First Reaction

    I find this book a pleasure to read. So far, I have read about Tony's experiences during his youth, and have found that it exemplifies much of what happens during most people's childhood. The thrill of being young, the questions, the realizations, and the growth all form a part of almost everyone's youth, and I feel that the author did a good job of expressing this.
     There are many aspects of the writing that remind me of Dostoyevsky and Kafka; the idea about cynicism and the faults of humanity, as well as the pressures and threats that the institutions place on us are all in some way described. In my opinion, Adrian is the most interesting character so far. Adrian follows the rules; he is intellectual, versatile, witty, humorous, and a leader. Like Tony says, he always listened to the boys' conversations, but never took part in them. He did not share the boys' opinions and always made them look at things from a different perspective. I like Adrian, and I feel that he does not let things get to him that normal people would be affected by. He does not form part of the masses He chooses his battles and is not afraid to speak his mind. He just knows when it is worth it, and when it is not.
     I felt as if although Colin, Tony, and Alex all had similar opinions and perspectives, they were pretty accepting. They never mocked Adrian for the way he was, and did not condemn him for having a different opinion. I liked that about these boys, and though they may have had strong ideas that were seemingly immature or irrational, they were pretty intelligent and inquisitive. Another thing I noticed about the boys was that they felt as if they were imprisoned by education, family, and religion (institutions). They had this "I cant wait to be free" energy to them, and felt that some of the ideals implemented in their growth were ridiculous. They attempted to have this mentality that, in their opinion, was unlike most peoples', but actually ended up having the complete opposite effect. By thinking in a way in order to "be different," they were acting just like everyone else. Which is why Adrian stands out as a strong-minded character; because he follows the rules and does nothing to try to be different than everyone else. He simply is.