Gathering Blue Thesis Paper

Gathering Blue

By Lois Lowry

Thesis Statement: Knowing one’s identity is a way of fulfilling one’s life purpose

Introduction:

The uniqueness of one’s personality, character and abilities defines his identity. Knowing one’s distinctiveness is a grueling process. A person must have enough strength and perseverance to surpass obstacles. He must be able to accept whatever mistake he does and learn from it. Gradually, the person will be able to know his true identity once he reaches a certain point of enlightenment triggered by a life-changing event or experiences. His purpose, however, is yet to be known. Man’s purpose in life is realized after death since at this point, one has fulfilled his mission or duty. According to Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life, “What people are able to do is what God wants them to do.” It is also cited in the said book that each individual has to play a certain role planned even before he was born.

The book вЂ" Gathering Blue’s tackles the story of Kira, an orphan with a twisted leg who lives in a society where its savagery is masked for the people to think that they live perfectly. Though branded as weak and useless, she confronts these prejudices by showing her talent in weaving magnificent pattern in cloth. Her mother fought to keep her away from the people who continued to look down on her since she saw in her daughter her potential of being an exceptional weaver despite being handicapped. Her mother’s belief pushes her to improve her craft, thus becoming the official Robe-Threader of her community.

In this paper, the researchers aim to relate the state of the community in the novel to the present state of the society today. The significance of the character’s abilities, strengths, as well as weakness will also be analyzed.

In a village restored by the last survivors of the tragedy that almost wiped out the whole human race, a young girl with a twisted leg named Kira burns her cot while grieving the loss of her beloved mother. Her mother was the only living relative she had, her father died after being eaten by beasts. Only her mother believes that she is gifted with a talent far greater than anybody else, the art of weaving, which made up for her disability. This inspires her to forget her fear of the village and the people there who tend to look down on disabled people like her. An eight-year old boy by the name of Matt, a friend of hers, helps her as she clears up her belongings in the cot they once owned. Matt warns her of Vandara, a cruel and rude woman who is known and feared in their village. One day, while Kira was peacefully eating, Vandara emerges from the woods with a group of women in tow. She demands of Kira’s land where her tiny cot stands. Kira defends herself and states her rights of owning it. However, the group of women continues to insult her, saying that ownership of a land is not worth for a crippled girl. Kira was on the verge of being murdered if Vandara’s group had not suggested bringing the argument to the Council of Guardians, the villages’ leaders. During the trial, Vandara tells the Council several accusations against Kira. Since Kira remains defenseless, the Council appointed Jamison, a Guardian, to be her defender. Both parties win after the trial. Vandara now owns the land while Kira is appointed as the Village Weaver. Because of her job, she is relocated to Council Edifice, the main office of the government. As the village weaver, her task is to manage the Robe, clothing used by the Singer who narrates the history of the world through its patterns during a very important event held once a year called the Gathering. She meets Thomas, a talented government worker as well who carves the Staff. As part of her job, she is sent to Annabella, a woman who teaches her in making dyes of every color except blue, the rarest of all.

While on her way for another lesson to the forest where Annabella lives, she hears the sounds of beasts. Kira tells this Annabella yet she quickly dismisses her musings, saying that there are no beasts in the forest. Out of curiosity, Kira asks Jamison about this. Jamison assured her that there are beasts in the forest.

While working, Kira hears a faint cry coming from somewhere. She decides to seek for it later on when Matt and Thomas comes home. Afterwards, Matt shockingly announces the sudden death of Annabella.

Kira meets Jo, a lonely yet talented orphan toddler who was the source of the faint crying in the quarters. She consoled her and promised her that she’ll be protected in her care. Later, Jamison informed Kira that a dyeing place is set up for her since Annabella is no longer alive. As time passed, Kira and Thomas, as well as Jo, realized that those who have special purposes like them are isolated from society. Their life were only limited to their work.

Matt went missing which deeply troubled Kira. She was later informed that Matt has gone to search for blue yonder, the rare plant Kira wants that produces the color blue. He didn’t return for days.

The Day of the Gathering is fast approaching. All the government workers, including Kira, were busy with their jobs. Once the Gathering began, Kira, Thomas and Jo were introduced to the people. Afterwards, the Singer starts the chant, narrating the history of the people with the use of the Robe and the Staff. Matt suddenly appears during the ceremony, the blue yonder clutched in his hands. He tells Kira that he brought along a present for her.

Matt reveals the present he brought which turned out to be Christopher, Kira’s long lost father whom she believed dead her whole life. Christopher reveals that he was not really taken by beasts but by men. He almost died but a group of kind strangers took him in. He lived in their care for years in the place (the Field) where the Council made them to believe as dangerous. He clarifies that the Field is actually where the government throws the disabled people of their village. Christopher persuades Kira to join him in the Field. Kira refuses and informs her father about her role in the village appointed by Jamison. Upon hearing this name, his father reveals that Jamison was the one who plotted to kill him.

Kira realizes the clarity of it all eventually. She realizes that they were held captive because of their gifts, which are used only for the benefit of the government. They had no freedom at all; they were here for the sole purpose of just having a role in society.

Matt leads Christopher