Flight Essay

Flight Essay

Jackson C

      In the novel Flight by Sherman Alexie there is a great deal of themes that we can see very clearly.

       The first theme we see is adolescence. Zit's progresses through a change in adolescence in this story. He was a troubled youth constantly getting into trouble. However, after a course of events he begins to change. By the end he is finally ready to accept who he is. He is no longer Zits, misfit boy, he is Michael. And now he finally has a real family. "But I'm beginning to think I've been given a chance. I'm beginning to think I might get unlonely. I'm beginning to think I might have a real family...Michael. My real name is Michael. Please call me Michael." Pages 180-181. This then leads us into the next theme violence.

       Right in the starting of the book Zits tells us this quote "I get into arguments and fistfights with everybody. I get so angry that I go blind and deaf and mute." Page 8. Zit's starts off as a very angry and violent individual. He's violent because he's been bounced from one place to another and he takes out his anger on anyone around him. He also is a witness to violence once he begins his "flights." By experiencing the events, which he is unable to change anything, he realizes that the violence had serious consequences. And by realizing how violence affects those around him he realizes that the way he's living is wrong and he's got to change something. With violence leads to morality.

        Zits learns the importance of the choices made and the effect they have on self and others. His "flights" and brief experiences through various men in history, allow Zits to experience firsthand the effects of violence, hatred and anger. “I like to start fire. And I’m ashamed that I’m a fire starter. I’m ashamed of everything, and I’m ashamed of being ashamed” page 8. This shame reveals that in the centre of this young Indian boy, change from his lifestyle of destruction, mischief, and hatred is desired and possible. Through these experiences, he learns empathy as he gains the perspectives of others. After returning from his “flights” he stands in a bank with the choice to pull out his gun and begin firing or walk away from the consequences and guilt he would forever face. While processing his unexpected and bizarre adventures, he decisively ponders, “I used to hate the rain. But now I want it to pour. I want it to storm. I want to be clean” page 159. He begins to make changes in his life that dramatically change his morality for the good.

        I find this book to be a great book that is filled with themes. The amount of themes in this book to talk about are endless! Therefore, I found that the most important themes were adolescence because Zits started out as a bad ass Indian that didn't care about anything to becoming Michael who saw a different purpose to life. Violence because as we see from the book violence doesn't always seem to be the solution and in some ways it can potentially be the end of your life. Finally morality because Zits went from being ashamed of himself and wanting to kill himself to a man who realized he was born for a reason and that he had a purpose in life.