Relationship I Did Not Like

In my novel Change of Heart, there was one relationship that really bothered me. The reader found out near the end of the book that the step father who was killed had been molesting his step daughter (who was also killed). For a while, the mother did not know this while the reader did. It bothered me how the mother still thought of that man as a loving father and husband. The whole town thought of him as a hero who was trying to rescue his daughter when she was murdered. But the truth was that Shay Bourne, the murderer, walked in on the step father molesting the little girl. Bourne tried to save the girl but the the step father ended up shooting her in a struggle over his gun. He was buried with the little girl lying next to him because the mother always thought that he was a wonderful father to her. Even when she came to the realization near the end of the novel that he had been molesting her daughter, she was not especially angry. I wish that she would have made sure that the whole town knew what a horrible man he really was. In reality, the convicted murderer was the honest and good man in the whole situation. But the step father was forever loved and glorified by the everyone in the town.

What I Have Learned in High School

Don't stress over everything!
Some things are just not worth it.

1. Stressing over bad grades on tests. In the moment, it seems like the end of the world. But remember that Chemistry test you failed sophomore year? Yeah, me neither. It is totally not worth the stress.

2. Stressing over the fact that you have the same dress as someone else at a dance. In ten years you most likely won't even remember what your dress looked like. So instead of being angry about it and trying to convince everyone that you look better in it anyways, just have fun!

3. Stressing over being tardy every once in a while. As a freshman I basically thought that being tardy meant that I wouldn't get into college and I had no future. But after being tardy numerous times this year, I have learned that it's really no big deal.

4. Stressing over a horrible coach. Yes, it's hard to have to respect them and listen to them at all times when they are mean and barely ever at practice anyways. But I have learned not to let them ruin the sport (in my case, cheerleading) for everyone.

5. Stressing over missing school when you are sick. There is a lot of work to make up when you stay home from school because you are sick. But worrying about all that work will only make you feel even sicker. Realize that you will get it done eventually, and just let yourself feel better.

Aspect of Society

I think that the aspect of society brought to light through this novel is that people are very un-accepting of the idea that someone who once did bad things can change for the better. It is true that some people never change, but Change of Heart tells the rare story of redemption. Sometimes it's hard to believe that people can change, but this novel shows how important it is to give those people a chance. Shay Bourne was a convicted murderer on death row who wanted to donate his heart to a little girl. Most people did not believe that his intentions were in the right place, but by giving him the benefit of the doubt he saved the little girls life. It is possible that by giving someone the chance to prove that they have changed, one might get hurt. But I think it is important for society to learn how to give people that chance, even with the risks attached.

Favorite Supporting Character

My favorite supporting character in the novel Change of Heart is Lucius. This man is in the prison cell next to Shay Bourne for murdering his boyfriend. He has AIDS and is slowly dying throughout the novel. I would want to go out to lunch with him to PF Changs because that is my favorite restaraunt. I would want him to be able to eat whatever he wanted since he would know that he was dying. This person would be worth my time and energy because he would have an interesting story to tell. Lucius is an artist and frequently makes paint in his jail cell out of Skittles and toothpaste. I would want to see all of his artwork and hear about his life before he was sent to prison. Also, I would want to hear about what it was like to be in the cell next to Bourne. In the novel Lucius has an up close perspective that not many of the other characters have.

Main Character

In the novel Change Of Heart, each chapter is from a different characters perspective. They each tell their own individual stories and their lives are all somehow connected. Regardless of this, the novel revolves around a man named Shay Bourne. So even though there are many "main characters", all of their lives come together because of Bourne. Shay Bourne grew up in abusive foster care homes and therefore lacks important social skills. His sister was molested by their foster care father, and tried to set the house on fire with him in it. Shay took the blame for this so that his sister would not get in trouble and ended up in juvy. Where the book begins, Bourne volunteers to do construction work for the Nealon family. He is soon convicted for the murder of both the step father, who is a police officer, and the daughter, who is seven years old. He is sentenced to death and is on death row for eleven years. Before he is killed though, he makes the decision that he needs to give his heart to the other daughter of Ms. Nealon. This daughter was not alive when the murders took place, but is now ten years old and is dying from heart failure. Eventually the state agrees to let Bourne be killed by hanging instead of lethal injection so that he can donate his heart to the other daughter. Soon before Bourne is killed, he reveals that the reason he killed the step father was because he walked in on him molesting his step daughter. The step daughter died in a struggle between Bourne and the step father over a gun. His story is important to tell because he never tries to defend himself or go free. He wants to die so that his heart can save another little girl, no matter how innocent he was. His character portrays aspects of Jesus and the novel has a lot to do with religion. He always seems to be performing miricles, even though he does not claim to know what he is doing. In the end he dies in the fashion that Jesus does, to save others around him.

Movie

Johnny Depp would play the character Shay Bourne. This character is on death row for murdering a child and police officer. He becomes very mentally unstable, and Johnny Depp would be good for this role because he is good at acting the way that Bourne needs to be portrayed.
Sandra Bullock would play the character June Nealon. This character loses her first husband in a car accident, her second husband and daughter are murdered, and her other daughter is dying from heart failure. Sandra Bullock would be perfect for this role because she is such a strong actress.
Nikki Blonsky would play the character Maggie. This character is the attorney for Shay Bourne and also struggles with her weight and appearance. Nikki Blonsky would be a good fit because she is strong willed just like Maggie is.
Kirk Cameron would play the character Michael. This character is on the jury that sentences Shay Bourne to death row, but later in life becomes a Priest and is Bourne's spiritual advisor. Kirk Cameron should have this role because he plays a spiritual role in the majority of the movies that he is in.
Shia Labeouf would play the character Lucius. This character is in the prison cell next to Shay Bourne. He was convicted for murdering his boyfriend and is also dying from AIDS. Shia Labeouf fits this role because he is such a convincing actor.
Abigail Breslin would play the character Claire. This character is June Nealon's daughter who is waiting for a heart transplant. She would be good at this because of the similar roles she has played in her other movies.

Change of Heart

The book that I chose is Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult. One of the reasons that I picked this book was because one of my favorite books, My Sister's Keeper, is by the same author. I have also seen some of the movies that her other novels have been made into and loved them. At first I was confused as to what the storyline was going to be because the chapters are split up into different characters perspectives. But just after reading the first couple pages, I knew that I was not going to be able to put it down. The fact that it was so good that I could not put it down is another reason that I chose this novel.