Heroic+Journey

=Heroic Journey=

Birth Almost all heros come from a humble situation. Brent quickly becomes the loser at the party who everybody is laughing at. This humilating or disadvanteged beginning is very typical of a heroic journey.

Destiny/Epiphany (a sudden realization of what must be done)- I don't know if this sudden realization came to brent all at once. I believe at one point when he realizes he has to make it right is when he is looking at her body. He realizes what he has done is real and he can't take it back. Even though the judge sentences him and makes him do the task of making whirligigs, I believe this counts as an epiphany also. He knows he has to do this for the family and later realizes he has done it for himself and for countless others also. He comes to see how small acts of kindness can have a great impact on people. It starts a ripple effect that will turn into a wave and eventually a tsunami.

The Quest Brent travels to the corners of the united states (Washington, California, Florida, and Maine) and builds a whirligig in each one as requested by Lea's mother. During this adventure Brent learns about the stars and builds confience by interacting with those around him. He begins to feel a little less guilty and believes he has grown a little bit closer to Lea even though he has never met her. Brent also learns how to solve many of his own problems and how to make new friends and both of these are very important life skills.

The Wise Old Woman The painter says to Brent, "I could be wildly wrong. But my sense of you is that you're a good person, not a bad one." This single statement helps Brent realize that he can be a good person despite of the horrible mistake which he made. She forgives Brent even after hearing his story in detail, this gives him the confidence that everything might turn out alright afterall.

Romance Brent runs into a biker who he becomes friends with as well as a German named Emil. Brent is given a place to sleep from the biker, and is is surprised by the man's friendliness. Emil also reaches out to him and makes him feel like he is worth something. I think Brent's journey would have been much more difficult without their reassuring hands.

Final Battle Brent completes his final whirligig in Maine and feels a small sense of happiness. The old woman teaches him of the good life he can still live. She tells him "Only someone with a strong life force could have possibly created that." Brent believes her and realizes that he is starting to see the good in life again.

Journey Home Brent is now ready to return home to his family and continue with his "new life." He will go to a new school and make new friends.