Chapter 1- Introduction

I found the beginning of this novel quite interesting, especially in talking about the religious upbringing. I was not raised in a religious environment and always thought the idea of having to grow up in a religious household to be one of parents being very strict and unforgiving. I liked the idea that Aaron's mom wanted him to learn about his heritage and grow up understanding where his family came from and about their beliefs. When we are kids we do not realize that our parents probably had the same feelings that we did and had the similar resentments towards their parents. It is not till we grow older that we understand what our parents are trying to instill in us and how it will apply to life. I know that a lot of the lessons I learned in grade school, while at the time were quite annoying, could be used later in life. I remember muttering to myself, "I am never going to use this stuff." While knowing the capitals of all the states has not helped me in life (with the exception of the occasional trivia game), I did take away a lot from what I learned when I was younger. It was not till I was older that I really understood why we took art classes, music classes, math classes, English classes and science classes. It gives you an appreciation of the arts and an understanding of life. It was nice to get the insight to a religious upbringing and allows me to better understand my girlfriend who is Jewish and had a similar upbringing that Aaron was "forced" to endure. I always thought that she took it a little too serious at times, now I know why. Her family and religious leaders in a sense drilled these beliefs into her and she now follows these beliefs. I relate to the mother's persistence that he learn music and Hebrew, it's amazing how much my mother was persistent in her own ways of making me eat vegetables at the dinner table (thank goodness my sister loved vegetables or I might still be at the dinner table starring at that squash dish). I really looked back at my childhood and relate to it now just like Aaron does and realize how much we under-appreciate what we learn and really how we fail to understand it's this knowledge that our parents truly understand how it will help us later in life. We tend to forget our parents were kids too.