Phase 2: Blog 1

UNWIND by Neal Shusterman
Connor's parents don't know that Connor knows he's being unwound. He wasn't suppose to find out, but Connor has always been good at ferreting out secrets. Three weeks ago, while looking for a stapler in his dad's home office, he found airplane tickets to the Bahamas. They were going on a family vacation over Thanksgiving. One problem though: There were only three tickets. His mother, his father, his younger brother. No ticket for him. At first the just figured the ticket was somewhere else, but the more he thought about it, the more it seemed wrong. So Connor went looking a little deeper when his parents were out, and he found it. the Unwind order. It had been signed in old-fashioned triplicate. The white copy was already gone- off with the authorities. The yellow copy would accompany Connor to his end, and the pink would stay with his parents, as evidence of what they'd done. Perhaps they would frame it and hand it alongside his first-grade picture.

The date on the order was the day before the Bahamas trip. He was going off to be unwounded, and they were going on vacation to make themselves feel better about it. The unfairness of it had made Connor want to break something. It had made him want to break a lot of things- but he hadn't/ For once he had held his temper, and aside from a few fights in school that weren't his fault, he kept his emotions hidden. He kept what he knew to himself. Everyone knew that an unwind order was irreversible, so screaming and fighting wouldn't change a thing. besides, he found a certain power in knowing his parents' secret. Now the blows he could deal them were so much more effective. Like the day he brought flowers home for his mother and she cried for hours. Like the B-plus he brought home on a science test. Best grade he ever got in science. He handed it to his father, who looked at it, the color draining from his face. "See, Dad, my grades are getting better. I could even bring my science grade up to an A by the end of the semester." An hour later his father was sitting in a chair, still clutching the test in his hand, and staring blankly at the wall. (page 6-7)

Connor's parents had made the decision to unwind him due to his conduct and grades in school. Once they unwind him, they'll go away on vacation to the Bahamas. It's unfair for Connor because he's not in charge of his own life, it's up to his parents. He's unable to decide his own future. Connor may seem like a bad kid, but he has the potential to change. Everyone should have control of their own lives and should have equal opportunity. He was chosen based upon his actions. Connor even proved that he can change, he brought home his science test in which he got a B-plus on. He's capable of being a better person. But once the unwind forms are filled out, its irreversible. The parent's are feeling remorseful because they see Connor become a better person. The author, Shusterman reveals that they live in an inequality society. Due to the shortages of donors, people of society will sacrifice and unwind anyone that isn't perfect. It's as if, if you make one little mistake in life, there's no way back and you shall be unwind because of one little mistake. People of this community are walking on thin ice, and they must be careful of their actions. This topic touches upon the theme of the poem "The Unknown Citizen" by W.H. Auden. In the poem, the unknown character lives by society expectations and does what is expected of him, but deep down, he was deprived of happiness. He was being controlled by government, and in the end he took his own life. This is similar to the people of Connor's community. They must do what is expected of them or else they'll be send away to be unwounded. Society is unfair and inequality is clearly shown in Connor's community. Connor's parents shouldn't be considered as humans because they are inhumane. They are unwinding their son and going away on vacation right after to make themselves feel better. They're sacrificing their son over the tiniest mistakes that he's done. He's a kid, he should be taught and given chance to fix himself. His parent's are giving him a death sentence for his grades.