Assignment 2 - Amy Canterbury

Text:
"Suddenly Scipio said, "I'm not going back." He sounded choked up. "I will never go back home. That's it. I don't need them. If that merry-go-round really exists, then I'll be on it faster than the Conte, and I'll only get off when I'm at least a good head taller than him and with a beard on my chin. If you don't want to take the deal, then I'll do it alone. I'm going to find that merry-go-round so nobody can treat me like a stupid pet animal ever again." pg. 181

What it means to me?
"I will never go back home" is a powerful statement. Scipio is tired of being treated like a doll. He aspires to be an adult. He helps the kids to make himself feel important. He lacks a sense of usefulness around his father. He feels he can gain reassurance if he became an adult. He would not be seeking approval from his father because he would be an independent figure. Adults are seen as independent figures. Children are seen as dependent figures. He has not realized that adults and children are both independent and dependent at times. Nobody is completely sure of himself or herself whether they are five or a hundred years old. Scipio's independent role occurs when the children seek shelter and money from him. However, Scipio is still childish. He has to create elaborate stories about breaking into houses. He feels the need to play by dressing up and creating stories to relate to the kids. Hence, Scipio is between childhood and adulthood.

Scipio wants to ride the merry-go-round to become older. Gaining older physical features will not fix Scipio's problems. He is a normal teenager. He wants to act like an adult but in a safe manner. Helping the kids is his safe way of pretending to be an adult. He can feel independent. He can also feel dependent. He returns home every night. Helping the kids is one step of becoming an adult instead of gaining height. He already possesses adult characteristics such as compassion. He does not realize he will soon become an adult with responsibilities with or without a beard. He does not realize that becoming an adult is a process. He needs to accept the process so he can be a wise adult in the future. Scipio is on the right track. He is impatient with high aspirations like normal teenagers. Therefore, Scipio does not need facial hair to grow up. He decides to live on his own and become a detective. The personal decision to make a living is more crucial than having body hair. Being an adult is a lifestyle and an attitude. Adulthood is not playing dress up.

I choose the passage because everybody feels like Scipio during their lifetime. Teenagers feel on the edge of childhood and adulthood. Scipio gives readers an amazing perspective about how a teenager feels. The passage was meaningful to me. The passage was very human and emotional. Everybody thinks adulthood is about physical characteristics, however; adulthood is about mental capabilities and emotional judgement.