Determined for Greatness

Author's Note: When determined for greatness or respect people are usually not set back easily. Learn how far Duncan went knowing that.

People die every day. You see it all over the news as if it’s just another thing, just another day, just another person. But what if this was your friend or family member? You wish you could have done something to have prevented it. This is how Duncan felt in the book Acceleration. In his minimum wage, waste of time job Duncan discovers the diary of a serial killer and learns of his foul plots and feels determined to stop them. A major theme in this book is determination.

The diary that Duncan finds is one of the greatest things that gives the book the theme of determination. The things that this psychopath has done and plans to do is driving him crazy. He can’t turn this in to the police, since there is no name they might think it’s him or not take it seriously. However, he can’t let it go either. Determined to possibly save lives Duncan uses the diary to his advantage, occasionally finding hints to who this person is. However, determination being the theme is not just because of the diary

Being known for a slacker and law breaker Duncan is determined to fix his reputation. Now that he is old enough for his juvenile crimes to be erased from his records he wants to prove to the world that he can be a good person."Your a no good child, that's why you have a no good job" is a quote that really sets him off. He is determined to get over the discrimination, and bullying that he puts up with on a daily basis. Believing that he can be a hero and be respected by everyone Duncan pushes through to find this mad man. However, his age and outer appearance had a major role in his determination as well.

If people don’t know him well enough to know about Duncan’s bad reputation they will discriminate him by his age and style.  Duncan is a teenager with the usual teenager attitude, lazy and uncaring. He can’t ask the police for help because they’ll think he is pulling a prank. Other people he tries to convince will think the same way because, for all they know, he’s some teen trying to get free money or help. Duncan is determined to try and not appear this way but there is nothing he can do.

Determination is also a main theme in the book the Fighting Ground. The main character, Jonathan is determined to show his father that he is old enough to fight in the Revolutionary War. He can handle and clean a gun, knows combat techniques of the colonists and the British, and many of his friends are fighting in the war. While his father is set on not letting him go Jonathan’s determination to go and fight helped him make the choice for him to leave his father.

Duncan’s strong determination is one of the major themes in this book. The chance to overcome doubt and prove to the world that you can make a difference is just too great to throw away. The overall acts of doubt, hate, and discrimination never stood a chance for Duncan.