“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences,”- Unknown. William Kent Krueger uses this theme in his book Ordinary Grace. Acceptance is seen in Ordinary Grace more times than it is not. Ordinary Grace is a tremendous book with many ups downs and surprises. In the story, Frank and Jake Drum find their sister, Ariel, dead in a lake near their house in the small town of New Bremen, Minnesota. New Bremen has undergone three murders in the summer of 1961 and has sadly accepted death as a part of life. The town is now full of tragedy and sorrow. Jake and Frank take it upon themselves to solve Ariel's murder mystery despite their father's best efforts of keeping them out of the …show more content…
While being interviewed by the cops, Jake stated, “He -Warren Redstone or the Indian- didn’t scare me. I didn't think he was going to hurt us or anything” (41). This quote signifies that Jake was not scared of the man, based on his skin color. Even in the toughest circumstances Jake accepted Warren Redstone and did not make any assumptions on his decisions or actions. Many people speculated that Warren Redstone killed the man because he was an Indian. But, not Jake. He understood, having been harassed and called “retard” (14) for his stutter. Jake knows how it feels to have false accusations made on people that do not deserve it. So, because of Jake’s persuasion to the police, Warren Redstone did not have to face any trials or persecution for the man killed on the railroad tracks. Jake’s honesty and approval of Mr. Redstone was shown through this …show more content…
Frank and Jake had solved the mystery of Ariel’s killer. A young girl named Leia had brutally murdered Ariel leaving the Drum family lost and confused. Leia and her blind brother Emil had been family friend’s with Frank’s family for a long time. When Jake found out that Leia killed Ariel he accepted the fact that Leia was already in misery and told Frank, “She doesn't have anything Frank. Just this place and her brother. She is already in Jail” (289). This quote exemplifies that Jake was protecting and accepting Leia because of her disabilities. Jake did this because once again, he has a stutter and knows what it feels like to be different and to be made fun of because of the differences. Frank also accepted Leia because of her disabilities. Although Frank was very hesitant at first, he learned to accept the fact that if Leia would go to jail she would never last. Because of the two very accepting boys, Leia did not have to go to jail and dealt with the consequences from her older brother Emil. In this example, Frank and Jake’s acceptance for anyone and everyone is really demonstrated and it shined them through a very dark
In FYS we were taught many ways to live in the world through the stories we read, speeches we listen to, and the projects we did. In the book, Ordinary Grace, by William Kent Krueger, The Chosen, by Chaim Potok, and Destiny of The Republic, by Candice Millard, I saw a few prominent themes of how one should live. In these three books I learned about the author 's voice through their writings. I saw how one should live their life. In these books the authors shared common themes through their writings. The authors showed how to live life with forgiveness and live life with faith. Krueger and Potok both showed me through their novels how to forgive someone and they did this by showing that there is a bigger picture in
At first glance and after reading through Amazing Grace, it seems that Jonathan Kozol is going to take us on a journey through the lives of the underprivileged, but similar to the ones you read about, or hear in the news. However, this is not the case; the real underlying theme seems to be how the life and society they live in is very alike to a life in a prison, not because it talks explicitly about prison conditions in this area, but also because their lives are portrayed as being a prison. Kozol uses the views of children and adults throughout this book to emphasize this theme through their living conditions and personal lives, background and struggles.
People aren’t always who they seem to be. In ‘The Possibility of Evil,” by Shirley Jackson, this idea is explored in story form. One character, Miss Strangeworth, is the literary representation of this idea; She is polite and nice in person, but at the same time, she anonymously writes hurtful letters that spread false rumors to the whole town. Firstly, Miss Strangeworth’s character can be analyzed by considering what she says and does.
Jonathan Kozol's book, Amazing Grace, analyzes the lives of the people living in the dilapidated district of South Bronx, New York. Kozol spends time touring the streets with children, talking to parents, and discussing the appalling living conditions and safety concerns that plague the residents in the inner cities of New York. In great detail, he describes the harsh lifestyles that the poverty stricken families are forced into; day in and day out. Disease, hunger, crime, and drugs are of the few everyday problems that the people in Kozol's book face; however, many of these people continue to maintain a very religious and positive outlook on life. Jonathan Kozol's investigation on the lifestyle of these people, shows the side to
A Grace Disguised written by Jerry Sittser, is one of the most heart felt and transparent books I have ever read. The idea that our purpose and who we are is shaped through our suffering and loss, puts one in perspective to understand that our pain lies a blessing, even at times we don't understand. Jerry Sittser, a husband, son, and father of four is a true witness to what its like to experience loss and even feel hopelessness in times of despair. In the fall of 1991, him and his families lives were changed forever. Driving back home from a Native American reservation in rural Idaho, an incoming car driving extremely reckless and fast, jumped its lane and smashed head-on into their families mini-van. Rescuing his daughter Catherine and two sons David and John, Jerry Sittser had to endure seeing the lives of his wife Lynda, mother Grace, and four year old daughter Diane flash before his eyes (Sittser, 1998 pg. 26). Three generations instantly gone without any signs or warnings. Letters of comfort that was sent by mail frequently asked Jerry the question, “Why did this have to happen to your family? Y'all were the ideal family to model. If bad things can happen to good people like the Sittser’s then we’re all in trouble (Sittser, 1998 pg. 30).” In this book Jerry Sittser highlights many different aspects of how to differentiate our view of loss from both a carnal and spiritual perspective. Yes, its no debate that loss is a terrifying and dreadful event to experience, but
"All my stories are about the action of grace on a character who is not very willing to support it, but most people think of these stories as hard, hopeless and brutal."—Flannery O'Connor.
Assimilation was a complex and a resistant concept to gravel for some Jewish immigrants. This was the case for Jake’s wife Gitl. When Jake goes to Ellis Island to pick up his wife, Gitl and son Yossele, he seems to be disgusted to see his “old world” wife and son. He has adapted to American customs and views his wife’s physical appearance as being backward. Jake states to his wife, “In America, you don’t wear wigs...kerchiefs.” This challenges Gitl’s traditional values. She wanted to maintain her cultural identity of the old world. She states, “I can’t go around in my own hair like a gentile.” Jake nevertheless, refuses to keep any traditional practices of the old country, which put Girl in a difficult position. Moreover, he orders his son to be called “Joey” instead of Yosslele and even cuts off
It shows how Jake is persistent and dedicated to his job, even if it always seems like he is in over his head. Jake, however, also departs from the film noir tradition when he lets his emotions get the best of him. The greatest example of this is seen during the exchange between him and Evelyn when he is trying to find out the truth about Katherine. Resorting for the first time to violence against a woman, the near desperation with which Jake pushes Evelyn to confess is an expression of his fears and anxieties about being completely lost amidst the lies that surround him. The result is the humanization of Jake Giddes’ character. He simply is not perfect, and ultimately fails to see the bigger picture of what he is involved with until .
The film pointed out a lot of subject matter that greatly affects our lives and these are as follows being a Good Samaritan, determination in reaching our goals and dreams, expression of once self, making decisions in the path we take, the different perception of different individuals to a certain subject, our judgement in the life of others, the impact of different exercises/evaluation concerning a person’s multiple intelligence to how he copes with life, and so much more. The Good Samaritan in the film was depicted by Leigh Anne. She portrayed that even in her elite kind of living, she still managed to offer a home for a young man who she had not known except for the fact that she was a friend of her son SJ, although she was a
“On one side of the portal, and rooted almost at the threshold, was a wild rose-bush, covered, in this month of June, with its delicate gems, which might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner as he went in, and to the condemned criminal as he came forth to his doom, in token that the deep heart of Nature could pity and be kind to him." Chapter 1, pg. 46
O’Connor takes her main characters through an epiphany in which therefore helps the characters to become aware of their own ignorance. The characters eventually gained knowledge or better yet became self-aware of their attitudes towards others through some form of an unexpected tragedy. O’Connor wants her readers to see how no matter how much you try to cover or justify your ignorant ways whether it be through grace, judgment is still imminent. “In A Good Man is Hard to Find”, O’Connor reveals in this story both grace, redemption and pride. The
“He’d do what he always did, find the sweet among the bitter” (265). In the book the Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, the Panama Hotel is on the corner of Chinatown and Japantown. The hotel is located between the two cultures Henry is tied to, the Japanese and the Chinese. The story takes place in Henry’s past when he first meets Keiko and the present, after his wife, Ethel, has died. The hotel acts as the connection in between the two cultures and the two time periods, and symbolizes how Henry does too.
how) contributing to her death." (179) "Fawell later states, in the same article, "Jake is
Ray Bradbury shows us that people with a difference are ostracised and hated with the example of how the children treat Margot differently for being different to them. He explains by using contrasting sensory imagery just how much just the way that a person acts can make them look different to everyone else and how much they stand out in a crowd. He is also implying to us that just because someone is different it doesn’t mean we have to exclude them just because that’s what normally happens because you might just cost them the joy for the next seven years to
Jake Hoyt was faced with a lot while being trained with Alonzo Harris. Jake was rational in thinking and remembered his purpose, his plan, his values, and his goals. Jake did not allow negativity, money or fame by promotions and publicity break his morals. As for Alonzo Harris, he was an example of so many wrongs catching up with one person. Alonzo was a liar, a thief, manipulative, self-centered and a back stabber. Alonzo was willing to hurt as many people he had to just to stay on top. Although, “what’s done in he dark, comes to light” and though the movie ended with Alonzo’s death it is safe to safe Jake did what he said he was going to do and reveled who Alonzo really was by presenting all the evidence from his day of