September 7, 2010
Dear Maybe,
My name is Austin. I am currently a student at the John Carroll School and read about your experiences through one of the school’s programs. In fact, I read Todd Strasser’s book Can’t Get There from Here as my summer reading book. That’s not the only thing I did during the summer, though. It seems like my family spent half of the summer break at Ocean City. The scents of the sea combined with the warmth of the soft sun develop a nearly irresistible location for rest and recuperation. And as if that wasn’t enough, the boardwalk creates a social highway where people can choose to interact with the world around them, be it the people, the beach (see picture at right), the storefronts and motels, or the rides and arcades.
No offence to you, Maybe, but I really didn’t particularly enjoy reading Can’t Get There from Here as a book overall. Thematic events in the novel were always a bit gloomy, more than a little morbid, and constantly depressing. You were in a state of living that most would consider life-threatening, terrifying, or disgusting. Yet through it all, you still had the ability to hope and believe, even after all the terrible events that occurred. I am in awe as to your ability to do this and admire you for your spirit. Most of the decisions you made throughout the course of the book were, in fact, completely wrong or partially incorrect, but the very last one I learned of outweighed them all. Your choice to reform was amazing, looking back all you had been through, and the determination you expressed was astounding.
The writing style of Todd Strasser unfolded slowly in the book, not unlike the way flower petals unfold slowly and precisely to get maximum effect. His style was definitely unique in its own way. Somehow he managed to create a solid, realistic background, while all the time focusing on the main characters and the actual story behind the book. The characters themselves seem so real that you almost can feel as if you know them as more of a personal friend than a character in a book. Unfortunately, this includes the more dark side of humans and seems to come out all too often.
After reading your book, I only have one question to ask you. As a witness to the most heinous crimes humanity has performed, do you think all humanity ever has a chance of attaining perfection? A state of being where no crimes are committed, optimal health and food are plentiful for all, wisdom, not knowledge, is sought, and every living thing is treated with care and kindness. Sort of like a heaven on earth, so to speak. Will mankind ever attain this in all the millennia to come?
Some more immediate social issues are mentioned that need to be dealt with now. Drugs seem to be one of the worst issues. People are aware that drugs exist, but most do not realize the amount of damage they are capable of or the sheer amounts of them being used worldwide. To raise awareness, people could start a program where former addicts could talk to large groups of people in a learning experience. They could explain how drugs ruined their lives and show them specific examples of how drugs not only affect the addicts, but the normal lives of everyday citizens. This book showed me a glimpse of the real world. Every day hundreds of thousands of crimes are committed, thousands die of sickness on the street, and the bad guys don’t always get caught. Out there, things are tough, yea, but I believe if you work hard and do your best, maybe your actions will inspire others to improve. Those others might just band together and start a movement that could change the entire worldwide community to be a safer, happier, and overall nicer place to live.
If you ever read this letter, I would like to give you a piece of advice. Always do the right thing and don’t be afraid to stand up for what you believe in. Evil can only prevail when the good lay idle and let it. Goodbye and may you reach peace of mind.
Sincerely,
Austin
