Changing Lives for the Better - Literary Essay

We all know that adjusting to a new life can be extremely challenging. Whether it is moving to a new country, changing schools, or dealing with divorce - these events can really change your life. Caitlin, the main character in the book Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine, has to adjust to a new life as she deals with her brother’s death. While coping with her brother’s passing, Caitlin learns that she must persevere, and adapt to her new world.

Caitlin Smith, an eleven-year old girl diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, is the main character of the book Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine, and she has to adjust to a new life after her brother, Devon, passes away. As Caitlin and her father cope with the loss, she becomes determined to find ‘closure’, as this will become her solution to the challenges she has to face, like making friends, fitting in, and dealing with her brother’s death. Finally, Caitlin and her father completes building the chest Devon had worked on, and this helps her find ‘closure’. On her journey to finding ‘closure’, she also starts to make friends, and in conclusion, Caitlin accomplishes her goal of finding ‘closure’, and is also introduced to new aspects in life.

A character that has to adjust to a new life is Caitlin’s dad. He breaks down because of emotional pain and depression because of Devon’s death, and memories of Devon causes him sorrow. On the day Devon died, Caitlin’s dad “slammed the door shut and put his head against it and cried and said, No no no no no.” (pg. 5) In doing this, Devon’s dad shows the challenges he is facing, and it also shows his love for his son. This is important because it displays how he has to adjust to a new life because of Devon’s death, and cope with the loss. Throughout the book, Devon’s father couldn’t stand memories of Devon, because it caused him emotional pain. At the beginning of the book, he covered up Devon’s chest, and shut Devon’s room door. At the end of the book, he and Caitlin completed building Devon’s chest. This is important because he soon realizes that he should be strong and face his challenges, and he slowly but surely, adjusts to his new life for the better.

A significant object in the book is Devon’s chest. It represents hope, and the ‘closure’ Caitlin had been searching for. At the start of the book, Devon’s chest reminds Caitlin and her father of Devon, and how he is gone forever. Caitlin later on realizes that completing the chest would help her and her father find ‘closure’, and it would bring hope to the tough situations they are forced to face. A part of the book that shows the significance of the chest, is at the very end of the book, when Caitlin says, “I smile and begin.” (pg. 232) I think this is important because it shows how the chest helped Caitlin decide to change her life for the better, and make a new and improved beginning.

All in all, I think it is important to face your challenges, find ‘closure’, and adjust to a new life in a positive way. Caitlin shows us that you can you can fix a situation by persevering, and that you can change your life for the better. Her father teaches that you should always stay strong, even when you are facing challenges. In that way, Caitlin and her father serves as mentors for everyone. So, when you are confronted with a challenge - whether you are moving to a new country, changing schools, or dealing with divorce -, remember Caitlin and her dad, and try your hardest to change your life for the better.

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One of the things I liked the most about reading Mockingbird was learning my group's perspectives on parts of the book, and also getting to read a book in the view of a girl around our age, and someone who faces lots of challenges. What I really enjoyed about my book club was that we all could discuss about the book, give new insights, and sort of relate to it together. Belonging to a book club helped my grow as a reader, because I really learned how to understand different people's point of views on the book, and I learned how to dig deeper, and try to interpret different sections of the book.

I have grown as a writer, because now I can use different writing techniques in my book reports and literary essays, like writing about symbols/objects, succinct summaries, etc. A new skill I feel more confident in applying to my essay writing is good conclusions (mini-lesson), and writing succinct summaries. A challenge I faced was putting all of my thoughts down on the paper. I got stuck on how to write what I wanted to say, and I also had to leave out some parts. I surprised myself as a writer when I related back to the beginning in my conclusions, and this surprised me, because I don't usually do things like that in my writing. I realize this makes my conclusion more interesting, and gives it a good wrap-up to my essay. Some feedback I received was to find the deeper meaning of Devon's chest, and my group agreed on what the chest represented.