the soloist 4

Camille Franchine
June 8, 2009
Mr. Fiorini
English 3
Who Needs Who

After reading the soloist I feel even stronger about my previous post. A person, like Nathaniel, can be happy with the few possessions he has. A person, who wouldn’t be thought of as happy, lives a happier life than the person who is thought to have a great life. In this case, Nathaniel’s life didn’t seem that great while Steve’s did. In reality, Nathaniel was so much happier with his life than Steve was.
In this book, Steve did a great thing for Nathaniel by trying to help him. Although Nathaniel was happy with his life, Steve still tried to help him. However, in reality I think that Steve needed Nathaniel more than Nathaniel needed Steve; although they both needed each other.
Nathaniel was happy and content with his life and didn’t think he needed Steve to help him with anything. However, deep down he needed someone to love him and care for him the way that Steve did. So although he didn’t need the kind of help that Steve was trying to give him, Steve gave Nathaniel a friend, and that’s all he needed to complete him.
As far as Steve needing Nathaniel goes, Steve was never focused on anything more before he met Nathaniel. Nathaniel took up most of his time and Steve become obsessed with Nathaniel. There came a point where he just couldn’t stop caring because he would constantly wonder where Nathaniel was and how he was doing. Besides Steve’s obsession, Nathaniel taught Steve some things that I too learned from reading this book. Steve learned not to take things for granted and to appreciate the little thing in life. He saw how happy Nathaniel was and realized that it doesn’t take much. He also realized how important his family was. By being away from them so much, he treasured the times he was with them more. He also learned that people with mental disabilities are still people.
All in all, Steve helped himself by trying to help Nathaniel. He learned simple life lessons and made a great friend. He realized that things aren’t always as they seem.