Sometimes I find myself waking up with bruises, but their origin is unknown to me. The main character in the novel Bruiser by Neal Shusterman, Brewster, wakes up with these kind of bruises all the time, almost daily. Occasionally, it may be more than a bruise, perhaps a fracture in his arm. Why? Well, Brewster can steal without the desire. Although, he doesn't steal groceries or pointless toys, he steals wounds from those he loves. Brewster was born with this disadvantage and he will live with it forever. The catalyst, Bronte in this story helps him through his struggles that he goes through and helps him turn into a more loving person, rather than filled with forced and unwanted resentment. This book helps explain his overcoming of the power and how to control it in order to make friends, undo a relationship with an abusive and alcoholic relative, and truly waking up from the coma bringing a promising future.
From Brewster's many transformations throughout the novel, one aspect was befriending people. Starting the book, Brewster was known as the person "most likely to receive death penalty" due to him not wanting people to look to him as a friend. He wanted to shut out the world so there was no chance for him to produce additional wounds. Throughout the book, Bronte helps him realize friends are for the greater good, no matter the pain. Bronte promised to him that she, and others who know of his condition, would learn to want their pain so his suffer would be limited. Her friends become his friends and his heart grows as if it's the roots of grass in the springtime. For instance, Bronte was comprehending, "Brew was embraced by my friends and was finally able to feel a part of a circle larger than just his immediate family." Notice how the quote said: "finally", and said his only friends in the past were his "immediate family". If Brewster didn't have Bronte, he wouldn't have known to open up to friends, let alone meet the charming companions that Bronte has.
Now that Brewster is beginning to make new acquaintances, his eyes open up a little wider and he realizes that loving his uncle needs to be abandoned. Uncle Hoyt caused Brew excruciating pain without even laying a finger on him. In this story, Brewster's brother, Cody, was referred as a "rag doll" because that's who Uncle Hoyt would aim for; it is him who takes the real hits. "My uncle. Who left me battered. Yet never laid a hand on me..." With time, Bronte taught Brew how unacceptable his uncle's actions are and he learned this in just in time. Uncle Hoyt's drinking problem was outrageous one day when Brew returned from school. Without even entering the house he could feel the pressure on his chest building up; Brew sensed the sinfulness of Uncle Hoyt. Immediately when he saw him, he was aware of what was going on, he was having a stroke. Changing wasn't just an option now, it was a life or death situation at this point. Throughout this branch of the novel, Brew overcomes an immeasurable mountain, he finds strength to tell Uncle Hoyt how abhorrent he is. "Can I find it in my heart to NOT find it in my heart? I dig down, down, down, to make the numbness taking root in my body invade that place in me that still cares about you and purge it so that I can leave you," convincing himself it's not worth dying over Uncle Hoyt.
Stronger than ever now by overpowering his uncle, farther along the lines of the book, Brew trips into a coma from saving Bronte before she drowned. I'm convinced that this coma he's in is more of a symbolic reference. For instance, he isn't completely transformed yet. Despite the fact Brew woke up from his coma on the very last page of the book, there is no doubt that he has developed from the foreshadowing due to what Bronte's brother offers Brew through thought, "So open your eyes, Brew. Open your eyes, and talk to us. We'll keep our pain, but I promise we'll share our joy. Talk to us, Brew . . . because we're finally ready to take your call." This is letting us know, not only that his past has been tough, but his future will be bright with this family along side him. From this promise, Brew will gain an insight on the world filled with more pleasure than before.
Bruiser's story line is weaved through another novel titled Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez. Within each novel, the main characters both have an intense guardian. The protagonist, Carmen, has a mother that is incredibly controlling and demanding because she wants to live through Carmen and have her be a violinist that the entire world knows. Feeling as Brew did toward his Uncle, Carmen wanted to breakout of her house and decide for herself what she is and isn't passionate for and doing this all while her mother is unaware. Eventually Carmen meets her catalyst, Jeremy, who leads her away from her mother and into his arms. Nearing the end of the book, Carmen is given the option to be content and do what suits her. Reflecting back towards Bruiser, Brew has the option in the conclusion as well to decide what his heart is really set for.
Virtuosity has an extremely similar design to Bruiser in which both characters changed dramatically. Essentially, Brew changed by creating new friends, separating from his Uncle Hoyt, and lastly awaking from a symbolic-type coma all through Bronte. Once Brew's eyes are opened, it is that much easier for him to see the opportunities that his life is welcoming. If it wasn't for the catalyst, Bronte, Brew would have been dead and his life would be over. Although, with her, doors are opened and his future is glimmering with everlasting hope.
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