The Hardest Thing Ever

The Hardest Thing Ever I split the month of August between three states, between two coasts, two mountain ranges, and about a million different thoughts. The states: Oregon, my home, New Mexico, my camp-home, and Massachusetts, my new and unfamiliar home. The coasts, west and east; the mountainsâ€"high desert and the rocky Appalachians. I was all over the place. The meditation camp in New Mexico, supposedly, should have helped with that, but Im still pretty scattered. I spent a good part of the month here, at the Sufi Foundation of America, breathing, stretching, dancing, hiking, subsisting on a half-fasting diet of watery vegetable soup and salad (occasionally and discreetly sipping Trader Joes 100% maple syrup from the bottle to make up for lost calories), being with friends. This is what it looked like: The road to camp. Happy. And that above is mostly how I felt. Then I went back to McMinnville, where Ive lived almost my whole life, and spent a frenzied week saying goodbyes and sifting through my stuff, deciding what to bring (giant tea thermos) and what to leave behind (record player, books, a little cactus I originally was hopeful enough to think Id bring carry-on). The hardest thing was leaving. Im in love with Oregon, and Im obsessed with my family. Sometimes I think if I had only those two things, the place and the people, Id be set for the rest of my life. The day before I left, we picked blackberries with my grandpa and built a tipi of sticks just the size for a four-year-old. MIT seemed distant and unreal. Just two days later, all the airplane boarding calls, suitcase shenanigans, and arrival complications were behind me. I wasnt at MIT: I was one of twentysome fresh MIT students participating in the Freshman Outdoors Program, a pre-orientation backpacking trip in the White Mountains. Supposedly, Id signed up because I love hiking and I wanted to make friends. It turned out to be more than I bargained for. Not the hiking partI like walking, I dont mind a backpack, Im a big fan of trees and dirt and all that. But I underestimated how different Id feel here. It was apparent in the forest, in the people, and still, back on campus after a few jam-packed days of orientation, the distance of this place from anything Im used to is bitingly obvious. I took notes in the mountains. The vegetation here is different. I know the plants at home. Only a few of them are growing here and the rest are new. I see deer fern everywhere (Ive only seen it in the park by the library at home), no sword fern, no lady fern. The environment is not hostile, just utterly unfamiliar. Almost unfriendly, but not the kind that makes you want to stay away. Its, like, aloof. Unknown. MIT is the same. The backpacking trip was my introduction, and if it gives me any hints concerning the rest of my experience here, I can expect this to be difficult and very, very worth it. Im in brand new territory, totally unfamiliar, missing the comforts of home, but the struggle is a good challenge, intermitted with bursts of euphoria. The first summit. On the trailthe day I had no clean pants. On the hiking trip, I found those moments of splendor reaching a mountains peak, munching on wood sorrel, or wandering a little ways by myself to trip over logs. Here, Ive encountered the same unexpected glee after meeting new people, running along the Charles, getting some badly needed sleep with my lovely temp roommate. Im not sure how to scientifically evaluate my choices to figure out which ones make me happy, but I have some guesses. Shockingly, the free candy everywhere hasnt proven to be quite as effective a happy-maker as I usually like to think it is. So here they are. My survival techniques. I plan to test them, and as a blogger, Ill try to keep you updated. 1. Sleep. Getting enough of it will probably be my #1 challenge. 2. Frisbee. And not just frisbeeI played on a team at home, and even though I was never the fastest or most coordinated, I loved it, and I loved the people. I didnt think Id play frisbee here, because without my friends I thought there would be no reason. But there were some people throwing on the turf the other night, and I joined in, and Im glad I did. So, not just frisbee, because Im expanding this guideline to mean that Ill try actually doing the things I like, whether or not I already know people or think there are people I want to know. 3. No more FOMO. My cousin told me about this disease, Fear of Missing Out. With so much going on everywhere, all the time, with everybody here, its like an epidemic. Orientation is heavily scheduled with all kinds of appealing activities, but next time I want to take a nap instead of going out, Im just gonna do it. 4. Fruit and water. Stay healthy. 5. Real world stuff. I want to get off campus sometimes, make outside friends, and keep from forgetting that I like things aside from math and science. I want to keep this all in perspective. And sometimes I just want to go for a walk or get real food. If I didn’t love the world and want to interact with it in a big way, I wouldn’t have come to MIT. I would have stayed in Oregon, lived in a cabin with a pottery studio behind it, and kept to myself. I chose to come here, so I want to make the most of it. So far, it’s been tough. Leaving was sad, REX was thrillingly busy, and looking ahead to all of first semester is crazy intimidating. But so far, the hardest thing ever hasn’t happened yet. The challenges are manageable, and they’ll continue to build, so most likely, the real hardest thing ever won’t happen for a long time still, and when it does happen, I might not even care. I expect to be challenged. I think we all do here. (And look we like it!)

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder ( Adhd ) - 1145 Words

Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder To Medicate or Not to Medicate with Adderall? Meghan L. Gonzales National University Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder To Medicate or Not to Medicate with Adderall? The medical world has noticed several changes and improvements during the past century, but maybe none that s as economically rewarding afterward the prescription drug business. New medications turn-up regular and maintain to treat a growing number of ailments. Around the corner of each and every block is a drugstore as well as their shelves are stocked with prescription drugs plus it looks they re here to stay. Most frequently we change to†¦show more content†¦There are various facets of the ailment that lots of people aren t even conscious of. ADD/ADHD is a neurological problem which impacts the CNS, along with the inspirational system. ADD/ADHD impacts two significant elements of the mind which are linked with all the capability to pay attention along with the capability to modulate motor action. ADD/ADHD is due to a chemical imbalance in the mind. There exists a lack in the brains capability to make neuro-transmitters. ADD/ADHD is thought to be hereditary. Though many people consider it one, ADD/ADHD isn t a learning disability. ADD/ADHD changes a man s efficiency in college environment, as well as other aspects of life too. Relationships with others, how well you arrange your chamber and properties, and the way you keep track of your financing are several other regions impacted by ADD/ADHD. Alternately, you might have already been in a position to pay for the outward symptoms of ADD/ADHD when you re young, only to run into issues as your obligations increase when you get older. The more balls you are wanting to keep in the air, pursuing a profession, raising a family, managing a home, the greater the need on your own skills to arrange, concentrate, and stay composed. This could be challenging for anybody, but in individuals who have ADD/ADHD, it might feel utterly hopeless. Quite simply, the patient s mind is much like a light always going on and off at the worst possible times.

Themes, Symbols, and Feelings in The Yellow Wallpaper by...

In The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the protagonist symbolizes the effect of the oppression of women in society in the Nineteenth Century. In The Yellow Wallpaper, the author reveals the narrator is torn between hate and love, but emotion is difficult to determine. The effects are produced by the use of complex themes used in the story, which assisted her oppression and reflected on her self-expression. The yellow wallpaper is a symbol of oppression in a woman who felt her duties were limited as a wife and mother. The wallpaper shows a sign of female imprisonment. Since the wallpaper is always near her, the narrator begins to analyze the reasoning behind it. Over time, she begins to realize someone is behind the†¦show more content†¦Neurasthenia is the nervous disease the narrator is suffering from. Gilman expresses if the narrator is ill or if the â€Å"rest cure† treatment she is on is making her crazy(Wilson). Weir Mitchell was the authors/narrators doctor who prescribed her the â€Å"rest cure† treatment, which did not succeed(Gilman). The narrator tells her husband to help her and change the treatment, but he refuses her desires. As a result, the narrator became insane because her husband forced his wife to be in an oppressed situation with her health(MacPike). Within the story, Gilman represents the domestic sphere as a prison(Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism). The narrator is considered to be in prison but in a nursery because she cannot handle her duties as a mother to watch her children or a wife to clean(Delashmit). The windows in the room symbolize the windows in a prison cell. She feels as though, since someone is behind the wallpaper, she is being watched(MacPike). The role of women in the 19th century was reflected in The Yellow Wallpaper. In the 19th century, husbands and fathers did not allow females to interact with certain activities. Women duties were based upon their children and their household(Stansell). In The Yellow Wallpaper, John wants the narrator to cater to himself and their child. Although John tries to govern the narrator, his society is the based on the same nature. The narrator and the woman in theShow MoreRelatedSymbolism of the Setting of The Yellow Wallpaper1198 Words   |  5 PagesVolpe 1 Marissa Volpe Prof. Baker ENC 1102 4/10/14 Symbolism In The Gothic Setting of â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† Gothic literature is incredibly distinct. There is a sort of formula involved with writing in the Gothic style, and one of the most important aspects of this is the setting, which can include anything from the architecture of the buildings to the color of the leaves on the trees. The setting of a story is a vital element, as it would seem to be that the most effective way of drawing Read MoreTaylor Tuscai. Mr. Schoen. English Ii Pre-Ap. April 28,1233 Words   |  5 PagesMovement† Charlotte Perkins Gilman is widely recognized for her support of feminism and calls for awareness to her mental condition by voicing her ideas through her original writing. One of her works, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, describes a woman who suffers from severe anxiety and is isolated in a room in order to â€Å"heal† according to her husband. While in the room, she becomes obsessed with the ugly wallpaper, which leads to her fall. In the short story, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, by Charlotte Perkins GilmanRead MoreYellow Wallpaper Essay999 Words   |  4 PagesThe Yellow Wallpaper† Charlotte Perkins Gilman (Full name Charlotte Anna Perkins Stetson Gilman) American short story writer, essayist, novelist, and autobiographer. The following entry presents criticism of Gilman s short story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† (1892). The short story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper,† by nineteenth-century feminist Charlotte Perkins Gilman, was first published in 1892 in New England Magazine. Gilman s story, based upon her own experience with a â€Å"rest cure† for mental illness, wasRead MoreCritical Analysis Of The Yellow Wallpaper1511 Words   |  7 Pagestime period. One of these writers was Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Her work, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, addresses the reality of gender status and roles and the treatment of psychological disorders during the nineteenth century. When explicating her work through a psychological perspective, it is clear to see how Gilman uses setting, symbolism, and personification to portray a realistic view of a woman with a psychological disorder and her treatment. Charlotte Gilman applies her own experiences with herRead More Essay on Janes Search for Self-identity in The Yellow Wallpaper609 Words   |  3 PagesJanes Search for Self-identity in The Yellow Wallpaper  Ã‚      The Yellow Wallpaper, written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in the late nineteenth century, explores the dark forbidding world of one womans plunge into a severe post-partum depressive state. The story presents a theme of the search for self-identity. Through interacting with human beings and the environment, the protagonist creates for herself a life of her own. Charlotte Gilman, through the first person narrator, speaks toRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper, By Charlotte Perkins Gilman1523 Words   |  7 PagesIn â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, Charlotte Perkins Gilman uses the literary approach in which the reader sees the text as if it were some kind of dream. Like psychoanalysis itself, this critical attempt seeks evidence of unresolved emotions, psychological conflicts, guilt, and ambivalences within â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†. In this particular story, the reader must analyze the language and symbolism of the text to reverse the process of the dream in order to reveal the hidden thoughts/meaning of the storyRead MoreThe Portrayal Of Postpartum Depression1581 Words   |  7 PagesThe Portrayal of Postpartum-Depression in â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† â€Å"The Yellow wallpaper† is a story about a woman going through a mental breakdown. She has recently had a baby and is suffering from postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis. Charlotte portrays postpartum depression very accurately in the story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†. She writes about how others do not understand her needs and how they will not listen to what she wants to say. Postpartum depression is a serious form of depressionRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper2088 Words   |  9 PagesCritical Analysis of Formal Elements in the Short Story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† by Charlotte Perkins Gilman Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, published in 1899, is a semi-autobiographical short story depicting a young woman’s struggle with depression that is virtually untreated and her subsequent descent into madness. Although the story is centered on the protagonist’s obsessive description of the yellow wallpaper and her neurosis, the story serves a higher purpose as a testamentRead More What Others Say about The Yellow Wallpaper1572 Words   |  7 PagesWhat Others Say about The Yellow Wallpaper      Ã‚  Ã‚   The Yellow Wallpaper is a short story written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in 1890 and eventually published in 1892 in the New England Magazine and in William Dean Howells collection, Great Modern American Stories (Shumaker 94). The story was original not only because of its subject matter, but also because it is written in the form of a loosely connected journal. It follows the narrators private thoughts which become increasingly more confusingRead MoreComparison between The Yellow Wallpaper and A Rose for Emily969 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Women need real moments of solitude and self-reflection to balance out how much of ourselves we give away† (Angelis, BrainyQuote). This statement reflects the theme of isolation and how one can truly understand themselves through self-reflection and time spent in loneliness. In the short stories, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner, both female protagonists, experience a time of seclusion leading to self- realization. Hence, both of

Intellectual Reasoning vs. Instinct Free Essays

It has been said from Plato onward that man’s reasoning is his highest faculty and makes him superior to animals. In the short story â€Å"To Build a Fire,† by Jack London, man’s intellectual reasoning ability is regarded as â€Å"second class† to that of the survival mechanism that is embedded within humans and animals alike. This survival mechanism is sometimes referred to as instinct. We will write a custom essay sample on Intellectual Reasoning vs. Instinct or any similar topic only for you Order Now If solely depended on, man’s intellectual reasoning may be clouded, imprudent and even detrimental, leading him to the wrong decision. Instinct, on the other hand, is a natural reaction pre-programmed into man for survival and cannot be altered by reasoning, making it superior to reason. As the story opens, the man clearly understands that the â€Å"day had broken cold and gray, exceedingly cold and gray,† and still he insists on continuing his journey (650). The fact that the temperature is below freezing did not seem to bother him. He is ignorant of the cold. As he stands surveying the snow covered Yukon trail, â€Å"the mysterious, far-reaching hair-line trail, the absence of sun from the sky, the tremendous cold, and the strangeness and weirdness of it all—made no impression on him† (651). He is determined to join the boys at camp to enjoy the warmth, food, and companionship regardless of the weather. The man is very observant about his surroundings, however, â€Å"he was without imagination† (651). The temperature is about seventy-five degrees below zero, which means that it is about one hundred and seven degrees below freezing. To him, the air is cold and uncomfortable, and nothing more. He ignores the fact that he is a warm blooded creature and as such only able to survive at certain temperatures. Anything beyond that range requires not only intellectual reasoning ability but also instinct. The big native husky that accompanies him on his journey is his only companion. The animal can adapt to the cold weather, but on this occasion it is very apprehensive about traveling in the extreme cold. The dog’s instinct â€Å"knew that it was not time for traveling. Its instinct told it a truer tale than was told to the man by the man’s judgment† (652). The dog does not understand how temperature is measured or even how a thermometer works. It inherited this instinctual ability from its ancestry. It relies on this innate ability for survival. It craves warmth, and knows that man can create fire and warmth. Its instinct for warmth and survival tells it this is not a time to be traveling. The man stops at each creek or river bend, and observes â€Å"the changes around the creek, the curves and bends and timber-jams† (653). He knows if he walks on ice that is not frozen to the bottom he will crack the ice cap and break through it. Breaking through the ice will cause him to get wet. Under such an extreme, bitter cold temperature, being wet can be fatal. The man tries to compel the dog to go ahead. However, it hesitates. It will not go and stays back until â€Å"the man shoved it forward, and then it went quickly across† (653). The dog brakes through the ice and scampers back on land. Quickly, it begins to â€Å"lick off its legs, then dropped down in the snow and began to bite out the ice that had formed between the toes† (653). This is not a matter of intellectual reasoning but rather instinct. Because the dog is now wet and cold, the dog is apprehensive about traveling further. The relationship between the man and the dog is like that of an owner to an animal. There is no â€Å"keen intimacy between the dog and the man, the dog made no effort to communicate its apprehension to the man† (654). When the man finally reaches the left fork on the other side of the creek, he did not see signs of any springs. Once again, the man is relies on his visual perception, but he fails to recognize the danger. He thinks it is not necessary to send the dog ahead because he did not see any signs of danger. Unfortunately, at a place â€Å"where the soft, unbroken snow seemed to advertise solidity beneath, the man broke through† (655). He is now wet from the waist down to his foot-gear. He escapes from the water and quickly works to build a fire. Memories of old-timer on Sulphur Creek creep into his consciousness. The old-timer repeatedly warned him of extreme cold temperatures in the Klondike, cautioning him not to travel alone without a partner when the temperature is fifty below or colder. The man laughed and thought, â€Å"the old-timer was rather womanish† (656). In his haste to start a fire, he did not notice that he built it under a spruce tree. The tree held the weight of the snow from many previous storms. Each time the man pulled on a twig, the tree moved. Finally, the branches released the snow, sending it falling down onto to man and extinguishing the fire. Standing in disbelief, he â€Å"heard his own death sentence. † (656). Again, his memories returned to the old-timer on Sulphur Creek. Maybe the older-timer is right—â€Å"after fifty below, a man should travel with a partner† (657). With his life at the mercy of nature, he recognizes his foolishness. His final attempt to rebuild a fire is unsuccessful. He sees the dog and remembers a tale of a man who was caught in a blizzard. This man survived by killing a steer and crawling inside the cavity to keep warm. Perhaps killing the dog and burying his hands in its body will thaw them so he can build a fire. He calls to the dog, but the dog senses a â€Å"strange note in his voice that frightened it† (658). Its instinct senses danger – â€Å"it knew not what danger, but somewhere, somehow, in its brain arouses an apprehension of the man† (658). The dog stays clear of the man. Instinct is a natural part of every living creature. Its purpose is to alert its owner of impending danger, to override reason, to survive. The dog, through its instinct, is aware of the life-threatening conditions in the Yukon. The man, thinking he is smarter than nature, relies on his knowledge and ignores his instinct. By relying on his knowledge, mistakenly believing it to be his highest faculty, he ultimately forfeits his life. How to cite Intellectual Reasoning vs. Instinct, Papers

“What Is Poverty” by Jo Goodwin Parker Essay Sample free essay sample

J. G. Parker releases her narrative about life on the streets in her essay â€Å"What is Poverty? † The message that J. G. Parker’s essay is seeking to demo is told through acerb remarks and originative intimations throughout her essay. If you look past the wall of emotion that she throws on the reader. the proposition of her narrative is clear. J. G. Parker tries to explicate poorness so that her audience. or those who oppose her idea of poorness. does non experience sympathetic or benevolent. but comparatively understanding. She goes on utilizing literary techniques. and emotions that grab clasp of the reader’s bosom. which is poignancy. J. G. Parker writes this essay of herself. as a adult female life in poorness. with the little amount of money she receives from the province. Her place in poorness neer heads north and from her point of view there is no manner that she can acquire herself out of this â€Å"bad instance of poverty† she got herself into. We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"What Is Poverty† by Jo Goodwin Parker Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This essay is fundamentally dialogue between the intended reader and J. G. Parker. airing all the grounds why she is stuck in her destitute life style. and avoided because of her societal arrangement. â€Å"I am soiled. smelly. and with no â€Å"proper† underclothes on and with the malodor of my decomposing dentitions near you. † (  ¶ 1 ) . That is one illustration of how J. G. Parker uses literary techniques that represent her emotional province and her usage of descriptive adjectives. The manner Parker breaks this down merely brings the reader further into her essay. A representation of this is when Parker describes when she left her childs with â€Å"Granny† and â€Å"bits of her baby’s flesh† that came off when she removed a â€Å"dried nappy. † (  ¶ 3 ) . These inside informations are used so the reader can understand every bit much as possible. without really being in poorness. Logos would be one thing non used in J. G Parker’s essay. The absence of this particular technique adds to the emotional facet. If J. G. Parker were to get down saying facts about poorness statistics and abused kids whom live with their homeless female parent. the readers would automatically fall into ennui and the fond regard to the essay would be lost. The usage of poignancy increases the emotional for ce of her essay and creates a connexion between the author and the reader. The usage of ethos. by supplying such elaborate descriptions. creates a narrative that begs to be listened to. and her deficiency of logos strays off from factual statistics so that the reader can concentrate on what the narrative is seeking to state. J. G. Parker’s end is non to have understanding from the reader. She does non inquire for any benevolence or words of comfort. she would oppose such intervention. The one tool she has to utilize that would distribute the word about her state of affairs. and others like it. She speaks through words of expressive power. she addresses the emotions and hopes merely to unclutter the stereotype out the heads of the ignorantness.

Hamlet`S Soliloquies Essays - British Films, English-language Films

Hamlet`S Soliloquies The soliloquies spoken by Hamlet were directed to the audience, rather than seeming like conversations with himself. In the first soliloquy, Hamlet talks about how aggravated at life he is and that if it werent for Gods laws he would commit suicide. He is not really morning his fathers death in this soliloquy but more his disgust for his mother for marring his uncle especially a few months after his fathers death. He then goes on to explain he must remain silent. He is explaining to the audience that nothing can undo the situation to make it any better. But that isnt good enough for Hamlet. Something has to be done. This soliloquy sparks an interest in the reader and provides a glimpse into Hamlets thoughts while informing the audience of the history of his familys tribulations. In the second soliloquy Hamlet calls on the audience, the distracted globe, to hear his vow to get revenge on his uncle and to erase all from his mind except that of what the ghost had informed him of. The ghost, Hamlets father, had explained to him that Claudius had killed him and his soul couldnt rest until revenge was brought onto his brother. The audience hears Hamlets promise to make Claudius pay for his murderous ways. Already, the audience is excited by hearing Hamlets promise because it is giving them something to look forward to. In the third soliloquy, Hamlet admits to the audience he is a coward; What an ass am I! He then goes on to tell the audience of his new idea to help draw the truth out of Claudius. He believes that the theater can make a person experience real emotion. He finds this remarkable that something fictional can create a reality. But Hamlet admits that he is not sure if the ghost said to be his father is really who he says to be and not the creation of Satan. Now the audience is aware of Hamlets concerns and maybe what has been holding him back from taking action. But the prince decides to feed on Claudiuss conscience by having the players reenact the murder of his father. Then it is up to Claudiuss reaction to prove to Hamlet that what the ghost spoke of was in fact the truth. Now the audience had even more of a build up of what is to come. The best-known soliloquy, the fourth, is not as passionate but more subdued. With this speech, Hamlet is not just talking about taking his own life but more the choice that is put before man between accepting insults and pain from the world or fighting back at it. Hamlet poses the question To be or not to be. Hamlet seems to search for some kind of meaning to life which is something each individual in the audience has contemplated before too. Hamlet seeks to find an answer we all have yearned to know; is there life after death and if so, is the life he leads now any better? Should Hamlet right the wrong his uncle has made? That is what he is asking himself. If he does he will himself be making a morally unjust decision that would weigh down his own conscience. The audience is able to relate with this; everyone has been faced with a moral dilemma more than once in his or her life. Thus conscience does make cowards of us all. The audience in hearing these words from Hamlet sees that Ha mlet is incapable of revenge. The audience is always being included in Hamlets thinking process through the use of soliloquies. By involving the audience in the protagonists thoughts it helps the real meaning of the play shine through. The audience is told of past events without a narration that can sometimes take away from the play itself. The main characters thoughts are not always obvious to the audience. By Shakespeares writings, the audience is always aware of Hamlets current state of mind. Book Reports

Compare 3 Stories essays

Compare 3 Stories essays The storeys that I will be righting about all have children in. The pieces I have decided to Wright about are The living, Through the tunnel, A message from the pig man. Through the tunnel is written by Doris lessing it is about a young boy of eleven how goes on holiday with his mum. This piece is also about the boy struggling to be accepted and grow up. The living is written by Mary Lavin it is about two boys how try to prove to each other how grown up they are by visiting a wake. The story is about boys trying to out do each other. A message from the pig man is written by Jhone Wain and it is about a young boy of age about six trying to come to terms with his mother and father braking up and how his imagination runs wild and how he learns to face all his fears. All three pieces are about young boys and how they face a problem and childhood. The boys in each piece seem to have loving parents and they also seem to love them a lot this is shown by each character. As in A message from a pig man you can see the boy loves his father as he says so long as it left the spare room free for dad to sleep in. He says this as he wants his dad to stay with him and his mum but his parents are getting divorced so his dad is moving out but Eric loves him and does not want him to leave. This shows us that Eric is to young to understand why his dad must move out. Erics father also loves him, as he wants to make him happy so hey bys him a train set. This is also shown in Through the tunnel as you can see that the mother loves her son as she tries to let him grow up by letting him go to a beach on his own. You can see that see worries by the way see thinks to her self and the questions she asks for example of course he is old enough to be safe with! out me and have I been keeping him to close. The boy also loves his mum as he checks on her regale to see that see is still there and that she is safe. The lo...