Protagonist

Something like this has never happened to me personally but it has happened to a close friend . One of my moms very close friends was in a Very bad car crash when she was on the way back from work . It was a drunk driver that ran a red light . It hit her on the drivers side and She suffered from brain damage , a broken leg , and bruises and multiple cuts all over her body . She was in the hospital for about 1 month . Later on they discovered that the lady that hit her was attempting to kill herself because her husband had left her earlier that morning . When i was reading this novel that event came into my mind and brought back all those tragic memories .

Mood

I had many different emotions when i was reading this novel because there were a lot of different experiences . I was sad when Brent accidentally hit Lea with his car and it had caused her to die . I was happy when agreed to go on the journey Leas mom had asked him to do . To go across the United States and put up 4 whirligigs on the 4 corners of the United States . I don't think i could have done what Brent did . He was so brave and he wanted a new start and to try and make up for the giant mistake he had made . He was finally able to put it all behind him and to make a new start for himself .

Dynamic Character

In the beginning of the story brent was a very laid back , to himself kid of guy who stood in the shadows of everybody else and in a way was kinda nerdy . He had not really discovered who he really was . but towards the end of the story he became , i think a better person and found the caring , helpful person he always was all because of Lea . He did realize that trying to kill himself was a bad idea and it ended up doing more harm then he thought . But it was a mistake and he can not take it back but he can make up for the mistakes he has done .

Character

If i could choose one person in the story whirligig i would choose Lea . Why i would chose her is because how they describe her in the story is a fun , enjoyable girl , who was very smart and was involved in many extra curricular activities in school and outside of school . Unfortunately i would i have to lose a great friends because of this awful tragedy . But i would always know i had a great friend and she will always be with if she not actually physically there .

Conflict

Brent has got embarrassed by the girl he likes at a party and is humiliated in front of all his piers . So as he is drunk and attempts to take his life away , he hit a young girl Lea in his path . He has such regret and cant even bare for what he has done . So he could get everything that has happened in the past couple days off his mind he goes on the journey that Lea's mother has asked him to do . As he is on his journey he runs into some interesting people and goes through some un-usual situations . At the beginning of his journey , it almost seemed impossible to complete but after awhile he learns to enjoy it . after completing his task he learns that attempting to kill himself was not the answer to his problem . he realizes he still has lots of life to live and that it was just a rough patch in life that will slowly get over .

Setting

In the beginning of the novel the story takes place in Chicago but after he had hit young Lea in an attempt suicide his life tuns around . He aranges to meet with the mother of the young child and she asks something very big of him . She asks him to travel to the 4 corners of the unites states ( Washington , California , Florida , and Maine and make 4 whirligigs so people can see the joy that they brought to Lea . so now the setting is all the adventures and places he had gone . i think the setting is important because he agreed to travel all around the country because he wanted to keep this young girls spirit alive .

The Moral of the Story

Near the end of Whirligig, I realized the theme emerging. It may seem like a common saying, but an important one. Everyone makes mistakes! Brent Bishop took his embarrassment as a slap in the face, and a wake up call saying 'you don't need to live through this hysteria.' 


Hysteria: an uncontrollable outburst of emotion or fear.


Now, because of that voice, he thinks because of the mistake he made at this party, his life is no longer worth living. However, after the journey he realizes that because you make errors, it doesn't mean you're any less of a person. You must redeem yourself and know that you're human. Being human gives us the lovely permission to make mistakes, many, many mistakes.


Another theme I noticed in the book is that you should take time to remember those who have passed away, and try and support their family. The whirligigs placed by Brent helped people come together in surprising ways!