I am continuing to read Life As We Knew It by Susan Pfeffer. I am at the end of the book, with a few more chapters left, so I think I have a somewhat full understanding of each of the main characters, Miranda, Matt, Jonny, and their mother. I believe that even though all of them are experiencing the same thing, that they all still have slightly different emotions and thoughts on what's going on. I also think that each and every one of them represent something/ someone different in the real world.
Staring off with Miranda, I found that she didn't really have any big, significant emotions. She seems to just be living through everyday as it is. I don't mean that she is okay with everything and she doesn't care about their situation, because she definitely does. But I mean that she almost seems helpless, she can't do anything else. I also think she's a little different from her other family members because I feel like she's the only one who feels bad for her family. It's hard to explain, but it's almost as if she feels pity on her family as well as on herself. Even so, I think it's only because Miranda is the narrator of the book, so it may seem like it is more observant through her eyes only, therefore possibly making the reader think a certain way. I like that the author made Miranda the narrator because it really helped the reader truly understand her feelings and thoughts on whats going on around her. I also wished that the author would've put in the other characters as narrator so I could get a better visual on what they were thinking. Miranda's symbol is hard to explain. I'm not really sure what she would represent in the real world, but I know that she's definitely not representing hope like some other characters may be. Miranda is hopeful in some parts of the book, but generally I wouldn't say she's hope because as mentioned before, she kind of looks down on herself, and is not confident in a way. For a final thought, the closest symbol I can get of Miranda is probably just plain old "observer". In the real world, I would compare her to a man who has lost a job and has become depressed and lost all hope. But at the same time, the man is observant of the world, realizing that there are more jobs out there, and he begins to look for a new one.
Matt is the father figure in the book. Their real dad remarried and moved off with his new wife, so they're now left alone. Matt is always so caring of the whole family, and seems to always have things under control, have things always figured out. He is only 18 years-old, and I remember Miranda once saying that whenever Matt is around it seems like everything will get better, everything will be okay. To side-track a bit, I feel the same thing with my 19 year-old sister. I can tell her everything and whenever she's around I know she'll be there for me and she'll understand and help me. She's truly my best friend. In the book, even though there weren't any big moments where Miranda and Matt talk, I feel like they have the same connection as my sister and I. And not only with Miranda and Matt, but with also with the rest of the family. I feel like because of the situation now, they have all become best friends with each other. As said before, Matt symbolizes a father figure, or even a team leader. He cares and loves for his family very much.
Jonny is more of a secondary character in the book because the author doesn't really talk about him as much. But unlike Miranda, it's not hard to explain what he represents, but rather, I straight up don't know what he represents. He's the youngest out of all them 13 years old. I think he understands completely what's going on around them and why they have to eat one meal a day and etc. Since he is younger than the rest, I have a feeling that he feels that it's unfair. Even though he understands, I'm not so sure of his feelings even though I am almost finished with the book. I believe he is the only character where I don't know his emotions or thoughts very clearly, therefore I think he is a secondary character, unlike Miranda and others.
Lastly, their mother. Of course, their mother represents a mother figure in the real world. She's always worrying for her kids, for their safety, and she's very caring and hopeful. As I said in my last blog post, the mom hopes in order for her kids to have hope as well, because she doesn't always have hope. Miranda's mom is just as important as Miranda as a character in the book because not only does she represent a mother figure and hope, I believe she also represents love and most importantly, a guardian angel. A guardian angel is one that watches over someone and protects them, and I think Miranda's mom is exactly like that. Physically, because she hurt her ankle and she can't really move around, but also she is like that of a guardian angel because she protects and loves her kids. At times, I feel like she is even more important than Miranda as a character.
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