“Hate ricochets, but kindness does to,” a theme that echoes throughout this story (Roe 178). The venom that these characters face is strong and at times overwhelming, but the perseverance and enthusiasm of the characters is just as tenacious. A List of Cages by Robin Roe is written through the perspectives of two high school boys, Julian and Adam, and their story of coming together. Julian's parents died in a car crash, leaving Julian alone. His mentor and only friend, Adam is an older individual that Julian finds solace in. Adam finds out that Julian’s guardian, his uncle, has abused Julian to the point of submission. Julian's abuse leads to Adams intervention and reinforcement as they persist on to fight the evil in Julian’s life. The author shows the reader that anyone can get through tough times, no matter the difficulty. Any wall can be scaled. A List of Cages was one of the most riveting stories that I have ever read. What happens to Julian throughout the story had me in utter shock. There were many points where I had to put down my book, stop, and try to comprehend what was going on, or just let the horrors of what I just read sink in. I think the part that shocked me the most is the fact that this could happen, and how grounded in reality the story felt. It changed my view on Decorah especially. I think of the horrors that Julian endured, and I think,“this couldn’t happen in Decorah.” Our town doesn’t see very many people struggle through tough times like Julian does. If something like that did happen, our perception of our community would alter considerably. I think what the author showed me is that anything can happen to anyone. Julian didn’t ask to be abused, but he unfortunately succumbed to the torture. But also the author accented his comeback and Adams assistance to help Julian back. I think in this story, Adam represents us, the reader, the normal person. Julian on the other-hand is the special case, the case that sticks out. Adam is the helping hand to the fallen friend, the one to dust off the dirt and get them back going again. Reading this book did many things to show me who I want to be: The harsh tortures and abuse that Julian suffers made me stop, but the response and comeback of Julian and Adam left me inspired. What I pull from this story is that no matter what happens, I can bounce back, or help someone come back. I think of it as Newton’s third law of physics. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. No matter how hard someone hits, no matter how deep the cut, you can comeback hitting just as hard. What this book made me think about is how I can help others that struggle. I learned to strive to help others on, to look on the bright side of life. An analogy I like to quote is, “There is always a light in the darkness,” always a hand to help you up. This book gave me the ability to look for the positive, and to know that someone will be there for you. Like Adam helps Julian, there is always someone to help. Whether I am the helping hand, or the one in need, A List of Cages has taught me the lesson of perseverance. By Mitchell L.
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AuthorSTenth grade students at Decorah High School share how they're reading outside of their own experiences and how it has changed them. Categories
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November 2022
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