Gabbe's 'Daniel': A Narrative Fiction

Not only does this children's book emphasize how quick individuals are to judge without any previous knowledge, but it also incorporates an ideology that is frequently disregarded: being open minded. At first, Dyamonde simply establishes that the new boy, Reed, is a “rude boy.” Without even knowing Reed, she makes this assertion based on his behavior; however, this portrays close mindedness. Instead of merely judging an individual based upon a first impression or their unconscious behavior, it is crucial to assimilate more information about the person prior to putting a label on them. However, as the story progressed and Dyamonde became more open minded, she realized that Reed was solely distraught and upset by his big move from Detroit. In fact, she discovered that she and Reed had much in common, in terms of their loneliness. Both children lost their best friends in the process of their move. Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel enhances the importance of being mindful in all situations, despite any preconceived judgments.

In the book Daniel's story it is the story of death, and survival, of desperation, hope, evil and also lots of love. The story is told from Daniel’s perspective as he is experiencing the atrocities of the holocaust for jews in central Europe. When the story starts, he is a fourteen year old boy, riding on a train while looking at his pictures in the photo album. Daniel uses a photograph album to spark back his memory of the events from when he was six years old until the day he and his family are forced on to a train bound for the lode of ghetto. But after spending two and a half years in ghetto, Daniel is riding on a train again, but this time to Auschwitz labor/death camp and he has a few pictures with him that tells the times when he was in ghetto. He took pictures of

Her eyes grow suspicious, then they widen. “It’s me, mom,” I say. “It’s Daniel.” ’ Day’s mom thought he was dead after him not coming back home after his Trials when he was

“‘Nu,’ he said, speaking softly, so softly I could barely hear him, ‘in June my Daniel and his good friend begin to go different ways. They are men, not children, and men go different ways. You will go one way, Reuven. And my son, Daniel, he will- he will go another way.’”

Leah has never talked to someone other than family in years, so when Daniel sees Malthace and Leah talking he is surprised. He thought Leah would be scared. At the end of the visit Daniel went out to town to get some beautiful fabric to give to Leah so that she can make herself beautiful things. Daniel set of to go see the men on the mountain, when he gets there no one cares that he’s back except Samson who brought a whole big sheep for supper. When night falls Daniel can’t fall asleep so he decides to go back home. When he gets home he sees that Leah has not taken care of the house or herself, it is like she had no life left in her. Every morning Daniel goes to hear Jesus preach because he can’t get Jesus’ words out of his head, and every morning when he gets back he tells Leah all about it, she is always so excited to hear the new things that Jesus has preached to this village. Malthace keeps visiting Leah and the more she visits the more they grow closer together, and every time Malthace comes to visit her she brings Leah a new present, and Leah loved this. When Daniel finds a piece of scrap bronze he decides to make a bronze bow out of it, and continues to repeat the psalm of David in his head. Rosh heard about a banquet that was going on and told Joel to bring more information about it to him. When Joel leaves Thacia dresses up as Joel and goes to Daniel and Leah for another visit so people will think she is Joel. When Malthace arrives at Simon’s house, Daniel gives Thacia the bronze bow that he had made and walks her back home. When it was time for the banquet Rosh gathers his men and orders them to raid all the houses for money and specialty items. The Romans had left a huge catapult unguarded, when Daniel saw this he gathered the Zealots (about twenty boys) and they took it apart during the night. Malthace came for another visit to tell Daniel that the

Daniel had spent enough time with his parents to begin thinking in a similar, mutinous way as an adult, but he’d also spent enough time with the Lewins to feel their influence too. He both wants to rebel against the ideology his parent taught him and rebel against the normalcy that the Lewins tried to instill in him; he is cornered by his aching desire to be nothing and everything all at once. Living in the shadow of his parents leaves him feeling stripped of his ability to create his own identity. Naomi Morgenstern writes:

The humidity of a midsummer evening had set in and Lyra was waiting for her parents to leave for Atlantic City for the night. Once her parents had left and gotten a good way down the road she finished showering and made the decision that she needed to go visit Ryan for what could be the last time. Lyra’s parents were strict but in the best way possible. They protected her from things that could hurt her like most parents of young girls would. Ryan was the boy every girl’s father swore against; he was cold and suspicious. For whatever reason this sparked Lyra’s interest, he was a bad car accident and she could not look away. The cigarette smoke on his breath comforted her, and yet put her on edge.

Edward Spry looks up from the water bottle that he clutches hard enough to turn his knuckles white. He’s exhausted and it shows from the five o’clock shadow and bags that lay under his eyes. His hair is in shambles, gray mixed with black. His eyes, once a calm sea, are now ablaze and burning brighter than ever before.

14 year old Daniel is sitting on a train with his parents. he doesn't know where he is going and why.He opens a picture album that he brought with him.The album starts with his family celebrating his 6th birthday.His uncle peter explains to him the Nazis ideas of curing Germany's problem and Danial admits to being quick to forget problems of the time,and now, he's traveling being sent away with his family.Daniel continues looking through the years pass.The next is a 1936-37 class picture because either they were forced to leave or voluntary.Daniels outlines other changes in her life and the life of the Jewish community and there is constant talk of leaving the country.Daniel's mother can't look at the photo album; it contains nothing but horrible memories.He contemplated a picture he took

Before the book started, on the cover Daniel stated, “I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when i see her, i forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store--for both of us.”

It is easy to relate to the story and the reader is able to see the characters as reflections of themselves without difficulty. It discusses situations involving death and grieving while sending a positive message to children that is informative and comforting. It contains components of faith that offer hope. The subject of death brings about emotions in young readers, therefore utilizing the same sensitivity in discussions that the writer uses in her book is essential. The most difficult part of the book is when Leslie goes alone without Jess to Terabithia. Jess had been out of town that day. The rope they use to swing on to get to the other side of the gully breaks, and Leslie falls into the rushing water below, drowning. When Jess returns home, he says, “No. Leslie wouldn’t drown she could swim real good” (Paterson 103). Jess agonizes with immense grief over Leslie’s death. His father has become supportive after her death, and after the funeral Jess runs off, his father catches up to him, and finally shows compassion to his son holding him with pronounced gentleness. Through sobs, Jess said, “I hate her. I hate her and wish I’d never seen her in my whole life” (Paterson 147). The father’s behavior is essential to Jess’s ability in overcoming the

Just the thought of him had Piper shaking her head as she trudged across the boilding blacktop. The man always had his heart in the right place, but he had a knack for being one nosey S.O.B. He truly was a great guy, he’d given Piper every break he could find, and when that hadn’t been enough, he’d gone so far as to set up this meeting with Fynn. Piper knew he’d done it out of kindess, but she was also pretty sure he’d done it out of simply curiosity of what would become of it. The moment Fynn smiled, Piper couldn’t help but hesitate and think “here we go again”. The smile was defiantly chamring, but the red-head had seen just at “charming” could turn into in heartbeat If he was another one of those “just pop a few more buttons on your shirt” kind of guy, she may have to punch him. It was just too damned hot for that kind of shenagins. Thankfully, when she met his eyes, they were nothing like those other guys. These eyes were genuinely friendly, if not a bit nervous. Seeing that bit of nerves in him actually helped to calm her own, it was nice to know she wasn’t the only one who had been dreading this meeting. “Pleasure to meet you.” She said with her own gentle smile, unpeterbed by his sweaty palm, knowing she wans’t much better. At least he had a real grip to his hand shake, some of these men she’d met shook hands like a limp fish, and nothing irriated her more. Srunching up her nose as he mentioned the weather, “Yeah, I never knew hell would be so humid.” Shaking her head, a smile still playing on her lips. Piper had to make a mental effort not to look him up and down, she may not have pulled of the sweaty look all that well, but he sure as hell

While Le Clézio better relates to the boy who stayed home, this story focuses mostly on Daniel, a manifestation of the author’s own unconscious desires. Le Clézio knows that he has them and that they influence him, but does not reveal exactly what those desires are. Those desires are not to play in the waves of the ocean for the rest of his life. The sea is merely a way to represent the unknown and the unknown is both exciting and very dangerous to him. As Daniel, Le Clézio

Daniel poured himself a bowl of cereal, walked into the living room and sat down to watch some T.V. with his breakfast. He turned on the television and the news was on; they were talking about the Emily Jackson case and Daniel didn’t want to hear anything more about that. Then as he was about to change it they began

“And you weren’t planning on telling me or saving me from that monster? Do you know what he’s done to me? He’s beat me, he’s starved me, he’s used me to be his little alcohol maid and you’re just saving yourself from him, leaving your own daughter?” She continued to screech, putting. “Just look at these scars and bruises,” Chloe pulled down her sweatshirt, so her neck and back could be seen.