Hi, this is Maxine😊
First of all, I
have already finished this novel finallyyyyy. It took me probably one month to
read over the entire content. However, I still learn a lot from the growing
process of the character. Both of the two books that I have read, The House on Mango Street and this one,
are related to teen identity. Therefore, since the topic is quite closer to me,
I can always put myself in their shoes while seeing them facing obstacles and
losing self-value. Let’s dig into the development of Sam and Charlie’s love story
and see what should happen to them!
Due to a series
of events, including Charlie kissing Sam, not Elizabeth, who is Charlie’s
girlfriend, being scolded by peers, and the graduation party, the relationships
between Charlie and his friends changed differently. After that kissing event,
Charlie was blamed for being a scumbag, which made him isolated by his peers.
Then, he went through a two-week hardship for being alone to do anything. It
was until other people actively spoke to him that broke the deadlock. Time flew
by, and it was time that came to the graduation. Sam and her boyfriend broke up
because the other man called Peter kept finding chances to approach Sam. In
addition, Sam would go abroad to study right after graduation and might seldom
come back. So, she reached Charlie to make their affection clear. Although not
being couples after knowing that they loved each other, they had intense and
intimate physical contact in the end.
From the conversation of
Sam and Charlie, I was influenced strongly by what Sam said, “I want them to
like the real me, not what they think I am. I don’t want them to carry around
inside. I want them to show me so that I can feel it, too.” Actually, I don’t
get accustomed to expressing my inner self since it can sometimes be
hypocritical and awkward. But, if we don’t open up to others, how can they
understand our true feelings? When making friends with others, the most
important thing is that be honest with not only we think of them but also the
way we show ourselves. I tended to wonder why nobody understood me at all times
before, which loneliness and panic tangled me for a long time. The feelings led
me to lose myself and feel meaningless of life. Now, I figure out the reason,
and I will start to change step by step.
After reading this novel,
I feel refreshed and relieved. It is because I see how many frustrations that
Charlie experienced and how struggled that he faced the dilemma, which reminded
me of those hardships I went through before. Ultimately, he grows to be braver
and maturer. He found him special and unique from others, knowing that we were
born to be extraordinary no matter in what way. All in all, we just sometimes
forget it. It is a tough period for every teenager to find their self-identity
since we may think impulsively and be affected easily by the environment.
However, teenage is a phase that we should accept every failure and turn into
the motivation to grow stronger. I think that is also the reason why we see “an
18-year-old person” as an adult. It is until we experience enough struggles
that we can be titanium when encountering those tribulations and suffering.
Incidentally, I
have something to speak out. In fact, it is not my habit to read since it takes
a lot of time and energy. However, due to the class requirement, I have no
choice but to read novels and write my reflections. Although they are tough
tasks for me in the first place for not getting used to thinking critically, I
now gain more and more ideas to share with my classmates. It is because I find
that the books truly teach me lessons that help me introspect, learn, and grow.
Also, there are lots of events that I can relate to since both of the two books
I chose are about teenage problems. When reading, I can combine my experiences
with the contents and put myself in the characters’ shoes to see what I will do
if I were them. Perhaps reading is not my top choice when I am available, but I
can’t deny that I learn new words, new writing skills, and meaningful notions
after finishing these two novels.
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