Growing Up-The Body reading Journal

     Growing up is something that we all have to face, sooner or later. In the process, we go through many special experiences or perhaps tests that changes our view point of the world. It could be facing up to your parents, teachers or maybe facing up to yourself and in “The Body” written by Stephen King, we can find all of these in the adventure that the protagonists take. 

     Gordie is the narrator who tells the story of himself and three other children--Chris, Vern, and Teddy. For Gordie, the whole story is, quite literally, writing about writing as a writer. Like he says in the beginning however, “The most important things are the hardest things to say,” and “The Body,” deals with some of the most sensitive moments in Gordie’s childhood. Gordie, who was the second child in the family was treated like a child that never existed. Even while his big brother lived, he was never the center of attention from his parents. Then, when his big brother died from an accident, his parents fell and became, “too fucked up” to take care of Gordie. 

     From Gordie’s view, the death of his brother was more of a dream. In his stories, and dreams, his brother often came out to Gordie as if he were still alive. Gordie was afraid that maybe it should have been himself who died instead of his brother. In his imagination his brother still talked and walked around. This was why seeing the body and facing death in reality meant much more to Gordie. He later realizes that when you die, you can’t and shouldn’t do anything and finally comes to really accept the death of his brother. In a way, Gordie becomes more matured than his parents who never learns this lesson, that one “can’t, don’t won’t never, shouldn’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t,” do anything anymore. 

     Chris Chambers is also another twelve year old child. Unlike Gordie, who is from a middle class family in Castle Rock, he comes from a family of very low reputation. Because of this, he is also expected to live up to his reputation as a Chamber. However, he struggles to get out the the town and the reputation of his family. In the end, he really does escape the town with the help of Gordie. The rest of the little gang, Teddy and Vern are rather neglected in the story. For them, the adventure was their first “big” thing. But from my view, it seems that that was just about it for them. Teddy and Vern, unlike Gordie and Chris, didn’t change much even after the adventure and maybe thats why they became one of those friends that you just pass by in the hallway. 

     The writer who is writing about a writer writing about writing--that would be me--also experienced growing up. It was more of a series of changes that accumulated to my maturing in my case, and I’m still in the process. Like in the reflection essay that I wrote on my blog, I was faced up against myself. The task was speaking out. Well, I’m not really sure how its turning out, will I succeed in my metamorphosis like Chris and Gordie? Or will I stay the same like Teddy and Vern? Time will tell, but in the mean time I would like to recommend “The Body,” for the ones who are facing their own tasks in growing up.