The book “Will Grayson Will Grayson” by John Green and David Levithan, demonstrates how love may lead to sacrifices.  In the book, two characters from two totally different backgrounds, miraculously meet on a street corner.  Soon they find out that they have more in common than just their names (which they share).  Both people have depressingly simple lifestyles.  Soon one Will Grayson is dating another Will Grayson’s best friend, Tiny ( a boy) and the other Will Grayson is dating Jane.  Throughout the story, symbolism is used to explain emotions and to encourage the reader to look deeper in an area.

In the book, the perfectly shaped, glass bowl symbolizes Tiny in the eyes of Will.  At first, the bowl appears to be nothing.  Will says, “At first I don’t get it.  I mean, it’s a glass bowl.  But my mother's breath catches.  She’s blinking back tears because it’s not any old glass bowl.  It’s perfect.”  At first, Will doesn't know what to think of Tiny.  To him, Tiny is a “Refrigerator-sized companion, who is looking at me [Will]  so hard I want to slap him.”  Only later does he realize that when “Tiny opens his eyes and looks at me [Will] with such obvious caring heart I have no idea what to do.”  This also shows that love is a lot about perspective.  When getting to know someone, a person can understand their motives and decide if they are worth their love.  Will describes the perfectness of the bowl after looking closely at it.  Will says, “...it’s so smooth and perfect.  I mean, we all sit there and stare at it for a moment.  Even in our shabby living room, it catches the light.”  As readers, we can assume that the living room represents Will’s former, dull self, before he met Tiny.  Once the two met, Tiny brought out the happiness in Will.  In the text, right after Will gets back from Chicago, he has enough courage, thanks to Tiny,to tell his mom about being gay.  Will says, “Look mom, I’m totally gay…”  Tiny gave Will the bravery Will never had.

In the text, after Tiny and Will first get to know each other, they go to a giant metal bean.  Will says, “It’s basically this big reflective bean that you walk under and see yourself all disordered”  The bean represents the fact that it is hard for someone to change himself without still having a basic outline of who they are.  You may have some idea, but is impossible to know all details.  When they are under the bean Tiny tries “...a ballerina pose, swing-batter-batter pose, pump-up-the-jam pose, and on-top-of-the-mountain pose."  He is having fun because he already is his true self and is taking his wavy self as a joke.  Will, on the other hand, just stands there.  He knows the blob represents himself.  Will knows that he is gay but he doesn't really know what to expect of himself.  In the text, Will doesn't straight out say that he is gay.  He simply describes a person who he loves.  That person happens to be a boy.  Will doesn't really know what to expect.  The bean may represent something else as well.  In the book Will says, “Usually it is hard at first to locate yourself in the reflection, but this time, I know I’m the wavy Twig standing next to the big blob of humanity.”  We can infer that the bean represents finding out everything about who you are supposed to be.  Tiny helps Will understand that he is gay and life can be simple.  Tiny literally helps Will find himself.

In the text, Jane helps Will Grayson get a fake ID and the person who makes them has tattoos on his hands and fingers.  We find out that together, the tattooed letters read H-O-P-E-L-E-S-S.  It helps the reader infer that it represents different emotions like thankfulness, confusion, relief but mostly shock.  In the book Will says, “...and the guy [person making the fake ID] reaches out his, and as I shake his hand, I see that he has the the letters H-O-P-E tattooed on his knuckles.”  When this happens, Will is calm and almost excited about his new ID.  A few moments before however, he needed Jane’s reassurance.  Will says “Even though I’m about the three millionth person to get a fake ID, I’m still pretty sure it’s a felony, and I’m generally opposed to committing felonies”  Jane responds with, “Mine’s just for concerts.  Will takes the ID.  We can infer that the first part of the tattoo symbolizes the idea that if you put trust in someone you love, it is easier to do things that you wouldn't do before.  After the ID is made and the tattooed guy is handing it over, Will says, “He hands it to me.  The knuckles on the hand read L-E-S-S.”  This second part of the Tattoo to represent the idea that things are not always how they appear to be.  It also shows that it is important to dig deep into things because sometimes someone turns out to be different.  The idea of the tattoo representing this is brought up again after Will can’t enter the concert because the ID said that Will wasn't even 20 yet.  In the text Will thinks back to the tattoo guy, “That stupid H-O-P-E-L-E-S-S  stoner put the wrongs f****** year on my ID.  I step back from the club’s entrance and Tiny walks up to me, laughing his a** off, Jane is giggling, too.”  Although the purpose of the quote was probably for context, we can also assume that it represents confusion and upset shock.  Will thought Jane wouldn't go into the concert without him, but she enters without a word.  The tattoo represents a few different things but they mostly all tie back to the thinking that you have to look further  and maybe even wait longer to really uncover the truth about a person.

Throughout “Will Grayson Will Grayson”, many symbols are introduced to help the story progress.  Some of the symbols were blatantly obvious and slapped the reader in the face.  However, others took thinking hard and digging deep to uncover.

Divergent Essay

Ariana Henry 802

Many teens struggle with the various things that make them different.  However having someone that shares the difference is beneficial for the relationship itself and the teen.  Veronica Roth’s novel, Divergent portrays the difficulties of 16 year old Beatrice(Tris)’s life in a science fiction universe.  In her world, people are separated by different personality traits.  These groups are called “Factions”.  When Beatrice turns 16, she changes from the selflessness faction of Abnegation to the fearless faction, Dauntless.  She wonders if she really belongs to one Faction.  Maybe she belongs to all five.  That would make her Divergent.

When two people are in a relationship having a something that they share, in this case being Divergent, brings them closer.  In a quote found on page 335 when Tris asks about Tobias’s aptitude test he says, “My results we as expected...Abnegation”  Tris responds, “‘Oh’.  Something inside me deflates.  I am wrong…,”But you choose Dauntless anyway’ [Tris says]/’Out of necessity’ [says Tobias]”  Tobias is Divergent and Tris is very happy.  They both have something that differentiates themselves from the rest of the world and they feel connected.  Tris is able to completely trust Tobias now that he is an open book.  They know that they will be dealing with similar issues which strengthens their relationship.  In another quote from page 441-442, we find out that Natalie (Tris’s mom) is Divergent.  Tris says, “‘Mom, how do you know about Divergence?”  Natalie answers with “I know about them because I am one.”  Tris says, “I feel like someone breathed new air into my lungs.  I am not Abnegation.  I am not Dauntless./I am Divergent…I wish I had some of her[Natalie] in my small, plain face.  But at least I have some of her in my brain.”  Having someone as close as her mother be Divergent has led Tris to feel happy about finally sharing something with her mother (even if it isn’t a physical trait).  Tris loves and trusts her mother, she knows that if her mom can get through it, so can she.  It allows Tris to accept herself.  This brings Tris and her mother closer because they both have a better understanding of each other.  When two people share something, helps their relationship.

Feeling accepted or embraced by someone or a group of people can really boost your self-esteem and help you develop.  In the book, when Tris decides to “go Dauntless” and slides down a 100 story building.  When she is about to hit the ground she says, “In order to get down, I have to trust them to catch me...I wriggle forward and fall…”  Tris decides to trust them.  She feels accepted when she is with them.  It makes Tris a happier person.  The text states, “...when they laugh, I laugh...We are not the same.  But we are, somehow, one.”  Some Dauntless may accept Tris’s differences but everyone celebrates their similarities.  A few Dauntless help Tris become more comfortable.  They help her develop and see that she can have a good time.  Tris is able to revise her outlook.  In the book, when Tris finds out about Tobias being Divergent she is relieved.  So reassured that she has her first kiss, “For a second his dark eyes are on mine, and he’s quiet...He grins and presses his mouth to mine.”  Tris would have not felt as comfortable if Tobias wasn’t Divergent.  She wouldn’t have been able to take a chance.  Tris really needed that one similarity to really feel like she trusted and loved him.  Tobias being Divergent helped Tris develop.  Sharing a difference with someone can make you a happier and more refined person.

In this book, the idea that having someone that is going through a similar situation is beneficial is mentioned.  Whether it enhances a relationship or helps a character develop, there is always something to get out of it.  If Tris had been all alone would she still be wallowing in her fears and feeling like an outcast?  Whenever I feel strange or all alone I can always go to my mom because I know that she has been there and fully supports the decisions I make.  I enjoyed Divergent.  I thought the authors ideas were well developed but simple (not always a good thing). I look forward to reading the second.