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the messenger themes essay

Decent Essays

Novel Essay
The Messenger
“Everyone can live beyond what they are capable of.” Discuss in relation to ‘The Messenger”

The Messenger by Markus Zusak shows us that everyone can live beyond what they are capable of. As the protagonist Ed, helps those in need, he is challenged to do things beyond his capability. In the beginning, Ed is described as the ‘epitome of ordinariness’ and he is called a ‘dead man’. The reason for this is because he has no meaning to his life and nothing to live for, no goals, ambitions or plans for the future. When he starts receiving the cards however, Ed, for the first time in his life makes a difference in the world around him which pushes him to achieve beyond what he was originally capable of.

As he …show more content…

This tells us how much Ed cares and loves Audrey and wants more than a friendship for the both of them to have.
Love:
Love is a powerful theme in the book the messenger, it affects most characters, especially Ed, Audrey and Ed’s mum.
Love is what Ed ultimately desires. Ed wants Audrey to fall in love with Ed and for Audrey to experience love again, as opposed to just sex. Ed’s role being the messenger eventually allows Audrey to fall in love with Ed and not fear love as she did in past relationships.
Ed also seeks love within his Mother and for her to accept him as her son. After the Clown Street message and the heavy discussion with his mother, Ed gains an understanding of why their relationship is so broken. This leads ED into a better situation with his mother and overall the love he has been asking and craving for from his mother, even if its not the traditional love we would expect between a mother and son. “My heart is so tired”, Ed says to himself after trying and trying to win over Audrey, this quote shows us how much Ed has tried and tried to love but Audrey wouldn’t except it.
Violence:
Violence plays a big role, starting with the bank robbery. Ed will and did face a lot of violence from Edgar street, the rose brothers, the sledge match, Daryl and Keith, an as readers we are quite aware that all of these obstacles have shaped and changed Ed’s life mostly for the better. This is usually shown with Ed’s ease with violence, even when confronted by a

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