What We Plant We Will Eat Analysis

Justice and forgiveness are two topics that are interpreted differently by many people. Many people forgive, but many other people only seek justice. They can’t go hand-in-hand together though. People are not capable of forgiving while they also seek justice toward a person. Forgiveness is led by sorrow to a person while justice is revenge based. Many who seek justice can not resist the temptation of revenge but those who seek to forgive show strength by doing the right thing. This idea that strength is needed to forgive can be shown in What We Plant, We Will Eat. In this story the main conflict is between two brothers. When their father died they inherited the land. There were many crops and the land was well cared for but the elder brother kicked the younger brother out and left him to starve. The younger brother was is desperate need for help until he

Simon Birch, born extra small, hits a baseball at a game and hits Joe’s mother in the head causing her death. Joe could easily stay angry with Simon but chooses to instead forgive as it was an accidental tragedy. Simon and Joe’s friendship was strengthened because of this decision and Simon became a hero after saving a bus full of children and unfortunately dying. None of this would have been possible if Joe had chosen to chase justice. Forgiveness and justice could not coexist. Some people may believe that with justice also comes forgiveness but this is normally not the case. Hamlet is a good example because throughout the story many characters seek justice and only justice. Hamlet especially looks for revenge. The ghost of Hamlet’s father explains to him that Claudius, King Hamlet’s brother and the new king of Denmark, is his murderer. Hamlet then seeks to kill Claudius out of vengeance for his father’s death the remainder of the story. Many people also seek revenge on Hamlet and nobody forgives resulting in the deaths of Claudius, Hamlet, Laertes, and