Faith Mejias: "Dear Max Gladstone: The Power of Perspectives"

Dear Max Gladstone: “The Power of Perspectives”

By: Faith Mejias

Growing up, I often roamed around freely outside my home. When I finally picked up a book at the age of eight, I found that I was drawn to the imaginative worlds only found in books. In these worlds, I could be a time travelling magician who befriended fairies and demigods; it was exciting to take on the persona of each character. However, as I matured, I realized that it wasn’t specific speculative fictional elements that grabbed my attention but over-arching themes or vivid imagery. These “narrative kinks” helped ignite my passion for reading. Although it is difficult to truly articulate what about these books had such a lasting impression on me, I will try to give you a glimpse of how I think. The only stories that still stay with me even though many years have passed are Kite Runner, Tuesdays with Morrie, and Animal Farm. Recently, I have included “Super Toys Last All Summer Long” and “Fondly Fahrenheit” in this list of memorable stories. I found that each of these works propelled me to continue reading.

The structure, implications, and impact of books such as Kite Runner, Tuesdays with Morrie, and Animal Farm made me want to keep reading. Reading Kite Runner allowed me to broaden my horizons to look beyond troubles that plague a daily American’s life and see it through the eyes of a character full of faults. It allowed me to accept that you can’t always run away from past mistakes while showing me something new about the life some children experienced in Afghan. An image that caught my attention was when the main character, Amir walked away from his friend, Hassan, when Hassan was being raped. Another hauntingly captivating image was of the children in the orphanage when the caretaker had to give up one of the children, Sohrab, to provide for the rest of the group. It was unnerving to see just what humans are capable of when they are placed in an unwanted situation. 

Animal Farm allowed me to view the topic of Russian Revolution in a new light. The unique element of animals that represented actual human dictators made the story more compelling than if it has been written with human characters. It was able to clearly demonstrate what people are willing to do for power. While Kite Runner and Animal Farm reveal the flaws of human society in terms of selfishness, fear, and drastic actions, Tuesdays with Morrie showed the underlying courage and strength an individual can have even in the face of inner struggle. It was the first book that truly showed me that it’s okay to walk away from the majority if it does not benefit you or make you happy. The image of a simple man smiling in the face of ALS gave me the courage and hope I needed to face my own smaller struggles.

In both “Super Toys Last All Summer Long” and “Fondly Fahrenheit”, there was the underlying notion that the story was not what it seemed. The fact that I couldn’t take things at face value captured my attention and made me curious about how the stories would end. I was able to piece things together as the story went on. However, the twists in the end made me fall in love with the stories. Although both stories differ remarkably, I was drawn to both novels due to the author’s ability to surprise me. In “Super Toys Last Summer Long”, it was mind boggling to see how toys can create their own definition of “realness” that excluded humans while in “Fondly Fahrenheit” I enjoyed how the narrator exposed the greater dangers of humans in comparison to androids.   

These five stories have a common thread of revealing something about power. Animal Farm and Kite Runner showcased the corruption of power while Tuesdays with Morrie showed it in a more positive light. Morrie taught others to stray away from the majority and instead seek genuine happiness. While “Super Toys Last All Summer Long” and “Fondly Fahrenheit” had a power play between electric beings and humans that made it interesting. Overall, I enjoyed reading these stories because they not only had a fascinating theme but they also compelled me into their world. Whether I am an ALS patient, an android or an animal, I am constantly learning new perspectives.