Theme #2

  The second theme I found in 'The Messenger' by Lois Lowry was 'not all change is good'. In the story 'The Messenger', the main character Matty lives in a place called Village. Village is nearby a place called Forest that Matty is very familiar with. he knows all of the paths and places to go. However, when Matty must go to get Kira and bring her to Village, Forest changes. Forest turns on Matty, becoming hostile and ominous. Things begin to rot away around him, literally. When Matty gets to Kira and begin their journey back through Forest, it is prepared to kill them. Forest changed, so did Village. People in Village are starting to trade things away for love or material things. For example, Ramon and his family's trade for the Gaming Machine. Another example would be when Mentor starts to trade something, but no one knows what it is. Matty makes a note of this when he goes to Trade Mart one day and he sees Mentor trading. Matty notices Mentor beginning to change also. He pushed people out of the way just to get noticed by the Trade Master, and his birthmark is fading. His physique is different also. He is standing straighter and taller, and his voice is different. People begin to change in Village, and it is not for the better, like people say most change would be. So, not all change is good.