Changing for the Better

Nick Snyder

Ms. Colley

Language Arts 7

11 March 2018

Changing for the Better

 

Have you ever had a sudden event that majorly changed your life? These events can lead to positive or negative changes in people’s outlook on life. In the following selections “A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley,” “At the Crossroads,” and The Night Tourist, the main characters each undergo a major change as a result of a sudden event in their lives.

In the play “A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley,” the character of Scrooge undergoes a change from a cruel miser to a joyful, generous individual because of visits from the three spirits. The ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future show Scrooge events from his life that cause him to realize that making changes in his life will positively affect him and others around him. Inside of the story Scrooge says, “Spirit! Hear me! I am not who I would have been but for this intercourse. Why show me this, if I am past all hope?” As a result, Scrooge realizes that being kind and generous is the key to the meaning of life. This is a great example of how Scrooge has changed throughout his life as a result of a sudden event in his life.

Another example of how people can change throughout a story is in the selection “At the Crossroads.” In this story the main character, Nick Kleckner, realizes that his life has no meaningful purpose. To find a direction for his life, Nick decides to go on a 2,500 mile walk. During his walk from Florida to California, he meets people who give him needed items that enable him to continue his journey. He receives items and he later realizes the fulfillment in giving back. In the story he says, “The biggest takeaway from this experience is to have realized that mankind is better than I have ever dreamed.”  The 2,500 mile walk changes Nick’s outlook on life. He now has reason to believe that when one is in need mankind will come together to help.

A third example of an event changing a character’s life can be found in the novel The Night Tourist. Euri is a ghost who changes from not wanting to live, to wanting to live, as a result of meeting a boy named Jack. Before meeting Jack, Euri didn’t realize all that she was missing. On her adventures with Jack, Euri finds that she misses her family and wants to be alive again. Jack convinces her that life can be great and she finally sees that herself. At one point in the story Euri has a conversation with Dr. Brill in which he asks her, “How did you die?” and Euri replies with “It was an accident.” In the end Euri realizes that she isn’t happy being dead, so she regrets ending her life and claims it as an accident.

In conclusion, sudden events that occur in people’s lives can change them for the better. Some events can change a miser to a generous human being. Some events give purpose to a person searching for direction. Other events can change our very existence.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *