Philosopher

Many Questions

The book I’m the Messenger by  Markus Zusak explores some very thought-provoking themes, and essential questions. Such as: Why am I, what I am? Why am I here? Will anyone remember? What are we here for? What will last? Is this actually real? How far can I go? How good do I know myself?

 Being chosen for this mysterious and challenging job the main character Ed Kennedy learns a lot about himself and finds out some valuable truths.

From the beginning on Ed keeps asking: ‘Why me?’  He can’t figure out why it was him who was chosen for this. He blames the unknown employer, fate, universe or whatever led to the fact, that he is receiving these cards, having chosen him to carry this burden and bothering him with this. All the time he sees it as a burden, as a bad thing and hates being chosen, even thou he does like every single case, every single one he helps, no matter how hard, scary, challenging or painful it was. He looks back at it as something he’s proud of; something that makes him smile when he thinks of it; something no one ever could take him; something that only belonged to him. Those memories, sometimes they were only about slightest acts of kindness, which sometimes seem completely random. And still, even thou he loved those memories in the end of the day. He hates the idea getting a next card, next names, and next memories. He just didn’t accept it as a part of his life. As soon as he just goes with it, he realizes they aren’t a burden but a gift.

Why do we always have to question everything, and be so negative about so much that just happens to us? If there is something unexpected, new or anything we didn’t ask for we usually look at it with a negative attitude because we just don’t except it or because we don’t understand it. As seen in the book it is way easier to enjoy it as soon as we accept it is a part of our life, of us, now. We just have to question it and just go with it.

During the whole story Ed learns more and more about himself. He finds out about his limits, by every single challenge. He grows with his deeds, slowly. He finds out who he is, what he wants and why he is as he is. In the beginning no one would ever get the idea he could actually accomplish what he has in the end, the least person who would think this, was him. He had no self-confidence, no believe in himself or in his strength. He kept on doubting himself, so that, if he wasn’t forced to act, he never would have because he kept telling himself it is impossible.

Why don’t we believe in ourselves? Seriously, who would actually believe in us, if we don’t? Why do we have to be forced to dare to go over our limits; to realize that they aren’t limits; that they are only excuses we built up in our head so we don’t have to try. They are nothing but everything that keeps us back to be a better person, the improved, real us.

 Reading this book makes you think about, what is right, what is wrong, and especially how less solidarity is there nowadays. I couldn’t help it to question why he could spend his time in those people he didn’t even know. He didn’t know who they were, what they were like, what they had done and been through, but he didn’t ever even question it. He just spends his time on them, spend money to solve their problems and let them be on his mind. Their worries were his worries, as well as their problems and happiness. The one thing that makes him different from the average person nowadays, what makes him stand out, is that when he sees something unfair, wrong or awful, he didn’t just turn his back to it or watched someone suffer, and let their worries just grow and grow. The decided to stand up, stand out and act for those who couldn’t act, or speak for themselves. However, no matter how beautiful it would be if everyone would act just like him, it would be surreal, but I don’t see why it should be so surreal that someone would just care for maybe the guy from the coffee shop next door, the family you always see in the stores, the poor but brave homeless one sitting down in the train station, or even a complete stranger. Why can’t we act and help them if they obviously do need it? I always liked those stories in which the hero seems to be superior all, seems to be able to handle everything and save everyone by actually doing nothing but helping with simple acts of kindness. It doesn’t have to be a big check to pay off someone’s depths, or the stopping of a bank robber. It can be just a smile, some friendly, honest words, a simple kind act, there is nothing more that is needed but this, to help. So I wonder why we have to be reminded of this by stories, when it should be in our nature.

In my opinion the novel ‘I am the Messenger’ is a great, thought-provoking book, and it made me asking myself so many questions, and I can only hope it will stay on my mind.