Life is all about choices, you could either pick this option or choose the other. In Boy 21 by Matthew Quick the main character Finley McManus was faced with the hardest choice of his life and he chose what most people wouldn’t, to quit his favorite sport of all time, basketball. Finley McManus is the starting point guard on his basketball team who is trusted by everyone in the school and known as the quiet guy. His girlfriend, Erin, and him train hard for basketball year round to get better. It is their senior year and their time to shine when the new kid to town is apparently a star point guard, Finley’s position. The new kid is traumatized by his parents death and refuses to pick up a basketball and goes by the name Boy 21 (Russ Allen). The head coach trusts Finley so much he wants him to try and snap Russ out of the phase he is in to play basketball for the team. During this book Finley had to decide to either help Russ or ignore him to keep his starting position on the basketball team. I was very surprised that Finley had helped Russ to snap out of his phase due to the fact that it is his senior year of high school and he would lose his starting position. Although this should not surprise me because people are supposed to do what is right (I would have done the same), but Finley has grown up with virtually nothing except for family and Erin in his life. When Finley was at a young age his grandpa had both of his legs amputated by the Irish Mob in Belmont. After this event Finley’s mom reported it to the police and got murdered for snitching while FInley was held hostage by members of the mob for three days, these are some examples of Finley’s early childhood hardships. I was also surprised on how fast Finley quit basketball to be by Erin. Basketball is Finley’s one and only favorite sport and I would find it hard to quit mid game for the rest of my life. I know he did it out of love and compassion towards Erin but I could not wrap my mind around how he did it so fast without emotion. During this book I learned a lot of valuable lessons about life and sports. When Finley chose to get up during the game and leave to go see Erin I think it changed my views of relationships with others. I also learned that I could find it in my heart to do the same as Finley and quit a sport for someone that I love. In the book Finley is thinking to himself when he says, ….”I think about Mr. Gore saying basketball means nothing to him now. I suddenly realize I don’t care whether we win this game, or if I even play. It’s a game. Erin’s in the hospital. What am I doing here? I never dreamed I’d stop caring about basketball, but I really couldn’t care less about it right now.” Then, he stands and says to his coach, “‘I’m sorry, Coach. I have to go.’ ‘What?’ Coach says. ‘Where?’ I stride past the opposing team, right up to Pop and Dad. ‘I should be at the hospital’ , I say. ‘I want to be there when Erin wakes up…’” (Quick 193). After reading this book I think that the lessons I have learned will make me a more compassionate person and will drive me to help others when they are in a time of need. By Brayden E.
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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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