Skellig Analysis

FAH-SAI PUNYASHTHITI 8C GREEN HOUSE

The book Skellig is a fantasy realism novel, this book is written by David Almond. The book

Skellig is written in 1st person and follows the perspective of a 10 year old boy called Michael. He
has struggle in his life, stress about the family and helping a creature he found in the old broken down garage, the creature is called Skellig. The book Skellig has several different morals and themes that are very important in the book. One of the most important one is to not give up on the ones who you love and care for. Since that Michael kept helping and fighting for what he wanted and believed in, everything turned out alright and Skellig, the family, Mina and Michael was safe and healthy in the end. Almond expresses the theme in several ways, such as when he took care of Skellig and/or taking care of the baby and worrying about her the whole time.

Firstly, one of the ways that the theme is expressed when Michael helped take care of the baby until she got better; he had tried to ask for help hoping that she would be alright. Also, before that, the baby was very ill but when Michael fought and helped the baby, the baby got better and finally went back home to live a life that is not in the hospital. In the hospital, the baby was in a glass case again. There were wires and tubes going into her (49). This quote shows that Almond is telling the reader that the baby is very sick and is currently in the hospital which means that the baby is nearly dying and unhealthy. He wants to show this in order to tell that something is wrong and Michael is stressed and worried about it. Almond has used the word again in the sentence to show that the baby has been sick several of times and close to passing away. She reached out and scratch with her time nails at the skin of my face, she togged at my lips and touched my tongue, and she tasted of milk and salt and something mysterious. Sweet and sour all at once, she whimpered and gurgled., I held her closer and her dark eyes look right into me, right in to the place where all my dreams were, and she smiled (180). However, in this sentence in the book, it tells the reader that the baby I alright and is happy again. This quote is located at the very end of the book when Michael has helped and cared for the baby, this shows that the relationship of Michael and the baby is very close and also it shows that Michael has not given up on the baby and when she has survived, he seems to be very happy, the baby too.

Secondly, in addition the first evidence, another person that Michael cares is his very close friend, Mina. In the book, Skellig, it tells us that Michael relationship with Mina grows bigger throughout the whole book; they have a strong, powerful connection which is very ambiguous yet strong. I imagined her alone with Skellig in the dark house. I caught them laughing at me. Missing her already? coot said. I raised my eyes and tried to grin. I went to sit on our front garden wall (106). Michael decides to no longer hide his relationship with Mina to his other friends in his school and try to open up and tell them and introduce them to Mina. Even when Michael is not with Mina, he cares about her and wonders if she is alright. In addition to that, Michael tries to defend and protect Mina so that she does not get teased by any of his friends.

Lastly, another thing that Michael cared the most about is Skellig. If Skellig did not receive Michaels help, he will certainly very ill and not get better. Michael has helped Skellig by going in to the garage and asking him if he could help with anything. I thought he was dead. He was sitting with his legs stretched out and his head tipped back against the wall. And what do you want he said. He opened his eyes and looked up at me. His voice squeaked like he hadnt used it in years. What do you want? (8).These two quotes from the book were at the beginning when Michael just met him. It is predicted that Skellig was not very opened and friendly to Michael, yet. Skellig yelled and impolitely asked Michael some questions while Michael was about to help him. Almond wrote these to express the feeling that Skellig had for Michael and first which was unwelcoming but since that Michael cared about Skellig, he had tried to help Skellig first because of his poor condition that he was in and he knows that there are danger coming his way. Who are you? she whispered. He winced with pain. My name is Skellig, he said. (87), this shows that Skellig is being very open and not very ambiguous to Michael any more. He is being more caring and trusting Michael to help him. Another quote is He seemed stronger than hed ever been. He took my hand and Minas hand, and we stood there, the tree of us, linked in the moonlight and the old bare floorboards. He squeezed my hand as it to reassure me, when he smiled at me I caught the stench of his breath (119). This was the first time he smiled at Michael and/or even holds hands with him. This means that he truly thank him for what he has done. This shows that Michael has not given up on Skellig and cared for him until he got better and healthy.

In conclusion, the book, Skellig has a strong and powerful theme and moral about the relationship of a character and another character. However the book also includes about how Michael does not give up on people that he love and cares for, he fights for them and make them happy so that they can live and survive. One example of a real world situation is when someone who you love and care for is in danger and you help them for their goods. This a is universal theme since that it shows people that to not give up on their hopes and cares for other people and to fight for other people.