Beka Lamb by Zee Edgell

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Beka Lamb by Zee Edgell

The four pillars of life include staying connected, motion, nutrition and reduction of stress. In the novel, Beka Lamb, by Zee Edgell, these pillars are examined. A novel about the upbringing and changes a young girl goes through. She makes some mistakes throughout her life but she soon realizes that she needs to alter her ways. With the help of a close friend, considered to be like a sister, she is able to look at life differently. Their friendship helps them to transform.

Beka is a young teenager, going through a tough time in her life. Her parents had enrolled her in a Catholic school in order to give her a best education. They want her to strive to be the best that she can. While at school, Beka became lazy and ended up failing her first year at the school. Aside from being a poor student, Beka is also a liar. Rather than telling her parents the truth, she lies and as a result, takes a beating from her father. Her best friend, Toycie, tries to guide Beka onto the right path.

Toycie is a few years older than her friend. She is now in fourth form at the Catholic school. As a child, she was abandoned by her parents and left to be cared for by her Aunt Eila. Characterized by her Aunt as a Queen, Toycie is almost the complete opposite of Beka. She is beautiful and studious. The quality that links them together is their ability to find themselves in bad situations.

Their friendship had developed at a young age and has grown into a sisterhood. As a job, Toycie took care of Beka and her brothers. From there, the two shared many secrets. Being each others’ confidant, they spent a lot of time together. They would go on walks and share their thoughts or ambitions with one another. They also had a system of checks and balances. When Beka was in trouble at school, Toycie offered to help her with her studies. She also urged Beka to be truthful with her parents. In return, Beka tried to persuade Toycie to find help when she became pregnant. Beka was also there for her when her boyfriend refused to accept the baby as his own.

In Toycie’s hardest times, Beka was always around, trying to help. Because of their strong friendship, Beka wanted to be her shoulder to lean on. In the first few months of her pregnancy, Toycie became very nauseous. While at school, she was vomiting everywhere and Beka would run to h...

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...aditions of its mother country. Tea time offered a time for people to connect with others. It was a time where families could get together and bond. As mentioned before, women of the house joined together in the kitchen when preparing the snack. Motion plays it part when the family is together and talking. Their minds are consistently moving as they discuss their thoughts. Also, Beka and Toycie usually took their long walks after tea. Obviously, the pillar of nutrition was fulfilled when the family has tea and treats. Lastly, the family was able to relax when sitting down for tea. They were able to take some time out of their day to unwind.

Beka Lamb is a good example for the four pillars of life. The different aspects are displayed in Beka’s actions and beliefs. She is full of life and without these pillars she would not be able to get as far as she has. Still in her first form, Beka still has a lot to learn about herself and others. Everything happens for a reason and Beka has learned that her actions do have consequences. Although all consequences may not be good ones, she still has the basic foundations in life which are found in herself, her family and her friends.

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