Don't Call Me Ishmael Essay

598 Words3 Pages
Don’t Call Me Ishmael, written by Michael Gerard Bauer was about a high school boy who faces the fears of most fourteen-year-old boys do. He faced the school bullied most and days and struggling until the new boy James Scobie arrives. During this novel James Scobie changes Ishmaels life by helping him face his fears in ways such as gaining his confidence, teaching him to stand up to the school bully, Barry Bagsley and by teaching him how to be a leader. James Scobie helps Ishmael change his life by gaining his confidence. In the novel, James helps Ishmael to gain his confidence by convincing Ishmael to speak in the debate. As Ishmael was normally timekeeper he was the last resource for the team otherwise it was a forfeit, which meant no finals. For Ishmael to have done this and accepted the challenge he was well out of his comfort zone, he was facing his fear, speaking to an audience. James Scobie influenced this by teaching the power of positive thinking and believing in him. Ishmael believed that James Scobie has it easy because he has his fear cut out of his brain but James let Ishmael in on the secret that he believes “one can only handle so much fear”. Ishmael then faces his fear by going to that debate and speaking in front of the audience. A quote from the book to back this statement “But I’m only the researcher, that’s what you said… and we’ll…have you to thank for it” (150-151). Ishmael also has problems with one school bully, Barry. James Scobie helps him to stand up to him. James Scobie helps Ishmael to overcome his fear of Barry bullying him by showing him loyalty of friends and makes him more confident in himself. James Scobie asked Ishmael to join the debated team which this is where Ishmael made a few new friends, James Scobie showed the importance of friendship and loyalty to others,
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