Reading Journal

The Body

           Reminiscence. It is the word that popped in my head, when I read this novella, The Body. This story is generally about character Gordie, reminding his young experiences. He had true friends: Vern, Teddy and Chris, who can really care and shared the feelings together. And, they suddenly planned a travel to find the corpse.

           I felt sympathy in this part. When, I was young, I thought Yamakasi, corpse, military, guns and things that look cool and powerful are really amazing. And, I tried to follow those things or watch videos about those categories. Those things were really fantastic to me, but the travel with my friends was the thing that I really hoped. Also, I dreamed to have a tree house that can be used as a secret place with my friends, but not for the place to play pokers and smoke. Well, traveling and tree house could not achieve in real world. So, when I was looking at the scene of tree house and planning immediately to go to find corpse, I thought about my past when I thought same like the characters in the movie. And, I thought about the imagination I had, when I really wanted to have a tree house, the secret place.

           Also, I had to admit that when I was young age, I admire to be look strong so make up the words that are meaningless. For example, I stole things in the market, I saw a monster, I had a fight with 6 people who are older than me, spitting swear and some kind of bluff. These kinds of features are well-demonstrated in this film. Like, Teddy, Vern always says swear and making bluffs.

           Vern, Teddy and Chris are the characters that match with my friends when I was in elementary school. Not only my friends but those kids’ characteristics are easily seen in other people’s friends, common features in our elementary friend.  There is a friend who has a problem with his parents, a friend who is coward and a friend who is good at talk. As I make new friends as I grow up, there were not friends who fit easily to me, meaning my elementary friends are the best friends I had ever had. And, this thought corresponds with the thought of this book’s author, or Gordie. Although, I and my friends could not contact, because of my position, I really miss them so much. 

And, when we are age 12 or 13, we feel independence against parents, and we are more familiar with our friends. When I was that age, I spent most of time with my friends, that I absented the academy and played game with my friends. And I and my friends planned to go to trip together to the valley, although it was closed with my house. Making the memories were the value that I promoted when I was young.

Running is a thing that I did with my friends. Students, age 12, have prides about running fast. I and my friends had always competed to run faster. So, we had race every day. This type of image is in the book, “The Body.”

This story really matches with my experience when I was young. So, when I read this book, I could rethink about the memories that I made with my friends. I could memorize the feelings that I had at that era. I believe they will do well in their high schools, and want to meet them later in future.