Hope in Death Be Not Proud

Hope in Death Be Not Proud

The novel, Death Be Not Proud, by John Gunther, is the story of the struggle of a child to stay alive. Johnny Gunther Jr.'s constant hope got him out of bed every morning with a positive attitude. His outright opposition to the fact that he was going to die and his determination not to, kept a fiery spirit in him so that he didn't give up. Johnny's stubborn determination to not accept defeat at so early an age, along with the tremendous courage he showed when realizing that he must accept his defeat, is a strong point portrayed in this novel. Johnny's hope, determination, and courage kept his death at bay. One of the main reasons that Johnny remained alive for so much longer than he should have lived, was the hope that he possessed. He hoped every day of his illness that he would get better, that his parents would be spared their grief, or that some doctor would come up with a revolutionary idea that would heal him. Because of his hope, Johnny never complained or protested during the entire course of his illness. He always obeyed the doctors' wishes and followed their instructions to a "T" because he wanted so desparatly to get well. Although he realized that eventually his life would end, he still never gave up the hope that perhaps he could outsmart his fate to die, if just to steal a few extra hours. Each day, until his last, the determination Johnny had to get well, live a normal life, and even maintain his schoolwork was phenominal. After being away from school for sixteen months, being tested constantly by doctors, and having a rapidly deteriorationg brain, Johnny still managed to graduate with his class and be accepted into Harvard. Throughout his illness, Johnny always had an unwavering will to survive, to awake the next morning and find that he was well, that he had only been dreaming the nightmare of his illness. When Johnny awoke each morning however, he felt the bandage on his head and realized that he was living this horrific nightmare. But even through this tremendous disappointment, Johnny kept fighting, determined to recuperate. Johnny should be admired for not giving up under the intense emotional burden of knowing that each breath may be his last. Johnny's story is one that will be remembered because of the courage he had.