Pages

Monday, November 30, 2015

"The Quiet One" by Deven K.

      Robbie was the quietest kid in his class and not many people knew his name, let alone even know he was in their class. Regardless, Robbie was a very heartwarming and kind person who never expected anyone to repay him in anyway. He always went out of his way to help anyone in need, friend or foe. He helped his bullies no matter what they had done to him, as if it had never happened. Many thought it to be strange, but that was just the type of person Robbie was. The main reason why Robbie was like this was because of his mother. She was always looking after others and Robbie had always questioned the motive behind his mother being so kind to people she’d never met or seen before. Every time he would ask, his mother simply replied, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” Of course he knew the meaning of the phrase but couldn’t relate it to why his mother was so kind to strangers. He would ask her what exactly she meant but she would give no answer and so he went about asking her at every opportunity he had. No matter when or where he asked her, she replied with the same line, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” One morning as Robbie was getting ready to go to school, he noticed that his mom wasn’t out of bed yet and went to check up on her. Knowing her cheerful self, he thought that there was no way something would be wrong. She was laying in her bed very ill and had told Robbie to call for an ambulance. He asked her what was wrong but she refused to tell him. He would do anything and everything to help his mother in any way because he knew that she’d do the same if it were anyone else in her position. After a month had gone by, Robbie’s mom’s condition worsened and she eventually passed away. Heartbroken, Robbie tried to find meaning to what his mom really meant by everything she had ever told him. As he thought hard about what had caused him to be in this situation, something came to him. “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” Everything made sense. Everything clicked inside his head. Although his mother had seemed very happy and healthy on the outside, what was going on in the inside was a different story, as if she were a book. Thinking to himself he then came up with the reason as to why his mom was so kind to so many strangers. Many people also ask him why he’s so kind to people he doesn’t know or even to people who are mean to him. When asked he’ll say “Just because someone looks happy, that doesn’t actually mean that they’re happy on the inside.” He figured that being nice never hurt anyone and everyone benefits from it, so why not? Some of his friends also asked him why he’s nice, because not everyone will repay him with the same amount of kindness or even at all. Robbie tells them that just the satisfaction of helping someone in need is enough of a reward. On top of his mother’s recent passing, he has to move schools to live with his dad, leaving his friends behind. His dad had suspected that Robbie would be a bit down after having to leave his old home and relocate, but Robbie had acted normally and was already going around helping others as if he had never left home. His dad asked him if he was okay and wondered why he was so kind to others. So he simply replied “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” He was homesick, missed all of his friends, and was quite depressed about his mom. He told no one of the pain he was feeling inside and in doing so, he realized that this is exactly what his mom had done too. So, he helped others and helped himself in the process by doing so, as he enjoyed helping people. While in the process of doing so he thought, “No matter how large or small the deed, a little kindness and positivity can go a long way.” Looking back he now knew what his mom must have felt like back then. At least he found out why he’s so quiet. Info Prompt: D Flash Fiction Title: The Quiet One

22 comments:

  1. What a heartwarming piece Deven, I love the character you built for Robbie and his message and reason for completing that message. It's funny, everyone has heard of the phrase, but many do not understand the phrase or how to fulfill it, and to know that you created a character, maybe fictional or inspired, that fulfills this phrase warms my heart. Great piece, loved it!
    -Samar Elshekh P.3

    ReplyDelete
  2. Indeed this was a very heart warming piece! I love how this piece can relate to a person's smile, because a smile can say so much more. Someone can be hiding their stress, sadness etc. behind a smile. The smile is just a cover up and your piece really connects to this. I agree with Samar on how a lot of people do know the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover", but they don't really know the purpose or meaning behind it because they still do it. Overall, it was a touching piece Deven! Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love this piece! I also try to be kind to people as much as I possibly can so I can really connect with this piece. I have just taken the negative influences in my life and turned them into an excuse to help others. I love the way the character was shaped by something in his life just as everything in my life has influenced me so much.

    ReplyDelete
  4. First off, this was a wonderful piece Deven! I'm sure everyone can relate to this piece in one way or another because of how Robbie's mother wore a mask to hide her true feelings. We can all learn from this, and if not learn, then be reminded of how people feel even if they don't show it at all. All in all, this was a pleasure to read Deven! Keep up the good work.
    -Antonio Barron Period 3

    ReplyDelete
  5. I enjoyed reading this piece from beginning to end, it was absolutely beautiful! I loved how you were able to use the phrase to create a plot for the story, and I liked how you were able to make a message out of it for the readers. Great job Deven!!

    Daveena San
    Period 2

    ReplyDelete
  6. A good piece. The moral was very meaningful. I think this is deep in some ways, like we really shouldn't judge with out knowing the person. It was very put together. Good Job!
    Ashley Garcia
    Per.4

    ReplyDelete
  7. I liked the overall theme of this piece. The whole "be kind to everyone" and "have an open mind" idea is something that definetely needs to be addressed more often. Great job!
    Kelene Hirata
    P.2

    ReplyDelete
  8. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think this story can relate to everyone. A smile can be deceptive, to the one you're smiling at and yourself. We tend to forget that there can be something worse going on inside of someone. Great piece Deven, stories like these really make people consider what they should do in their lives.

    PD.2

    ReplyDelete
  10. I think this story can relate to everyone. A smile can be deceptive, to the one you're smiling at and yourself. We tend to forget that there can be something worse going on inside of someone. Great piece Deven, stories like these really make people consider what they should do in their lives.

    PD.2

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a beautiful sentiment you've touched on and unfortunately a very true one. I enjoyed your character development and your message as well.
    p5

    ReplyDelete
  12. I read this while studying inside of a Starbucks and it was a mistake. This narrative made me cry! I'm quiet myself, so I usually try to avoid attracting attention from other people, but one plot twist led to another and next thing I know my mascara is four inches down my face and the woman on her laptop in the adjacent corner is staring me down.

    With my personal issues aside, I thought the plot was unpredictable because with such a positive introduction, I wasn't really expecting anything to go wrong. But I was very wrong...
    The moment the mom wasn't awake at her usual time, I knew you'd included an unpleasant plot twist, but I kept hoping for my hunch to be incorrect.
    I felt an emotional connection with Robbie. I just wanted Robbie to have a perfect, happy life.
    Despite the character's mother's death, I'm pleased that you still managed to create a happy ending for this story. Robbie sounds like he's very mature and understanding for his age. He's very optimistic, and he learned all of this from his mother, which added to the cohesiveness of the plot. In the end, the details all came together and overall everything about this narrative flowed nicely. This was a great read! Well-done.

    ReplyDelete
  13. The moral of this piece is definitely a good one. I think it's true that a little kindness and positivity can go a long way. Additionally I loved how you portrayed your character of Robbie. Great work Deven!

    Joseph Jacinto
    Period 5

    ReplyDelete
  14. The common phrase "Don't judge a book by its cover" is so clearly explained and related in this story. I found myself emphatizing with Robbie- from the fact that he's particularly quiet and still shows all those he meets with the same kindness and affection that his mother had done. Despite his internal emotions, he still does his best to maintain a happy, kind persona. I really enjoyed this story. Well done!

    Amber Tacderan
    Period 2

    ReplyDelete
  15. The whole moral of this piece is overall a great one. I think a lot of people should read this and learn from it. I've actually related to some of this. Amazing job!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I have realized that when people are mean, it is because they're hurting and are dealing with something. I leave it at that usually but after reading your piece I realize that happy people can also be dealing with something dark on the inside. People love and hide behind facades for all different kinds of reasons. You stress the need to look beyond what a person presents and that is an important humbling consideration to keep.
    jeannette martinez
    period 2

    ReplyDelete
  17. This was an amazing piece, and a very enjoyable read. I loved your use of imagery throughout the piece as well as the meaning of your topic, showing that others aren't what we always perceive them to be. It was a very heartwarming piece, great job Deven!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Wonderful job, Deven! I love the moral of your story. It says a lot about the type of people who spread happiness and love to others, despite internal emotional struggles or hardships. Your writing is very captivating :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Great writing Deven. I really enjoyed reading this piece. It says how people feel make them do crazy things how. The imagery was fantastic throughout the story
    Period1
    Evanne Turner

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love the message that you had on the world. I share this same message and hold it most dearly to me. I have always known that whoever I meet in the world, I know that they have either lost someone, is going through a hard time, has some stress behind them, or a story. No one has ever been fine their whole lives and it is the hardships we go through that shape the person we see in the mirror today. I really connected with this piece. Thank you for the read!

    ReplyDelete
  22. This was such a quiet and amazing story. I couldn't really see or picture everything, but it was easy to understand the story line and grasp the theme of it as well. I think you did an amazing job on expanding a well known phrase and concept, putting a story behind it to amplify its true meaning.

    ReplyDelete

Remember, make your comment positive, supportive, and specific to the piece you're commenting on. No anonymous comments! :)