Consequences

       After lighting himself on fire, Brent cannot handle the heat so he calls for help. Craig, his little brother, runs and dials 911. Ambulances and firemen finally arrive to aid Brent. Disturbed at this sight, Craig begins to cry and punch the wall. This might have something to do with the fact that Brent had told him about his suicidal plans, yet he did not care, probably thinking Brent was not capable of doing so.

       Brent doesn't seem to be too concerned about his own health but more about what is happening around him. It might be the adrenaline. He begins to have all these sidetrack thoughts and on the helicopter ride he even says: "I wonder if I'm going to the hospital near where my dad works. I could het a ride home with him later, oh, but he's in Arkansas or something. I wonder where he is."(page 19). This shows how he does not appear to understand the severity of the incident, yet.

       At the hospital, It takes him a while to gain full consciousness after waking up and falling asleep several times. He is under the effect of morphine, but still in great pain. Brent then catches sight of a rod in is side. Here we see that he experiences a massive change already: "If they unplug me, I'll die. I could die. Maybe I should ask them to unplug me. But I don't want to die anymore."(page 28). This is huge because we already know that he has wanted to die for quite a while know and this suddenly gives us hope. So what caused this realization? Was it the painful surgeries he has gone through? His brothers angry reaction? Or his mother's loving eyes when he is lying burnt on the kitchen floor? Whatever it was, I am glad he has had this epiphany.

Saturated (adj) page 32: soaked, impregnated, or imbued thoroughly; charged thoroughly or completely; brought to a state of saturation.

Why Would You Do That?

       At first glance, Brent seems to be quite normal. In fact, he is actually quite popular, or at least he claims so. "I really started to hate GT (Gifted & Talented group of students). I started calling it Goobers and Twerps because all of the kids that were in it were real dorks. None of the cool kids were in it, None. Well, one, if you count me"p. 8. Although he might have a problem with being humble, he did seem "cool". Brent was funny, he had friends, and he was good with the girls (especially with Abby, whom he got quite intimate with on the bus ride). 

        However, he begins to tell us that he has suicidal tendencies and has tried to kill himself a couple of times already. This is the part that really confuses me. He is not bullied or mistreated by anyone, so why do this? Even if you are a victim of bullying it is no excuse for suicide, nevertheless Brent Runyon was normal and popular. It really makes me wonder what is going through his minds. Life is a precious thing that we all must value and appreciate.

       After an incident in gym class where he purposely started a fire in the locker room, Brent seems to have gotten in a lot of trouble. The school claim they will expel the person responsible. Brent finds out that they will use fingerprints to find whoever is guilty. Suddenly he decides he is going to burn himself. First I thought he was joking, but when he gets home Brent pours gasoline on himself and lights a match.

Vocabulary:

1) arson: (noun) the act of intentionally or recklessly setting fire to another's property or to one's own property for some improper reason

2) clot: (noun) a mass or lump, as of coagulated blood