September Monthly Connection

During our Socratic Seminar for The Power of One, I was really hoping we would be able to discuss question ten about Peekay's train ride home from school, but, unfortunately, we didn't. In my opinion, this is the moment where Peekay decides to really grow up and become a man. He gets rid of Pisskop and becomes known as Peekay. To me, this is huge in Peekay's journey. Being able to shed his former image really helped him to become the successful person that he was. He didn't have to worry about anybody remembering him as Pisskop and using that against him. It was also on this train ride that Peekay met Hoppie, who was my favorite character in the book. Hoppie gave Peekay a dream, and the thirst to succeed at something. He also gave Peekay the beginning of the tools that he would need to achieve that dream. I think that everyone has a moment where they really have to let go of their childhood and "grow up." We often see in movies about a child having to grow up and stop acting like a child. In class, we saw Eveline grow up when she had to make the decision between staying with her family or running away; Stephen Dedalus had to do it when making the decision to either join the clergy or be an artist. Whether it is our own choice or it is forced upon us, we all most do it. As much as I would love to, I know that I can't stay a kid forever. Peekay realized that very early on in his life and it really helped him to reach for the stars, as cheesy as that sounds, and I think that it was this train ride that was the start of Pisskop's new life as Peekay, future welterweight champion of the world.