Molly In Christina Baker Kline's Orphan Train

While reading the book titled Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline, I was introduced to several characters. First, we are introduced to Molly, a troubled foster kid in a bad situation. Then we meet Vivian, a great lady, who experiences the life of an orphan during the early 1900s. The connection between Molly and Vivian is Jack, Molly’s boyfriend. Jack is the character who I felt like I was most like. His actions portray him as a “make the best out of every situation” kind of person and I feel that’s most like me. Jack is a teenage boy that lives in Spruce Harbor. He likes to play soccer (Kline 4). Like Jack, I play for soccer for my high school team. Another thing we have in common is our love for music. The author states that Jack

When talking to Molly about Vivian, he comes up with theories based on the fact that Molly is always at Vivian’s, but nothing is being done. Jack tells Molly that, “Vivian is like a mother figure to you. Grandmother, great-grandmother-whatever” (Kline 172). I also often find myself over analyzing things and coming up with scenarios of why things happen the way they do.

Although Jack has great traits, he also gets mad. When Molly tells Jack that it is “none of his mother’s business” regarding the progress made in the attic, Jack defends his mother and gets angry (Kline 174). After, he walks away from the situation until he calms down. Similarly, I can get mad relatively fast, and will defend my opinion. I know it is better to sometimes walk away from the situation and cool down. In conclusion, all characters in the book had challenges to face. Jack’s personality and characteristics are most like mine. He influenced Molly and provided the opportunity for the two women to meet each other and become stronger. I believe that being a good friend, having an open mind, and thinking about the outcomes represents both Jack and me the best. This is why I chose Jack as the character to compare myself