I Am The Messenger By Markus Zusak

1088 Words3 Pages

In I am The Messenger, Markus Zusak demonstrates how acts of kindness and helping people can not only benefit the recipients but also bring contentment to the deliverer, in this case, our protagonist, Ed Kennedy. Zusak conveys this theme through the fulfillment and purpose Ed gives himself through the delivery of his messages. Two of Ed’s messages are about alleviating negative characteristics: Loneliness and Lack of Purpose. Ed’s first message was delivered to Milla, the lonely old woman who lives on Harrison Avenue. Ed comforts her and helps her through the loss of Jimmy, her husband. Following each of his visits, he consistently expresses that he treasures their time together. Initially, Ed does so when he gets home: “I kiss [my dog], in all his filth and …show more content…

Since he views himself as a failure, he finds having a purpose in life to be important. Additionally, since purpose is so important to him, it makes sense that feeling impactful as he helps Bernie would give him gratification. Ed also delivers messages that focus on fostering positive traits: Connection and Community. His message for connection is to the Tatupu Family; he chooses to replace their Christmas lights. The Tatupu children enjoy the Christmas lights tradition and are disappointed because of the light's degradation over the last few years. This contrast results in even more happiness when the kids see the new lights. Because of the kid's reactions, Ed is gratified to see what he has done for the family. After the family sees the lights, Ed comes in and as he is leaving he thinks, “I only look contentedly at the pictures again and head back to the kitchen” (Zusak 226). While Ed’s enjoyment isn’t obviously apparent, his contentment is evident as he leaves the house. This wave of positive emotion stems from witnessing the connection he fosters within the family, a result of realizing the impact of simple actions like replacing

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