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The Boy with the Missing Thumb, Writer's craft, Themes:, Characters,…
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Writer's craft
3rd person narrative
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another layer of isolation and marginalistaion- Gr is even isolated from us, the readers
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Themes:
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Importance of self-worth, purpose and identity--> Nick chooses the virtual world. Why?
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he wants to feel affrirmed in other parts of his life as e is failing in his studies and in his physical health.
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Marginalisation
the misfits and the oddballs, with no outlet to lift themselves out of it
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Escapism
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Digital addiction
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Slob; disregards living environment '...the past 64 hours...there were cobwebs...Butterfly mountain 4"
Junk food, messy and sloppy and gross
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Characters
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Parents
travellers, want to see the world
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enablers, spoil him and overindulge him and let him get away with everything
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Geoff
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doctor, which is painfully ironic considering how Gr dies
supposed to be looking after Gr, yet doesnt check in- irresponsible?
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Nick the bully
mean and physically abuses Gr, represents his mortal enemy and fears
Plot
Introduction- very stark and perculiar, lighthearted Gregory wakes up with a missing thumb - his nonchalance makes the readers shocked and confused. he gets going to gaming
We learn through a series of flashbacks what has led to that point. Routine bullying and unhelpful advice from his parents have left Gregory Soh with the goal to win at his video game and prove himself
At the end we have a morbid and dark conclusion where Gregory's body is found decomposed, and contorted, and we see that the thumb was there all along
As the game gets more intense, we see the lines between reality start to blur for Gregory and we fear and wonder about his health. His psyche is disturbed to the point where he starts to see nick, his bully as the villain. While playinng he misses 2 calls. and finally after a violent battle, he defeats the general and wins, to be rewarded with Yan Er
Relationships
Nick is his bully at school, he picks on im and teases him about his weighth
'Nick's daily taunts of 'Fat-Soh',.. despair'
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'Nick was the proud owner of ... full frontal assault' --> escapism, cowardly nature, only way he can take back control
tries to stand up to bullying by mastering the digital gameto obtain affirmation 'over the past four years... worth his weight in gaming points' -has a certain amount of discipline he used for his games which could posssibly be used better in a different way. --> effect of absent guidance
with parents
Nearly non-exsistent, due to frequent regional trips, and empty threats by the mother to get him to behave
'parents, who were retirees... wanted to travel'
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Taught by his father to use brute force against nick (importance of parent's influence on a young child)
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with brother Geoff
comparison by parents has left Gregory with a low sense of self esteem and sense of resentment towards Geoff
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