After attending my usual Monday service at Guilford
Elementary for about three hours, it seemed to be just a regular visit to
me. Although this seemed to be a
traditional visit to me, after I left, I pondered on what I got out of it. After reading the novel Shane, by Jack Shaefer, the main character, Shane, is greatly
praised by the Starrett’s. In comparison to my service, they both share the
common theme of having one figure that the boys and Starrett family
specifically look up too.
Every
Monday when I arrive at service, the young boys are always chasing each other,
throwing the football, playing on the jungle gym, or just going plain old
crazy. It is almost as if they are like
little jumping beans being stored in a jar for hours that are finally set free,
because they always have endless amounts of energy when we arrive, which always
ceases to amaze me. Although they always
have this abundance of energy, they are restrained by the main teacher who runs
Acts4Youth. This teacher is Mr. Antwon,
who has nothing but utmost respect for these boys. As soon as he yells “Huddle Time”, the boys
gather round in a circular formation around him and listen to what he has to
say. Because most of the boys have a
passion for the game of football, Mr. Antwon tries to incorporate that into
their athletic training and work ethic.
When it is homework time, they assimilate in groups and take out their
homework assigned for that day. Like any
other typical fifth or sixth grader, they chat and fool around, because homework
is not their favorite thing to do. Mr.
Antwon then preaches to them what it means to be a good student and what it
takes to be successful in life. He
reiterates this constantly and makes them take quizzes and answer questions
about it, so they forever have these concepts in their mind. These young boys look up to Mr. Antwon almost
as a father figure, because a lot of these boys are missing that role in their
homes and have much respect for him, even though they may not show it at all
times. Mr. Antwon is a role model to
these boys as to Shane is to Ben.
In Shane, one of the main characters,
Shane, is a welcomed cowboy who once came across the Starrlett’s land and has
been a part of the family ever since.
After he becomes quickly accepted into the family, the father, Joe, and
him work on things around the house by bonding every step of the way. Ben, the son, slowly becomes accustomed to
Shane and tries to understand his story.
Day after day, he watches his father and Shane work together on things that
his father has spent months trying to accomplish. Bob’s admiration for Shane is so prevalent
throughout this novel, because he is always amazed by the things he can
do. Two of the main parts in the novel
that highlights the idea of Bob’s admiration for Shane is when Shane shows him
how to hold and aim a gun and when Shane fights. Shane shows Bob how to handle a gun in a way
that is ever so perfect and effortless that truly captivates Bob’s
attention. Also, when Shane fights
Fletcher’s right hand man with Joe, Bob watches him and cannot get enough of
what he has accomplished. Throughout the
novel, Bob constantly states how much he wishes he could be like Shane and all
of the things he has came to be.
My service
learning with the young fifth and sixth grade boys and the novel Shane, relate to the fact that nearly
everyone has someone they look up to in their younger years. Mr. Antwon and Shane play primitive roles in
the boys and Bob’s lives by doing things that make them very admirable.
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