Allexa Bonner Essays (527 words) - Film, Gay Teen Fiction

Allexa Bonner English 3745 Response #11 11/9/2015 I'll Give You the Sun E.E Cummings states that "it takes courage to grow up and become who you really are". This is a revitalizing tale of twins caught in a storm of tragedy and sadness, and they are struggling to find themselves amongst the aftermath. Noah is socially inept and paints pictur es in his head while Jude is the fearless leader , but jealousy and ultimately love begins to tear them apart. By the time they are sixteen they are barely speaking. At first Noah is a timid artist; un til he begins to learn the rewards and consequences of love. But then he meets Brianthe astronomical boy next door who teaches him about living as himself. There is an emotional connection with Brian that Noah doesn't exactly have with Jude and it is exhilarating. Nevertheless, life is not all crooked smiles, brief touches, and adventures with the trees. Jude and Noah have always been competitive and while Jude is acting out for her mother's attention, Noah is losing himself in his passions. They begin to realize that the world has a way of tilting perspectives and pinning you against yourself, and it is not always easy to find yourself within the wreckage . Noah is such an artfully crafted individual that it physically hurts to see him sacrifice his sense of self for the desperation to become popular and to fit in . He is an imaginative boy with a passion for being a revolutionary and he has stooped to the level of his subordinates . And it is infuriating. However, his change of path is a stepping stone towards figuring out himself and for what he is living. His mother's death and Jude taking his spot at a prestigious art school has knocked his buttons loose. And it is hard to pick up the pieces when the world keeps sending tornadoes through your mind and your heart. Brian is a betrayal. Jude is a betrayal. His father doesn't exactly understand him. His mother, the one person that was his, is dead. What else is there? And yet Noah is such a prevalent and beautifully crafted character that he withstands all the strife and learns to be himself . He learns to uncover his passions and be true to his heart . His road was molded out of brutal honesty and lovethere are cracks but it dries in the end no matter how many people will walk over it. Of course it takes courage to grow. Of course it takes courage to be yourself when everyone and everything is telling you that there's something wrong with you or how you see things. But I like Noah because, though those things hurt him, he ultimately knew who he was and only had to grow into his skin and his mindset. After he figures out that he can be truthful with everyone in his life, he nurtures himself and his relationshipshe has found his bravery and in that, he has found himself. Work Cited Nelson, Jandy . I'll Give You the Sun. New York: Dial Books. 2014. Print.