Heart Of Thomas Hardships

Growing up is not an easy task, on the way to adulthood humans face trials and tests. Heart of Thomas shows the process of finding oneself and how it is different for each individual in the story. No one follows the exact same path in their life due to many external, and internal factors, such as upbringing, social status, appearance, thoughts, interests, who one is associated with, the list goes on and on. Hardships will present themselves to people in different ways, like the loss of a family member, or the loss of money, both valid hardships, however, they are taking different forms. Hardships such as the ones explored in Heart of Thomas shape the characters and help them find their own identities. The text shows how one must come to

terms with their past and accept oneself, no matter the difficulty. This essay will explore the pasts of the boys in Heart of Thomas and how it is important for one to accept themselves, to understand oneself through the past, and to grow from it. Life can create both positive and negative experiences, it is how one deals with it that matters the most. Perseverance in life is key.
Unfortunately for Thomas Weiner, he was not so perseverant.

Learning about his death in only a few mere pages of the book, he is the one who helps shape the story. As one takes a deeper look at his death is it really surprising? Thomas was not one who could accept the past and move on, he was selfish and sad. Consequences can come with human emotions such that of love, consequences such as depression and death. Why do emotions such as love effect humans to the point of depression, the exact opposite to love? A cruel world perhaps but if one can come to understand why they aren't loved they can come to better themselves or strengthen those around them. Later in the narrative it is shown how Thomas had a loving family, he was admired and well-liked by the other boys at the school, yet he still ended up dead by his own accord. Seen burning the journal he had kept since being just a young boy, getting rid of his past, as if it had never existed at all (380). Thomas let go of his past, destroyed it, he did not want to come terms with what had happened. One cannot be free of their past simply by pretending it does not exist, one must understand why they are in the situation they are in and better themselves from it. That is one thing Thomas chose not to do. He chose to take his own life, put the blame on others and create a domino effect, a selfish last act. This shows the consequences of one not accepting themselves or growing from the past, the ultimate consequence,

death.