The Conflict

Brent Bishop is a young man who's story anybody could learn lots from. In the novel Brent sets of on a voyage to help a family grieve, and redeem himself of what he did to Lea. But on this journey he learns lots more. Brennt learns about interesting subjects (stars, whirligigs, how to play the harmonica), He learns about other cultures and other lives, but most importantly he learns about himself and who he really is.

When learning about himself Brent becomes wizer, gets rid of his depression, and learns that he will always live with the guilt of what happened to Lea. The Brent also learns that he can live with it and do extrodinary things. An example of this is the whirligigs. When Brent was making them he put thought and emotion into them. The whirligig that marked him the most is in Maine with the person who marked in the most.

In Brents travles he meets people. The people that Brent meets help him find out more about himself than anyother person he knows. The person that marked him the most lives in Maine. Maine was Brents last stop and on journey but also the most meaningful. While there he made his favourit whirligig and also met an artist. This lady gained Brents trust in ways that soemone cant even begin to comprehend. Brent tells this women about the accident and everything alse about his life (excepte his name). In return she shares her wizdom with Brent and helps him fit together the last pieces of his broken puzzle.

At the very end of the book you realize that Brent really dose know who he is now. A quote from the book that really shows this is this: '' The guilt hadn't vanished overnight. Four whirligigs wouldn't accomplish that. He new it woul reside in him like the ashes of a fire, unconsumed''.
The quote really struck me because he opens up about his knowlege of what he has come to terms with and has accepted a lot. It shows how much Brent has matured but also that he understands that the guilt will always be there and it will become easier to live with everyday.

This is a story filled with very strong and mature emotions that will leave a new found knowlege on the reader like it did to me. Brent's story is one everyone can appretiate and learn from imensly. Brent made desicions and had to learn to live with them that will mark the next reader of this novel in a wonderful way like it did to me.