I+Am+the+Cheese+Izzybell

//I Am the Cheese//

Imagine living in the world with nobody. Nobody there to care for you, nobody there to comfort you. How would you react? Would you be independent or give into the pain? In the novel, I Am the Cheese, the main character, Adam Farmer, gives into his pain. He is admitted into a mental institution and takes medicine daily to help him cope and stay sane. On the other hand in The Outsiders, Ponyboy Curtis is going through practically the same pain as Adam, but he naturally copes with it. He goes slightly into a depression, but leans on his brothers to bring him back to the way he was before the pain intruded on his life. I bet you are wondering what this pain is. This pain is death, hardship, feeling alone, and ultimately leaving behind a life you once were so happy with. Both boys are forced to find themselves in tough times, and come to terms with their fate and what they have become. They both deal with the deaths of their parents and friends. Fortunately, Ponyboy is not alone is this world. But Adam Farmer is absolutely alone. Maybe that is why Ponyboy was able to handle the pain, and Adam simply collapsed under the pressure. Both novels ,//The Outsiders// and //I Am the Cheese,// deal with many similar issues, but in different ways. The main theme throughout these two books is adolescent discovery and finding ones identity. //In I Am the// Cheese, Adam realizes that everything he has come to know is false, a lie. This boy, Adam Farmer does not exist. He name actually is Paul Delmonte, resident of Blount, New York. His father, a banker, was actually a very successful journalist until he uncovered incriminating facts about an organized crime group and was forces to testify. Soon, the Delmonte family was getting death threats, and even some attempts. The government thought it would be best if they changed their identities in the Re-Identification Program. The next step was to move to Monument, Massachusetts, and start new lives as the Farmers. While uncovering secrets from his past, Adam feels like he does not know himself anymore. While staying at a mental hospital, he is forced to relive the trauma he once was put through, and so conveniently had forgotten. In //The Outsiders// Ponyboy Curtis is a greaser, and only a greaser in his eyes. Their rival gang, The Socs, are rich and privileged. The groups would have occasional “rumbles”, but nobody got seriously hurt, not until one night. Ponyboy and his best friend Johnny Cade were sitting in the park minding their own business, until they noticed a car. Not just any car, an expensive Soc car. That night, Johnny ends up killing a Soc, Bob. When Ponyboy and Johnny flee to Windrixville, they both are injured in a burning church, their makeshift home. Johnny's injuries are much more severe then Ponyboy's injuries, and Johnny ends up dying in the hospital. Distraught by Johnny's death, greaser Dally, decides to commit suicide. Ponyboy realizes that even though the Socs have fancy rings and cars, and all the greasers have to their names is their greasy styled hair, pain can destroy you no matter your wealth. Both these boys were forced to make some very big realizations at a very young age. These would change the way they look at themselves, and especially the world around them. For most children, their biggest support system is their parents. No matter what happens in your life, most parents are always care for you. What if those people are suddenly snatched away from you? Your reaction probably is, “Yes, I would be very upset.” But, most people do not realize that this could happen to you at any second of any day. In //I Am the Cheese//, Adam's family is forced by the government to have a protector, Mr.Grey. Mr.Grey checks to make sure they are not in danger, and if they are, he is supposed to remove them from Monument into a safe environment. One day, he believes that the Farmers are in some sort of danger. He advises them to take a vacation. While sightseeing, a car appears out of nowhere and kills his mother. Adam is injured, but can see Mr.Grey approaching. He advises the hit men to find Adam's father, and terminate him. In the mental institution, Adam is forced to recall these events. Again, he can not seem to remember them, but with a little help, he relives the death of both his parents. In //The Outsiders// Ponyboy's parents die a very similar way. While on a family vacation, their car was hit by a train, and both of his parents are instantly dead. The way the boys react to these situations are extremely different though. After his parents accident, Adam has no recognition of the event, and goes insane. He is admitted into a metal institution where he is administer medicine daily. He does not go back to his normal life, like Ponyboy does. Ponyboy's friends help him cope, and he soon recovers. His brother, Darry, now takes the role of the parents. Even though it is a big change, it does not totally change Ponyboy's mental state. A good friend is very had to come by. Most people have some acquaintances, but nobody that actually cares about them. Adam Farmer has never had a person like this. He has a girlfriend, Amy, but they simply enjoy playing a game called “numbers” together and goofing off. They never really connected on more than a superficial level. Never getting into feelings or anything deep. She was not a support system to him. Maybe this is why he never recovered from his parents death. The novel really is clear on what happened between the period of Adam's parents death and his admission to the metal facility. If only Adam had another person in his life. On the other hand, Ponyboy had a huge support system. His greaser friends were like family. They went through many difficulties together, and know how each other react. Even though they always have fun together, they connect with each other on a psychological level. I think it is apparent in these two books how important it is to have people in your life to be there for you. The boy who had nobody left simply was left to die in an institution. Maybe this happened because he had nothing good to look forward to in life? He just gave up maybe? We can see with Ponyboy how when you have a support system they bring up your spirits. They make you feel like you are not alone in the world left to fend for yourself. You almost have something to live for.