"Everybody wants to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down” Oprah Winfrey once said. In the books “The Garbage King” by Elizabeth Laird and “The Ocean At The End Of The Lane” by Neil Gaiman, a similar universal truth is explored, relating to the quote above. One of the themes both books explore is pertaining to the effect of money on relationships. That it is not the money that affects you negatively or positively, but rather how you let yourself get affected by money.
In “The Ocean At The End Of The Lane,” we spectate a fight between a husband and a wife over money. The husband accuses the wife of doing illegal things when he sees her purse stashed with money. “She says she doesn’t know where they [the shrilling notes] came from, and he doesn’t believe her. He doesn’t know what to believe.” This particular scene shows how money can affect your relationships negatively and shatter existing trust. Here, the money was the catalyst for their fight, but the couple could have taken it forward another way instead of fighting, even though some may think otherwise.
In “The garbage King,” by Elizabeth Laird, we notice how the two main characters, Dani and Mamo, bond over time because of the lack of money. “He was completely dependent on Mamo, for food and water and everything. If Mamo deserted him, he’d either have to go back outside and get picked up by the police or stay, a prisoner, right here in this cemetery until he starved to death.” In this particular example from the garbage King, we understand how reliant Dani is. After living a life filled with money and material, he realizes the true meaning behind friendship because of Mamo, which just becomes stronger everyday because the lack of money.
Even though these two scenarios are very different, we can find similarities between them. In both the books, it is up to the characters whether they will use the stick or not after the author gives them the carrot. For instance, in the garbage King, Mamo and Dani’s relationship could have ended [the stick] the moment Dani gave Mamo money [the carrot] to buy some food for both of them. Inspire of finally being able to hold a 10 birr note, Mamo was true to his word and came back to help Dani. After this, both boys trusted each other with their lives, instead of letting the money ruin their relationship.
Some may counter this by saying that it is not the people who chose to be affected by money. They may say that instead of the money being the one affecting you, it is the situation you deal with. While both of these might be valid, many situations in life are challenging. The authors chose to show money as a greater threat, even standing on it’s own, instead of just being a mere factor in a situation where someone's relationship is affected.
In conclusion, both “The Ocean At The End Of The Lane” and “The Garbage King” explore the theme of money and it’s important in our lives. Without money, we wouldn’t be able to do much. Readers might conclude that ultimately, it is up to us to chose how we are affected by money. Like in everything in life, there is a reaction. It is up to us whether we chose for that reaction to become a positive or a negative factor in our lives.
By Ananya
In “The Ocean At The End Of The Lane,” we spectate a fight between a husband and a wife over money. The husband accuses the wife of doing illegal things when he sees her purse stashed with money. “She says she doesn’t know where they [the shrilling notes] came from, and he doesn’t believe her. He doesn’t know what to believe.” This particular scene shows how money can affect your relationships negatively and shatter existing trust. Here, the money was the catalyst for their fight, but the couple could have taken it forward another way instead of fighting, even though some may think otherwise.
In “The garbage King,” by Elizabeth Laird, we notice how the two main characters, Dani and Mamo, bond over time because of the lack of money. “He was completely dependent on Mamo, for food and water and everything. If Mamo deserted him, he’d either have to go back outside and get picked up by the police or stay, a prisoner, right here in this cemetery until he starved to death.” In this particular example from the garbage King, we understand how reliant Dani is. After living a life filled with money and material, he realizes the true meaning behind friendship because of Mamo, which just becomes stronger everyday because the lack of money.
Even though these two scenarios are very different, we can find similarities between them. In both the books, it is up to the characters whether they will use the stick or not after the author gives them the carrot. For instance, in the garbage King, Mamo and Dani’s relationship could have ended [the stick] the moment Dani gave Mamo money [the carrot] to buy some food for both of them. Inspire of finally being able to hold a 10 birr note, Mamo was true to his word and came back to help Dani. After this, both boys trusted each other with their lives, instead of letting the money ruin their relationship.
Some may counter this by saying that it is not the people who chose to be affected by money. They may say that instead of the money being the one affecting you, it is the situation you deal with. While both of these might be valid, many situations in life are challenging. The authors chose to show money as a greater threat, even standing on it’s own, instead of just being a mere factor in a situation where someone's relationship is affected.
In conclusion, both “The Ocean At The End Of The Lane” and “The Garbage King” explore the theme of money and it’s important in our lives. Without money, we wouldn’t be able to do much. Readers might conclude that ultimately, it is up to us to chose how we are affected by money. Like in everything in life, there is a reaction. It is up to us whether we chose for that reaction to become a positive or a negative factor in our lives.
By Ananya
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