April 4th, 2016                                                                                                                         Party Time

“Getting any respect at Montfort was going to be like climbing a glass mountain.” Page 8

This quote shows how Brent believes that to earn respect you have to meet a certain level of popularity or whatever else the people at his school value. The metaphor ‘climbing a glass mountain’ shows how the entire idea of getting respect at this school was going to be difficult, if not, impossible. His challenge was to fit in, but to gain a popular status that he was dreaming of was more than a challenge, more like a mission for a superhero.

“His life was a house that had burned to the ground.” Page 17

Expressing the fact that Brent has had a really bad night through more of a dramatic way, to the point that his life is now non-existent. The house burned to the ground, to ashes. It was ashes to ashes, dust to dust, to absolutely nothing.

April 5th, 2016                                                                                                           Weeksboro, Maine

“Even with half the moving parts stuck, a gust blowing through it set off a flurry of fluttering and shimmering and ringing, as if a flock of exotic birds was taking flight.” Page 24

This describes the mystery the children have over the whirligig. The wonder of the inventor and the meaning behind the whirligig and its supernatural powers. I believe that the flock of birds signifies the many thing that may occur to the ones who believe or even that its exotic birds taking flight that it symbolises the variety in ones future and that the change will be soon.

“You can’t see the wind, but look what it can do. It’s invisible but powerful.” Page 26

This ties into what Brent was saying about strangers and how they are all connected in one big family. One’s free will (Brent’s) killed another without having any relation or power over her. You don’t see the consequences to your actions till they happen. When you feel invincible and powerful, in the end, something will knock down that door so that you feel your vulnerable bare self.

April 6th, 2016                                                                                                                           The Afterlife

“His second life had eclipsed his first. Its moment of birth had been the crash.” Page 34

Brent’s life began after the crash. It was a wake-up call of sorts. It usually takes bad situations to throw spice into someone’s life and or change their perspective. Brent didn’t know what to do with his life, after the crash his life found a purpose. To share the spirit of Lea amongst strangers that are connected in some bizarre way.

“How strange, he thought, that he’d somehow caused this woman, whom he’d never met, to cry.” Page 38

We sometimes forget to think of the repercussion of our actions. Our actions are carried through the emotions, expressions and more actions of other people who have been affected to what we’ve said or done. We live on through our actions till it causes no reaction.

April 7th, 2016                                                                                                                            The Afterlife

“Brent felt like he was practicing constructing his new life.” Page 48

None of the strangers he’d met on his journey knew about his past. He created a mask, a costume forgetting his past, letting it go. When he went back home it was necessary for his family and the community as well as him to let go of what had happened in the past. He would need to grow and learn from the crash but not let it take hold of his life. So by being surrounded by people who didn’t know the story of Lea it was as if the world forgave his past and let him live his life.

“The sky shifted to shades from the spectrum’s outer edges, then went black.” Page 49

I believe that this quote could have symbolized the crash. How everything is Brent’s life was shifting, unnoticed. He was living a routine life, without purpose and then “went black” meaning to say that finally the crash happened and his purpose was tangible, solid and clear.

April 8th, 2016                                                                                                                      Miami, Florida

“Instead of hearing the baby’s voice, she turned on the TV and let it talk all day long.” Page 59

The mother, Constancia, was depressed after her baby had died after only a year. This is common with mothers after the loss of a child or miscarriage. We block out the feelings by focusing on anything that can think for us such as any electronic device.

“And whenever there’s a group, there’s fighting.” Page 62

There always should be cooperation between friends or coworkers etc. for the main goal to be reached. Yet with cooperation to decide things there needs to be an argument to understand everyone’s opinions. Communication is essential between people, yet it is the most common problem amongst them. So anywhere where you work with people there is always “fighting” or debating, arguing or a sharing of opinions in a civilized manner or not. It-an argument-is necessary for the group to be able to work more efficiently in the future.

April 9th, 2016                                                                                      Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

“He spoke the word Deneb in his mind and felt himself to be Adam, naming the new world around him.” Page 63

This is a Biblical allusion to Adam being the first man created, first to pass, first to live and an ancestor to all. I believe to Brent he was still constructing his new life, and figuring out how his past had affected him and how he should adjust to the new and the changes. Like naming things, they have no purpose till they are named, he was clueless till he was given instructions and he was “named” the next step would be to define the words. In this case to define who he is as a man, a person and his place in the world.

“By now he was accustomed to feeling separate from the other passengers. For them, the bus was an interlude; for him, it was home.” Page 64

This reminds me of the 12 Great Halls of Egyptian mythology’s afterlife, almost like he needed to pass many tests before being worthy. The other passengers were passing by, didn’t have a journey to complete or had already completed it. But to Brent, his journey was to discover who he was. Or because I mentioned the 12 Great Halls he needed to either survive or die. Nothing more. A life without purpose is no life at all. Fortunately, everyone has accomplished something that has affected someone else so even small things can be a great purpose. Brent had a long journey ahead of him, trials, though many, he would accomplish them yet it would take a long while to discover who he is again.

“But unlike the others, when he stepped off the bus, he’d remain in a world of nameless strangers.” Page 65

“Not only his every word, but his every bite and breath was counterfeit.” Page 69

Brent had always altered his past but to change it completely had never tempted him till he didn’t even know who he was. Every action felt like a lie to him because he was changing, and change is strange to someone who had always been routine, even moving had become routine to Brent.

“A teacher lives forever through his students.” Page 70

The legacy that a teacher leaves can really impact a student just like any action or person can. A testimony can change perspective or show someone that they aren’t alone etc. A teacher applies good learning habits or maybe was there for the student in ways no one else was. An action like Brent’s killed someone, yet maybe it was Brianna’s action. We all live on through others no matter how far back. One action affects many.

“He was a planet on which there was no other life as yet. Then he felt the harmonica in his pocket and thought to himself, Let there be music.” Page 72

Another Biblical allusion to which in Genesis God created the world and it said, “in the beginning there was nothing” etc. through the week God said “let there be light”, “animals”, “land, water” etc.

“The characters from his first life-allies, enemies, potential girlfriends-who’d once loomed like giants were now barely visible, distant figures disappearing over the horizon.” Page 74

“He had no desire to revive that life. It had all been crumpled in the crash. He no longer gave any thought to his clothes. He was an outcast, part of no group, and no longer had anyone to impress. Only when the wind blew did he feel watched by Lea, looking down at his work.” Page 74

“Champagne bottles are broken on the ship’s bows; this felt like the whirligig’s christening.” Page 75

April 10th, 2016                                                                                                     Bellevue, Washington

“I’m Korean. I can do anything if I apply myself.” Page 78

“Talk about the pressure, except maybe to learn to spin llama wool.” Page 79

These two quotes demonstrate racism because just because you are Asian doesn’t mean you are smarter or more capable than anyone else due to ethnicity. Even if the girl is Peruvian she shouldn’t be associated with making llama wool.

“A musician has to be dedicated.” Page 80

To be any professional you need to learn. Yet for a musician, you need to practice, and practice and practice. It would be impossible to learn a piece the first time you play. Its trial and error and repeat.

“I didn’t die, or I wouldn’t be here, Bob. Instead, I dropped out of the race.” Page 82

Some people burn out young. It’s like a race, if you sprint at the beginning you are going to be very tired at the end and will probably slow down. For the student, he was put up to playing his instrument instead of enjoying it. So to enjoy it, he couldn’t have it as a chore in his life. Especially if the boy wanted to participate in other things like sports with his friends etc.

“It was like a car breaking down. We quit without ever playing the second section. People made themselves clap. My mother just looked down at the floor.” Page 83

“He told us this Chinese saying, about how rest gives strength to activity. That’s why there’s night after day. And winter after summer, when the plants stop growing. He said the whirligig worked the same way. If it turned all the time without stopping , it would break.” Page 84

Some people burn out. If you push and work too hard non-stop the final results won’t be as promising. You need to pace and then sprint at the end. We can stay up the entire week or maybe for a few days but will we get more work down if we sleep or if we work the days through?

April 11th, 2016                                                                                                                            Apprentices

“He felt like an escaped criminal who’d come face to face with his own “Wanted” poster.” Page 87

Brent had come face to face with his past, a life from which he was hiding from, a life that was meant to stay hidden and contained during the journey. He was running away from his past life just as a criminal who would run from their crime. (Even worse that in ways he was a criminal, drunk driver, murderer or whatever else came to Brent’s mind)

“The rain passed as quickly as it had come. He emerged feeling cooler, replaced the fronds, and returned to work.” Page 93

I feel as if now he is being washed away from the past, finding his new self. He is letting go of his old life as if being reborn. I’m connecting this to reincarnation.

“After the storm, new whirligig’s would appear.” Page 101

April 12th, 2016                                                                                                    San Diego, California

“She was an amazingly positive person for someone who’d been in Auschwitz.” Page 104

A historical allusion, for the biggest concentration camp in Poland or what used to be Poland. Jenny’s Grandma had a very positive outlook towards situations because she survived the horrible concentration camp.

“They want us to laugh all the laughs that were taken away from them.” Page 114

Everyone that has died could have possibly lived longer. As if something had occurred to them that had brought death to the door quicker and all the moments they could’ve had but didn’t they want us to laugh and enjoy all the moments that they didn’t cherish.

“People are not all Hitler.” Page 114

This really stands out for my family, especially since I’m Polish. My grandma had watched her friends and family murdered in front of her and the Germans took her to become a slave when she was only 12 years old. She shared these stories to her children, my dad and both my aunts and her anger integrated upon them. They are all sceptical about Germans and the entire time but I remind my dad especially that just because bad things happen doesn’t mean that they will continue to live throughout all generations. Germans aren’t bad, like the Grandma said, not everyone is Hitler. Simply few were to blame for a shameful history and now that it’s over people need to move on.

April 13th, 2016

“He pictured it traveling on without him, crossing into Canada perhaps, inspiring someone to build a string of whirligigs that Brent would never know of.” Page 120

This once again highlights the interconnectedness theme, how his book could impact anyone else’s life. Anyone that chooses to sit where he left the book and what will they do with the book. Will they give it away or use it. Eventually, someone will build a whirligig or simply continue to pass the book on.

“In his mind, his whirligigs were meshed the same way, parts of a single coast to coast creation. The world itself was a whirligig, its myriad parts invisibly linked, the hidden crankshafts and connecting rods carrying motion across the globe and over the centuries.” Page 133

Interconnectedness throughout the world. The wind is what sets things in motion, actions create after effects. We all have affected other people, as Brent had affected Lea and Lea to Brent. History, music, earth everything affects us just as we affect it.