I Guess You Could Stay I'm Marked for Greatness

           Being different isn’t always a bad thing. In all actuality, it’s majority of the time a great thing; it’s what sets one apart from everyone else. Seeing as so many stories are written where the outcast succeeds, or the nerd gets girl, or the brainiac becomes a millionaire, why is it that we still have societal pressures to conform? That’s what I thought a lot about while reading this chapter; how is it that we can’t pick up on the fact that underdog always wins? Beats me. Maybe it’s because it’s easier to see it written out than actually carried out. Well, while reading, I notice that Thomas talked about how an injury or deformity can be a mark for future greatness, and right when I read that I recalled how I broke my foot at the end of my freshman year. I also broke my wrist my sophomore year as well, so technically I am double-destined. Does that mean I am going to be super successful later in life? I hope so. So I guess you should be honored to have me in your class this school year. But in all actuality, if I were a character in some novel, then yes, according to Thomas, I would be marked for greatness.

          I think the best example to support Thomas’ idea of a character being “marked for greatness” is Aang, the Avatar. Avatar: The Last Airbender is, for one, one of the best animated shows that I’ve seen in a very long time, and it also supports everything that Thomas was explaining in this chapter. Aang, being the reincarnate of previous Avatars (persons/spirits capable of bending all the elements), is the most powerful and spiritual person of all the tribes. As the Avatar, Aang has arrows on his head, hands, and feet, almost like scars (just like Harry Potter), but instead of it aching when danger is near, the arrows glow a bright blue light when he enters the Avatar state during combat. This scar sets him aside from everyone else, even those who are capable of bending elements as well, because this tells everyone that Aand, and only Aang, is the Avatar, and he’s the only one who can save the nations. This scar shows that he is marked for greatness, just like Harry Potter, or Richard the III, or anyone else Thomas mentioned in this chapter.

          I wonder, though, how is it that these creepy deformities or scars, or injuries can mark someone as great? I thought they were to be signs or an enemy or a villain, aren’t they? In all the stories i’ve read or seen, the villain never comes out on top (except that one movie, Megamind, with Brad Pitt). So how am I supposed to know if someone is supposed to be evil or be the one who ends up succeeding? I suppose I just have to wait and see what happens at the end of the story.