Analysis Of The Book The Cider House Rules - Essay Example

Number Key points in plot Homer Wells is one significant inhabitant of St. Clouds. We learn of the life of homer as he grows up to become a hero in his own way. He shows us of his dominate quality- his eagerness to be of use. He attempts to be of use to all his four foster homes. In his first family, he becomes calm and silent baby that he gets returned (Irving 34). His second family always wanted him to cry. He accommodated them by becoming a legendary screamer all over the town of Three Miles Falls.

Homer attempts to be of use to each of his foster families in his third family, he attempts getting to be of use by following every of their advice but when he realizes he has no use to them, he leaves. In his fourth family, just for one night, he reads to them. Finally, in St. Clouds, he tries to do whatever he can to be of use. He spends all his life, as the director’s medical assistance and as a director, being of use (Irving 36). When homer learns about Larch’s secrets- him secretly being an abortionist, driven by the sight of the black-alley horrors- he considers it morally wrong.

He befriends Candy Kendall, a couple to Wally Worthington, who need an abortion. He leaves and goes with them to Wally’s family’s orchard. He develops love for Candy secretly (Irving 78). They get a child together- Angel. After he knows of Larch’s death, he goes back to St. Clouds as a director.toi show his heroism nature; he maintains his dislike for abortions. However he honors the choice of his parents and continues Dr. Wilbur’s legacy. Even though he has all the training to be an obstetrician and gynecologist and has adequate knowledge on performing abortions, he goes ahead and objects to the latter.

He refuses completely to do them (Irving 34). He is questioned repeatedly throughout this film, on this subject, and he responds to this by declining to perform the abortions with a reason that he is not formally trained as a doctor, and that they are illegal. He hopes for a day to come when abortions will be legal, free, and safe, when he’ll no longer be obliged to perform them (Irving 66). We can describe The Cider House Rules as a coming-of-age story. These tales trail a character from babyhood to adulthood, all the way through his/her moral knowledge, until as a hero; he/she finds a place in life.

A true hero, like Homer, is the one who takes decisive action in finding out his/her destiny or fate (Irving 44). The first decisive action that Homer takes is leaving St. Clouds for a new life exploration. He goes to the apple orchard. Biblically, apples symbolize knowledge and temptation. Homer, by escaping to Ocean View, is leaving the childhood innocence and tries to seek worldly knowledge. He undergoes temptations, as an adult through his best friend’s girlfriend Candy. These are moral decisions he faces that help him mature (Irving 74).

  Homer Wells shows passiveness all through much of the book. He tags on Candy’s motto (wait and see), and lets life to occur to him, instead of creating a destiny of his own. Until the end of the book is when Homer ceases his wandering and takes on adult responsibility. He chooses to use knowledge to help people like Rose. Other women together with Rose like him at St. Cloud’s making him become his own life’s hero (Irving 94). Works Cited Irving, John. The Cider House of Rules. New York: HarperCollins, 2012.