Universal truths can be found in modern day fiction as well, such as Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Random Riggs. In this book, Jake witnessed his grandfather’s murder by a monster, but no one would believe his story. In order to gain closure, he visited the island in where his grandfather grew up.
Many of the characters in the novel show selflessness, as they help Jake almost instantly. Miss Peregrine washes his clothes and gives him dinner without knowing much about him. Also, Jake himself shows seflessness. He gives up his time to restore the name of his grandpa, even though it was not his responsibility.
Many of the characters in the novel show selflessness, as they help Jake almost instantly. Miss Peregrine washes his clothes and gives him dinner without knowing much about him. Also, Jake himself shows seflessness. He gives up his time to restore the name of his grandpa, even though it was not his responsibility.
At the beginning of the book, Jake is the only one who wants to help his grandpa. This feeling is shown when his parents tell him they will sort out all this “grandpa stuff”. Jake takes offense to their poor choice of words, by saying, “‘you mean put him in a home,’ I said. ‘Make him someone else’s problem.’”(Riggs 25). This quotation shows that he is mad at his parents for referring to his grandfather in such a way, and he wants to help him rather than someone else help him. This notion shows his loyalty to his grandpa. Also, Jake shows great loyalty to the peculiar children. He defends them from the wights, and does what he can to make sure they are safe. At one point of the book, Golan, who turns out to be a wight, offers Jake another option. “Did I consider it? I suppose I must have, if only for a moment. Dr. Golan was offering me exactly what I’d been looking for; a third option. A future that was neither stay here forever nor leave and die. But one look at my friends, their faces etched with worry, banished any temptation” (Riggs 293). Jake had said himself that Golan offered him exactly what he wanted, but he did not want to desert his friends. It took a great amount of loyalty for Jake to reject his offer.
Lastly, the children show a great deal of bravery. At the beginning of the book, Jake wanted to investigate further into his grandpa’s death, even though he was scared of what he would find. As the book progressed, he showed less signs of weakness, even going on to kill a hollow. After he had killed the hollow, Jake’s confidence boosted, saying that “It made me feel powerful. Now I could defend myself. I knew I’d never be as strong as my grandfather, but I wasn’t a gutless weakling either. I could kill them” (Riggs 303). Because of this experience, Jake is now able to go on and help the children; travelling the world, finding more loops, and hopefully defeating the wights once and for all.