. With these ideals, i intend to state my case that Bobby did in fact become a man, and start both himself, and his daughter on the right path.

In the short stories, “Saving Sourdi,” by May-Lee Chai and “The Moths,” by Helena Maria Viramontes, the main character of each short story goes through their own coming of age experience where they are forced to mature in order to overcome an obstacle. Chai explains her main character, Nea’s, struggle as she is forced to mature and overcome the departure of her older sister, Sourdi, from her life after she gets married and moves away. Viramontes, on the other hand, depicts her narrator’s struggle as she is forced to mature and overcome the death of her Abuelita on her own. Despite their very different approaches, both Chai and Viramontes successfully convey their main character 's struggles in their journey from youth to adulthood.

“Saving Sourdi” by May-Lee Chai, discusses a classic plot of the metamorphosis from childhood to adulthood. In her story, the two main characters Sourdi and Nea develop in stark contrast to one another. Nea, the younger sister, has difficulty growing up and maturing as her own life, as well as her sister’s life, progresses. Her naivety, aggression, and anxiety influence her decisions throughout the story in a negative way. Chai’s character is easily believable and relatable, everyone has had a point in their lives where they didn’t want to grow up, handled a situation poorly, or realized that their relationship with someone has changed

He doesn’t understand why he “should have the freedom to hope” while his “brother and father sleep in bloodied earth”. One can see that for Kek to have such fortune while others have almost nothing is a lot of pressure on Kek to make good use of all the things and opportunities he has. Disappointing others back at home and himself is one of Kek’s nightmares. Kek also struggles with feeling guilty for his Mom’s absence. For instance, Kek states, “In mine I am a coward and that’s the truth”. Kek thinks that since he didn’t stay with his Mom he is the reason for her absence and the reason that she has not been found yet. This really drags Kek down and makes him feel like a weak little cowardly boy. In part three, Kek begins to give up and run away from his problems. He feels mentally and physically exhausted from the confusion & hate of America and the fact that Gold is going to leave him soon. For example, Kek says, “I feel tired of using the words that don’t belong to me, I don’t want to be in a place where candy for a kind girl makes people angry and every year the trees die” All the negative things that happened to him made Kek become closer to giving up all

“Saving Sourdi” by May-Lee Chai, discusses a classic plot of the metamorphosis from childhood to adulthood. In her story, the two main characters Sourdi and Nea develop in stark contrast to one another. Nea, the younger sister, has difficulty growing up and maturing as her own life, as well as her sister’s life, progresses. Her naivety, aggression, and anxiety influence her decisions throughout the story in a negative way. Chai’s character is easily believable and relatable, everyone has had a point in their lives where they didn’t want to grow up, handled a situation poorly, or realized that their relationship with someone has changed

In the novel, “Year of Impossible Goodbyes”, the main character Sookan goes through a series of changes. Three examples that clearly show her point of change are, when the Japanese intruded on Haiwon’s sixteenth birthday celebration, when she left Aunt Tiger and Kisa behind in the North, and finally when she was separated from her mother at the guard house.

The first time this was shown in the book was with Sadikifu aka Sadi. HIs father became a crack addict and left his family when Sadi was only five years old. This left his mom a single parent who needed a liver transplant, making them live on welfare. Through this time his life was bearable and Sadi’s hard work was finally starting to payoff but this all had to come to an abrupt stop. When Sadi was about to get a scholarship to Pasadena his father then decided to resurface. This was Sadi’s turning point and from then he was rebellious and got into many fights, eventually sending him to jail. When he finally got out of jail he found it hard for him to reaccommodate back into his school. Eventually he found himself winning first prize in the city speech championship and that he finally felt accepted once again and vered back on the right right path. Every since then he continously aspired to be a writer.

Coming of age is a recurring theme that is universally known throughout many different pieces of literature. Whether it’s influenced on true experiences, childhood memories, or even based on one’s current juvenile reality, many of theses works have a correlation between them that include many similar ordeals and struggles that the character goes through in order to metamorphosize into taking their first step out of childhood. One prominent theme that often appears is how one experiences and faces a time of tribulation and other walls that stand in one’s path. In effect, hardships mature and enlighten one, causing the loss of something such as childhood innocence. Lastly, these three combined points finally lead to one’s metamorphosis out of childhood. All in all, these three factors take one out of childhood, and slowly allows one step out into the reality of this world.

In coming of age stories, the protagonists often experience a pensive and dramatic moment where either they break through to adulthood or retreat to childhood - it is this moment that unveils the magnitude of growing up for the reader.

As they reach America at last, Amir’s wife introduces herself to Sohrab sweetly, but he just, “shift[s] on his feet and look[s] away” (358). Sohrab does not say much, do much, or move much at all. Imagery presented in this stage of the journey is quite gloomy, what with Sohrab’s blandly colored clothes, sallow face, and plain room. Amir and his wife seem gloomy as well, as they are always whispering, crying, or wondering what went wrong. The saving grace and the real transformation happens at the celebration of the Afghan’s New Year’s Day. After a day of muteness that has become regular, Amir and Sohrab finally connect through the kite flying contest. This is something to which Amir and Hassan dedicated their lives when they were children. Amir is overwhelmed with joy to see that, “one corner of his mouth had curled up just so. A smile” (370). It seems like nothing, but this truly is a breakthrough with this child. If it were not for Hosseini’s descriptive words that lend to pure joy and elation, the reader would not even realize what a momentous occasion this is. Hope may seem lost when traveling a guilt filled path, but if one’s intentions are honest and efforts are useful, forgiveness will find its way

In Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro the major themes in this book is hope, and free will. Hope plays as a symbol and feeling of freedom for the characters. Their curiosity is what causes their confidence to one day be free, but then is let down when having to face the truth that their life is set for them and that they must accept it. Free will is shown that clones are unable to change their fates as organ donors, but their lack of free will affects many other elements of their lives as well. For example, Ruth never achieves her dream of working in an office, and Kathy gets precious little time with Tommy. Ishiguro is ambiguous about where this lack of free will comes from because Ruth never tries to work in an

Life experiences can change a person’s character. Those experiences can make a person better than they used to be, the characters will unlock a new mentality that they thought they never had. Also they better at conquering fears and obstacles. Characters in my novels go through lots of change as the stories progress. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, events change the character’s views and behavior throughout the novels. In the novels The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Treasure Island, the main characters in the stories go through a change of personality from their adventures and journeys, encounters with obstacles and antagonists, and the completion of their trials.

“My name,” she repeated, this time more steadily, “is Elizabeth .” My Father’s expression changed drastically, now the face that was once a little annoyed, began to morph to pure anger. All these years no one ever talked back to my Father, not once has anyone ever said anything against him. Time slowed down as he began to raise an arm to discipline my Ma, but bit his lip in regret and retreated to the couch across the room. Everyone froze in the silence. Nobody in this household would ever hit a lady, especially someone who does as much for us as my Ma. He was such a nice man, so handsome and helpful, why would he even think about hitting my Ma? I watched as he slouched into the crevice that's been created in

As he grows older, his style changes and he sees the real world as it really is as opposed to his fantasies he had when he was younger. A major development in the story is the actual act of becoming a man. Boys his age have a festival for many days that lead up to their circumcision, after which they become men. After this accomplishment, he still writes about his fears and his thoughts but he is much more wary to keep them to himself. And as he grows even older he moves away from home to attend Technical College for four years. These years change him very much and when he returns home he is much more of an adult and conducts himself in such a manner.

It was a normal day at the Fairy Tail everyone was rowdy and causing mischief. Natsu had just gotten into a fight with Gray and won rather quickly so now he had his eyes set on a bigger fish. Hey Lucy have you seen Erza the dragon slayer asked. No I haven’t thinking about it I haven’t seen Erza in two days Lucy replied. Wonder where she’s at Natsu said aloud. Why don’t you ask Mira flame brain Grey says. Didn’t I just get done mopping the floor with your sorry butt perv Natsu replied. Oh really that was a warm up Grey answered back. Then lets do this I’m all fired up Natsu said. Hold it boys what about Erza Lucy interjected right before they were about to go at it. Your right Natsu said. Lucy Grey and Natsu walked over to where Mira was working cleaning the destruction the brawls had caused. Hey Mira did Erza take a job Lucy asked. No she didn’t but I did give her some mail she ran of after reading it Mira said. Where was it from Grey asked. The Magic Council Mira replied. If there trying to Erza away I’m going to beat some knowledge into their skulls Natsu said. Natsu grabbed Lucy by the arm and ran out of the guild with Grey in hot pursuit. A few mintutes later Happy awoke to find the Natsu and the gang abandoned him. Why did they leave me Happy cried. Elsewhere’s at the Magic Councils Prison. I am Erza Scarlet of Fairy Tail here to see the prisoner Jellal Fernandes Erza says with her usual tact and self restrain to the guard. Right this way Miss Scarlet the guard said. I