Nineteen Minutes, by Jodi Picoult Essay

This is the story of the directionless and destination-less youngsters. This is also the story of the combustible younger generation. Incidents similar to the one depicted in the story can be read in newspapers day after day. The readers are pained, excited and habituated to read such stories and to an extent, have become insensitive as for its implications. If there is no discipline and peace in the society, carry on with the available discipline and peace—seems to be the attitude of the citizens. The blame-game between the politicians, the executive and the judiciary as for the present pathetic state of affairs in the society continues! Nobody is able to give the tangible solution to the octopus-like growing problem. Nagging, abusing and condemning each other have become the way of life. The pages of human history daubed in bloodshed due to the negative attitudes and violence in the name of religion, language, color, race, territorial gains and aggrandizement for wealth, ask the crying question. How to make this Planet Earth heaven-like? The answer is simple and direct. Eyes full of understanding, hearts full of love and the life that refuses conflicts—enough, these alone are enough! What is depicted in ‘Nineteen Minutes,’ is the model of what is happening all over the world on a large scale. The incidents of 9/11 took place in less than 19 minutes. But what were the implications and detailed planning and above all, the mind-set, behind that tragedy! The incident had the potentially to set the entire globe on fire! The hero of Nineteen Minutes, Peter Houghton, 17 years, has been at the receiving end throughout his school life, mentally tortured and tormented, and finally the ‘volcano within him erupts’ He fights back in a dramatic, and perhaps dastardly manner. The shooting at the school leaves nineteen injured and ten dead. The composition of the book has everything to make it an interesting read, and the arguments of the two lawyers, bring out the best as for the life and motives of Peter. The author uses the flashback technique to develop the story. The major players of the plot come to play, Josie Cormier, former best friend of Peter, her mother, the detective and defense lawyer, Peter’s parents-Picoult describes their interactions with sympathy and understanding. He has given to the readers a very interesting book. The theme of the book and the author’s attitude towards the theme, both evoke curiosity. The level of detachment achieved by the author in developing the characters is commendable. Without giving room for too much sentimentalism, a grim situation manifests clearly, grows and attains new dimensions. The book deserves an outstanding position on account of this approach. The mutual interactions over the situation between different characters reveal in the most natural way, the convictions for which the novel stands for. This is the uniqueness of the novel. The narrations are beautiful and as the story develops, it becomes poignant, without losing its ground and reality. If ten or more individuals are united for a cause, and align with the Satan’s domain, that won’t make their alignment stronger. Truth has always been in minority numerically, taking any epic for example, but it is the ultimate victor. Peter’s position is the same. The majority pushed him to the wall and Peter thought that for the desperate situation, desperate remedy is the solution. Some bullets solved his decade-old problem. Those who go through the contents of the book carefully, sympathize with him, not condemn! Everyone has the right of self-defense, and in the process that you kill ten or fifty persons is altogether a different issue. This takes one to the portals of an important social problem. What if the gun control laws were there? Could the tragedy have been averted? The answer is both yes and no. The real problem is not the creation of the gun, but the creation of Peters in the society, for which the society, the parents, brothers and sisters, the friends, the teachers and Preachers, law enforcing authorities, and above all the politicians are responsible—and oh yes, the print and electronic media too, that plays to the gallery and creates deep impact in the impressionable minds of the kids! They must get more and more advertisement revenue no matter what the impact of this white-color robbery on the psyche of the society. These forces have created Peters. So unless the people are basically sound, and basic conditions are created for the people to become basically sound, many more Peters will incarnate. Countries with gun control laws have also Peters. So, changing the gun control laws is not the solution. Changing the thought process of the individuals is! An individual is the foundation stone of the society. Unless one’s thought process changes, one’s action process will not change. When the thoughts are changed, the mind is changed; when the mid is changed, the man is changed; when the man is changed, the society is changed. The message of the book by Picoult is clear. Children-friendly approach is required as for small and big problems confronting them; the teachers need to keep a careful watch as for the groups in classes or the institution as a whole. These groups could be due to any reason, simple jealousies, race and color, rich and poor and this listing of problems can go on and on†¦. The vigilant teaching community has great responsibility in this area. In the materialistic society, due to the impact of industrial and internet revolutions, the parents have little time to spend with the children. The educational institutions are the best alternatives to the prevailing family atmosphere, wherein children can be imparted the moral, ethical and even spiritual education. References Cited: Picoult, Jodi: Book: Nineteen Minutes Hardcover: 464 pages Publisher: Atria; 1st edition. edition (March 5, 2007) Language: English ISBN-10: 0739480715 ISBN-13: 978-0743496728 ASIN: 0743496728