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  • Essay / Literary Analysis Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie - 936

    Brothers and sisters – the most annoying things in the world. They are horrible and wonderful beings, and you would end up sacrificing everything for them. In the novel Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick, Steven Alper, the main character, learns exactly how wonderful and horrible it can be to have a younger brother. Steven is a typical 8th grader: he is continually upset with his younger brother Jeffrey, he has a crush on a girl who doesn't acknowledge his existence, and he plays drums in the All-City Jazz Band. As Steven struggles throughout his life, his world stops when his five-year-old brother is diagnosed with leukemia. As Steven and his family struggle to overcome Jeffrey's cancer diagnosis, the Alper family learns the true meaning of sacrifice. "I guess that's a good start." This would be the longest journal I have ever written in English class. It was September, when I was pretty sure about life. The topic was “The Most Boring Thing in the World”” (p. 1). In the Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie talk itself, Steven returns to his newspaper article “Truly Annoying Things.” He explains his sacrifices for Jeffrey as an older brother, even before Jeffrey's leukemia diagnosis. Steven has to give up much of his parents' attention once Jeffrey is born. “How would you like to be the king of the planet for eight glorious years, then suddenly be demoted to viceroy? » (p. 4). As an older brother, Steven must also sacrifice his possessions. For example, Steven owns a pair of Regal Tip 5As with nylon tips signed by his drumming idol, Carter Beauford. Obviously, Steven is attached to his precious pair of wands, but he is forced to sacrifice them when Jeffrey plays with Steven's epic wand... middle of paper ... it was a success, earning over twenty thousand dollars. . Steven is in 8th grade, a beautiful girl to his left and another to his right. Jeffrey's leukemia improves, proving that the Alpers' sacrifices were worth it. During the conclusion of the story, Steven's development as a person is evident. He goes from "pretty confident about life" (p. 1) to "I guess my greatest achievement may have been learning that there's more to life than playing a big drum solo" (p. 270). Earlier this year, Jeffrey was on Steven's list of "really annoying things." By the end of his 8th grade, Steven had grown to greatly appreciate his brother, even going so far as to say, "Jeffrey, I love you." Throughout the year, the Alpers demonstrated how sacrificing important aspects of their lives can help overcome difficulties.