The In-Class Essay

In class essay revised:

In the two novels Bifocal and the gospel according to Larry there is a common theme. That theme is VIOLENCE. Violence is used willingly, and unwillingly, verbally, and emotionally between the two novels.

In the novel Bifocal, Violence is used in many different ways: The first type is by verbal abuse. Verbal violence is used in this novel, when Kevin and Zana were trash talking each other about how they dressed. This was verbal violence (racism). Even if Zana was unwilling to do what she had done, that wouldn’t change the fact that she still got caught up in violence (Kevin sure meant to do that) (pg 190-192). Another example of this was when Steve, Kevin, and Jay were in the Wall-Mart parking lot, and there were two Muslims in their car blocking the way. Kevin went up to them and made extremely racial slurs, just because he’s intolerant about other cultures (and waiting time). This point was probably just as much of an emotional aspect as well as a verbal one.

The other way that there was violence in this Novel, was emotional violence. This is when you say or do something and it hurts another person a lot. You may do this because some one already hurt you, you may do this because you don’t like them for many different purposes, What ever the case it’s wrong and we should know that by now, and here are some examples of it in Bifocal. This is shown in many different ways such as vandalism, to Haroon’s house, and the way people treated Hati (protected under freedom of speech). In the example of vandalizing Haroon’s house, you have to think of how his family must’ve felt when they came back to a trashed house, smashed window, and spray painted house with racial slurs (pg 232-235). Also it is almost a hate crime, to beat or try to beat some one because of their ethnic group or what their believes are, this is for the example with Hati. Most of these actions were not meant to happen, and every one regretted them later (except for Kevin). Kevin’s actions were meant to inflict pain, and suffering. The reality of violence is: repetitive.

The second novel, The Gospel According to Larry, also demonstrates the theme of violence though emotional, verbal abuse while inflicting it with meaning it and not. There are many examples of this. Firstly, verbal and emotional violence is caused by a willingly personality (most of the time). An example of this was when Betagold found Larry, she ruined him, and his family’s ethnics. She ruined his family’s income as well. She didn’t even say sorry, she doesn’t even regret, and says she’ll do it again. All of this happened just because she wanted the quick buck. In two years no one would even remember who she was but she had to ruin a family first. She caused him violence by giving Larry suffering to the point of him faking his own suicide (parts 4-6). This is abuse because she uses Larry for her own means, who knows if this was willingly or unwillingly (she may have not even thought it through). The other form of violence demonstrated in this book was emotional violence. Examples of this were when Josh denies the endorsement with coke, the rejection of Beth, and Josh’s mother mocking him. The first example was the endorsement with coke, offering him $2 million and letting Peter’s company advertise it. The hurt peter because even though Josh destroyed Peter he wouldn’t help him. The main reason why Josh didn’t to this was mainly because people would view him as a hypocrite. The other example is Beth rejecting Josh. She didn’t mean to do this because she though that Josh didn’t like her.

The common theme between the two novels Bifocal, and The Gospel According to Larry is Violence. The theme violence is used willingly, unwillingly, verbally, and emotionally between the two novels.