Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Handbook for Boys: Book Club Reflection Four

There was no a lot to talk about in the last book club meeting as the novel was imply coming to a close.

The Annoying Aunt
Or was is just some random nun? I thought Kevin was annoying, but she definitely rivaled him. I am all for sharing your belief with other people don't get me wrong, but she wouldn't acknowledge that Jimmy had something positive going on in his life. If and when he wants to incorporate God into that is up to him.

The Struggling Student
When Jimmy hears one of his teachers say to a classmate that the only way he wouldn't flunk is if he dropped out it makes him angry. In the beginning I think this would have gotten on his nerves, but I don't think he would have said anything to the student about it. While Jimmy still has his flaws he is becoming a mentor to those around him.
I think it is atrocious that teachers actually say things lim this to students and I don't understand how they even got their degree. I think teachers (and future ones) should be constantly working on their patience and be self aware of how their words can impact a student. If they do or say something wrong then they need to acknowledge it and apologize.

Another Mantra
Duke says something that I live by in this section of the book. He says, "If somebody doesn’t do their job and give you what you need, its still your life (169)." I have had people fail me in my own life and realized that you have to make things happen for yourself. We need to try our hardest and not expect everything in life to simply be handed to us. This mentality has enabled me to be successful in a many endeavors because if I fail, it's on me, and I expect better of myself.

Kevin's Sentence
As much as Kevin's character annoyed me, sending him off to jail was a sad ending to this story. He had it coming to him and no matter how many chance he had he wasn't learning. He got in trouble initially; got bailed old by Duke. He failed his drug test; there were no consequences or a change of heart. Finally, he says around a friend who buys drugs and now has to go to prison for it. Unfortunately, some people need that wakeup call. He wasn't learning from Duke or his second chances so the only thin that could snap him out of it was a real consequence.

My Review
This book is ultimately about making choices. Jimmy pretty much sums up all the lesson Duke was trying to teach him with, "Talk is easy, doing is hard." This book is immensely valuable to a young person. If they can grasp it's wise lessons, then it can change their lives. I thought it wrapped up well and will definitely recommend it to my students one day.

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