Whirligig, the book, is about seventeen-year-old Brent, and how he adjusts to his life as it changes. His decisions leads him to realize how he is a different and new person. At first he discourages his capabilities and has a strong feel of guilt. Even though he is a smart kid, he does not realize how his actions can lead him to consequences. Later on, he forms into a new and like a cheerful person. In the first vignette, “Party Time,” Brent goes to a party and later embarrasses himself, which causes him to leave, and he drives in a car. Although, while driving, he closes his eyes and the next day he perceives that his actions leads to a girl dying. Her name is Lea Rosalia Santos Zamora.
Lea’s mother orders him to encounter consequences. This quote states her orders “This my only request. That you make four…show more content… This shown in the following quote, “When it came, the figure felt it first. It swung on the dowel like a weathervane” (Fleischman 54). As he builds the four whirligigs, he notices the changes in him. For example, at first he needs the instruction book to build a whirligig. Later in the book, he feels like he does not need it. There is a time when he does feel doubtful of himself and doubtful of his actions. In the last vignette, “Everybody Swing!” Brent feels less guilty and forgives himself for what he has done. When he builds the last whirligig, he tends not to care about where the instruction book is, and he resents himself because he sees the world as a new view. The following quote shows that, “The guilt hadn’t magically vanished overnight. Four whirligigs wouldn’t accomplish that. He knew it would reside in him like the ashes after a fire, unconsumed” (Fleischman 131-132). His views help others change themselves. In other words, the four whirligigs has a great impact on others. His perspective of life is different than before the accident, and he is joyful, mature, and social
