View Change of " The Soloist "

After reading my next chunk in The Soloist, in my opinion the book has changed a little and as I read, some curious questions about aspects other then Lopez's actual plot came into mind. Also, throughout these chapters (7 - 12) my emotions went up and down like a roller coaster. This set of chapters was really a page tuner for me and I can now say I am more into the book then I was when I first started, which is something I predicted. First, throughout out these chapters Lopez really inquires a lot about Nathanial and is determined to get help from every possible source he can get. He talks to several people about mental illnesses that pertain to Nathanial such as March, Rivia, Dr. Prchal, Calra Jacobs, and Dr.Alex Kopelowicz.This is physical proof of how much he truly cares about Nathanial, but sometimes his thoughts and words contradict his actions. Throughout these chapters he would say things about how he didn't want to be a care taker of Nathaniel and talks about how he cuts off family time for this case, even though it doesn't seem to be improving. Although some of the comments he makes lean a little toward the negative side, I firmly believe that he cares too much to truly mean this and back away from Nathanial. Other than having strong feelings about Lopez and his actions, the little events that happened to Nathanial throughout these chapters caused me to have different emotions. At some points I was nervous, sad, or at the edge of my seat. The first thing that had me feeling nervous was when the news that someone was jumped and in the hospital. Similar to how Lopez didn't want to call the hospital to see if it was Nathaniel was ok, I would have been reluctant about doing it too. I was very relieved to know that it wasn't him and he was safe. This made me want him to enter Lamp even more. I also felt embarrassed for Nathanial when he was on stage at Little Pedro Blue Bongo. I felt nervous for him and at the same time confident. He knows how to play very well, but when he messed up I think it was because of his nerves. Last, when Nathanial went to the rehearsal at the Disney Hall I felt his excitement. The Third Symphony was one of his passions and for him to be able to go and actually view it was definitely a privilege. When he wasn't going to go at first and almost changed his mind, I was actually heartbroken. One specific line that stood out to me was at the end of chapter 12 when Lopez said "I assume it was to prove his membership in the brotherhood." This really struck me as catchy. It summarized exactly what Nathanial seemed to have wanted all his life and what got taken away from him. It shows that everyone is connected in some way and are similar, but yet we are all unique in our own ways. Nathanial is part of the brotherhood at heart, but he is clearly different from the other musicians that he witnessed at the Disney Hall. My last point I will talk about is what Lopez writes for. I believe writes not only for himself and his happiness but to make the community aware of their surroundings and problems that happen in everyday life. His story is not only a great story line, but it also has a deeper meaning behind it. The fact that he is getting advice from other outside sources to see what their views are really sets a lesson for the readers of Lopez's work. In brief, I really think The Soloist is an entertaining book with actual meaning and feeling hidden behind the black and white lines.

* look for : tone , clarity, & well thought out points