In the book Whirligig, the main character Brent Bishop faces the fact that he murders a young girl by the name of Lea Zamora while not only driving while he was drunk, but while trying to end his own life. The only solution Brent had been brought to was a proposition asked by Lea's mother.
“This is my only request. That you make four whirligigs, of a girl that looks like Lea. Put her name on them. Then set them up in Washington, California, Florida, and Maine- the corners of United States.”
And so, Brent began on his journey, placing the whirligigs on the four corners of the United States.
Another quote that stood out personally, was:
"As strange as it was, it would get him away from Chicago, his parents, and his recent past. It would also give him a chance to do penance. He never traveled on his own before. The idea had sudden appeal."
Penance is a punishment undergone in token of penitence for a sin. But in this statement, it seems like the proposition isn't a punishment, but a reward. He is able to get away from his past, and also find redemption. So, he did. This quote is significant to me because it struck me as a hypocritical statement. As a punishment, you get to have a reward? As strange as that sounded to me, it helped Brent, and that's all that matters!
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