Shelby Phelan

Shelby Phelan
Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life
Wendy Mass
Realistic Fiction
Just Right
Page 97

1. In this book, Jeremy and his friend Lizzy are neighbors in an apartment complex. The two children have been best friends ever since they met when they were only one year old. One month before Jeremy's thirteenth birthday, he recieves a mysterious package in the mail. His father, who had died five years previously, had sent it to an old college friend for safe keeping. Inscribed on the box was 'The Meaning of Life: for Jeremy Fink to open on his 13th birthday'. The only problem is, the friend of his fathers had lost the keys. The box was beautiful, and unique. It had four keyholes, and could only be opened with the original keys. After trips to the local locksmiths and fleamarket, Jeremy and Lizzy are very doubtful about finding the keys. They decide to go to the Lawyer friends office and search for the keys, because he had stated in his letter that he had hidden them in his office somewhere but couldn't remember where. They kids are caught by the police, and they are sentenced to help an old man close his pawn shop. This is where I am in the book now.
2. I am enjoying this book very much so far, and I like how the plot has played out so far. If Jeremy and Lizzie find the keys right away, there is really no point in the story. The author has them go through all the challenges it often takes to find what you are looking for. I find it very sad how Jeremy's father died in a car accident before the book takes place and also how Lizzy does not have a mother. Jeremy's mother proves to be a very interesting character in how she will not buy anything but clothes and food new and all of the things in their apartment were found by her and her husband before he died. Jeremy explains how their couch, called Mongo, was found out in front of someones house in New York City,(the story takes place in NYC). It is described to have avery hole patched with different pieces of cloth, and he believes there are more multi-colored patches than there is a couch. It has been a very easy and fun book to read so far.
3. The theme in this book so far is friendship. It is portrayed in the story through the friendship of Jeremy and Lizzy, but also through the friendship Jeremy describes having with his dad. It seems to me that Jeremy was very close to his dad, and that his death has been a major change in his life. Jeremy's dad was also like a second parent to Lizzy because her dad, works most of the day. He is a very good parent, but it must be hard for a kid to not have their only parent around very much. To me, Jeremy and Lizzy's friendship helps them struggle through the challenges and troubles they face, and brings them closer a together as more issues come to them.
4. My favorite character in the book is Jeremy's mother. I like how unique and clever she is, and I also like the way she doesn;t care what others think of her. She is a very good parent to both of the kids, and helps them out when she is not working. I think the way she handles her problems is much better than the way many oother parents do. I also admire how she remains a very good and supportive parent even with the loss of her husband.
5. My least favorite character is Rick, Jeremy's new neighbor. He is very annoying and rude veen while others are being tolerant and nice to him. I understand how he might be upset about moving to a new palce, and having to make new friends all over again, but his attitude is really getting in the way or him doing so. For example, when Lizzy asks them if the have ever been to a fair that she and Jeremy are being forced to perform in, he says, "'The state fair?' Rick repeats with a laugh. 'only hicks go there. What are you going to do? Pull a tractor with your teeth? No wait, you're going to race pigs!'". I think this is a rather rude thing to say to comeone especially when they are just being friendly and welcoming to him.
6. I predict that Lizzy and Jeremy going to work at the pawn shop will lead them to finding the keys. I think this because they would not be sentenced to work there if it didn't have something to do with the box. I also think that in the end, the meaning of kife will end up being either very important to Jeremy, or very useless to him but he will lear something from the experience. Since he box was left to him from his father, I think it will be something to do with how much he meant to him, or important advice that his father never got to tell him as he died when he was only thirty-nine.