I Am the Messenger Question #1
Explain why Ed goes along with the messages written on the cards instead of just throwing them away or ignoring them. The messages give Ed a purpose. They give him the chance to be someone else, someone better than the old Ed Kennedy. They give him the chance to be great. Ed thinks, “You never know… one day there might be a few select people who’ll say, ‘Yes, Dylan was on the brink of stardom when he was nineteen… And at nineteen, Ed Kennedy found that first card in the mail’” (Zusak 36). His whole life, Ed was never something special. He was the only one of his siblings to stay in town and yet he had the worst relationship with his mom. He was a cab driver who lived alone and only had three real friends.
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He hasn’t done anything to make himself better; he just hopes he’ll be able to. As he continues delivering the messages, he has moments of realization that he needs to change, and he finally has the power to do so. One of these instances is when Ed is talking to Ritchie about life and his job. Ed says, “And I wouldn’t call driving a taxi a real job.” Ritchie responds, “What would you call it?” and Ed replies, “An excuse” (Zusak 304). In this moment, Ed comprehends that everything, including his job is just an excuse for not being better. He already has a job so he doesn’t need to go find one he actually likes. He has a house, so what’s the point of moving to a nicer town. He comes to understand just how much of his life was made of excuses and he decides to not let them hold him down anymore. Ed knows he has to change, and he does—gradually. Ed states, “If I ever leave this place… I’ll make sure I’m better here first” (Zusak 283). When Ed says this to his mom, he means it. No longer will he just run away from his problems, from his life. He’ll face them and change himself for the better before leaving, so as not to run away, but to settle somewhere
He tried to make his future seem brighter by going back to school, but it was not working out. He was unable to leave his crime-filled life behind. The text states,” Wes is out here hustling!... Tony yelled back.’ No he isn’t, he is making the money DJing,’ Mary said.
He had a lot of angry building up inside of him, especially after the death of his brother. If he had better friends and was able to talk to them about anything and everything, he probably would get all the anger out and be a less harsh and judgmental person. He would fit in better. It’s important to have friends or people that will actually be their when they're needed the
He told police that the two women he murdered reminded him of his mother. " Eddie showed no signs of remorse or emotion during the many hours of interrogation. When he talked about the murders and of his grave robbing escapades he spoke very matter-of-factly, even cheerfully at times. He had no concept of the enormity of his crimes" (Maria). While being interrogated, Ed believed he wasn't a mass murder considering most of the body parts that was found in his house was not from people that was alive.
As Purtill goes on to explain, “... everyday character who rise to fulfill heroic roles, motivated only by loyalty and love of friends.”. This relates to Eddie because he makes a promise to his mother that he’d graduate High-School, but he isn’t all that in driven to his goal, but when he meets Lupe, he is suddenly motivated to graduate High-School, and possibly go to college because of
He loses a good friend along the way, that alter him into making better decisions. He meets a couple of girls that affects him remarkably in choosing what he must do with his life. With the help of his grandparents, specifically his grandma, he is given reassurance that guide him home. Through
This quote illustrates Evan's ability to find humour in difficult situations and how it serves as a source of resilience for the
In the book, after Eddie’s wife, Marguerite, died, he felt lonely (when he met her in heaven, Eddie talked about her leaving too soon and how life has to end but love doesn’t). Eddie thought he was lonely, and that he should have moved away and chased his dream of doing something else. In the eyes of other people, Eddie did great things, like made sure kids had a good time and that all the rides were safe. So even though Eddie thought he was alone, he really wasn’t, as his coworkers and the kids at the park were always happy to see him. This sentence is meaningful to me and people in real life because people everywhere are sad and they think they’re alone, when in reality they aren’t.
In the midst of all of this he finds a balance by focusing on what really matters. At the same time this keeps him focused on his main goal which is education. Education will be his family's way out of poverty. Through seeing his younger brother that is unemployed and will be having a child soon he looks beyond this and is genuinely proud of where he comes from. He realizes how strong his family is when he seems them fighting through poverty and making things.
Morrie tells Mitch, "Forgive yourself before you die. Then forgive others (Albom pg.164).” Eddie struggle with forgiving his father. He puts so much energy into hating him that, even after his father’s death, Eddie still can not seem to be happy. Ruby then teaches him how he needs to forgive and let go so he can live a happier life.
If Ed was more cared for, he probably would’ve turned out different. Instead of being so close to his mother, he would’ve had friends or even a girlfriend. Without that shift from the thing he had most of his life to nothing. Unfortunately, not everyone can have the comfort
He reminds them of how their devotedness and dedication got them through the worse. Perseverance requires overcoming a struggle but, in the end, improvement and achievement can come from hard
He wants more than what is expected of him. Eddie wants a chance to show to the world that he has what it takes to be successful. Eddie does not care if people like what he serves, what he wants is “opportunities outside the kitchens and cubicles” (Huang 208). Eddie is working his way up to the top and wants more chances, which illustrates why he should be remembered because while others just dream of being at the “top” and do nothing to get there, eddie is committed to his work and keeps proving to everyone that he is ready to move up. Eddie also has a successful restaurants.
Eddie has been impacted by these qualities in both a positive and lasting
As a result, of his father’s indifference towards him, Eddie’s reaction upon seeing him in heaven was anger and disgust. But, Ruby had taught Eddie that in order to move on he had to forgive and learn why his father had caused their family so much pain. Eddie was able to understand his father’s behavior in the past. He was able to see that his father was indeed in pain throughout his life on earth and because of this he was alone and unaware to anything but his own pain and suffering. Ruby’s purpose was to get Eddie to confront his father and not be judgemental and quick to jump to conclusions, so he would be able to see from his father’s point of view and forgive him.
The question posed in the title, “Who am I?” is very simple but the answers are never so. What defines me as who I am as a person today are relatively my attitude, my personal values and beliefs to life that developed throughout my life. “Values are constructs that we hold as important and beliefs are constructs that we hold to be true (Collins & Chippendale, 1995)”. Meanwhile, attitudes are relatively lasting clusters of emotions, beliefs, and behavior tendencies directed towards specific ideas, people or objects (Baron & Byrne, 1984). Generally, my family members, friends and the experiences I had contribute to my sense of who I am and how I view the world.