Jealousy

In the book, Stranger With My Face by Lois Duncan twins Laurie and Lia were separated when Laurie was adopted.  While Laurie ended up with a loving family in a big house, Lia's childhood was tough and she ended up in a mental institution.  When Lia visits Laurie through astral projection, she tries to take over Laurie's body and life, harming many in the process.  This makes me think that that the author is really trying to portray the dangers of jealousy.

I think this because of what Lia did to try and lead Laurie's life.  For example, she was willing to let Laurie die off in order to have her life.  When Laurie's boyfriend started to notice that she was acting differently, Lia tried to use Laurie's body to lure him to a dock so she could drown him.  Overall, Lia was so jealous of Laurie's easy life that she was going to hurt others deeply to get that life instead of changing herself to be a better person and making her own life better.  This also makes me wonder about why some people are blessed with an easier life than others.  Why are some born rich and others born into starvation for example?  Is it fate?  Or can our actions really change our entire lives?  Maybe if Lia had chosen a less cruel path, she wouldn't end up as she does in the end. (I don't want to give away spoilers.)   Or maybe, she was destined to that end.

Controlling

In the book, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, the main character Hazel is a victim of lung cancer.    It's almost certain that she won't live a long life, and she generally prefers to sleep, read and be by herself.  She says that it's a "side effect" of cancer.  When her friend Gus asked her what her hobbies were, she couldn't think of anything.  He then went on saying how he dislikes those who become their disease and let it stop them.  Overall, this makes me think about the unwillingness for some people to push past things that stand in their way.

For Hazel, her cancer has made her resort to just wanting to be alone in her room.  And even when she hung out with her friend, she told her she had to go home early when in reality, she just wanted to be alone.  She feels it awkward to try to make other people understand what it's like for her to have this disease, and has seemed to just shrug her shoulders instead of making the best of it.  This is one way she has "become her disease."  Another example I can think of in real life is when it seems that there is no hope, so people just give up instead of trying to fight.  For example, when others tell people that they can't do something, many agree and just give up.  However, I think that you shouldn't listen to others and always follow your dreams if you work hard.  In conclusion, I think that one thing shouldn't end up controlling how you live your life.

Parental Figures

Amir is an Afghanistani boy from the book, Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.  Throughout his teen years he is faced with war, bullies, school and more.  But one thing that really caught my attention in the book is the relationship between him and his dad who he calls Baba.  This is because even though Amir longs for the fatherly figure his friend Hassan has, he is also extremely proud of Baba and is often jealous of the attention he gives to others.  This makes think that Amir craves his father's love and often denies the absence of it.

For example, in the book Amir thought that, "In some ways all father's want to kill their sons."  This is based off of Amir's personal experience because Baba was disappointed by him because he killed his mother during birth.  And also, when Baba realized Amir was not athletic as he was when he was a young boy, Amir overheard him saying, "If I hadn't seen the doctor pull him out of my wife with my own eyes, I'd never believe he was my own son."  Another way Baba didn't provide a strong parental figure was after Amir had written his first novel and Baba just stared blankly at him and said, "That's good."  It was his friend Rahim that actually wanted to read the story.  Overall, it has come to my attention that Baba is not always the best parent.

Amir also becomes jealous at the attention Baba gives to others.  For example, he said that sometimes he wished Baba hadn't opened the orphanage because those kids got more of Baba's attention than him.    Also, when Baba put his arm around Amir and gave him expensive presents Amir said to himself that he didn't care, which implied that he actually did.

However, despite these things, Amir strongly admire his father and cherishes every nice action given to him.  For example, when Baba told him to hold his hat while he gave his speech at the orphanage he was opening, Amir was thrilled because everyone would know that Baba was his father.  Also, when he got to sit on Baba's lap, Amir scolded himself for annoying Baba by asking questions because he ruined the rare occasion that they were alone and talking.

In conclusion, I believe that Baba does not always offer Amir the love and care he craves.  However, despite this, Amir strongly admires his father and become jealous when others are given the attention he lacks.  This makes me think about how important parental care can be to a child.  Without it, it can lead to the kid thinking that all fathers wanted to kill their sons in some way, as Amir did.  I think the book paints an accurate picture about how many crave and cherish things that they may lack.  I think that these kinds of things occur in other scenarios such as the want of friendship, etc.  But overall, I think that Amir secretly desires Baba's approval though it is not always given.