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Nineteen-Minutes Essay Theme

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“In nineteen minutes, you can get revenge." Even from the first paragraph of the story Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, we can see that revenge and the power it can hold will be a major theme of this story and how the feeling of vengeance influenced Peter to execute a premediated school shooting. Revenge ultimately has the power to result in irrational decisions and destruction; it can do this because of the power that can control a person’s mind who may think it is the only option. We follow Peter as he grows up and how being bullied and his choice to take revenge on his tormentors had the power to result many lives being ruined.

Peters need for revenge was harboured from his own self-confidence and esteem issues and the attacking on his …show more content…
We see his new lunch box being thrown out of the school bus on his first day of school. We also see him with his pants pulled down in the cafeteria, while the whole school laughs at him and embarrassed when all of his secrets are broadcasted throughout the school and his privacy violated. Peter said, in the beginning of the book, "I guess I should tell you, don't blame yourself; this isn't your fault, but that would be a lie. We all know that I didn’t get here by myself." This quote shows how bullying can push people to the point where they see no other solution than to take drastic measures and get revenge, as a way to solve their problems in Peter’s case to stop the bullies from hurting him. We can relate this to Battered Women Syndrome which is a mental disorder that develops in victims of violence as a result of long-term abuse. Such abuse that Peter had to withstand through his school life. Peter couldn’t take any more torment and felt as if he was in danger of being hurt if he hadn’t shot his bullies. Peter felt like that was his only option and was triggered by the email that exposed many of his secrets, this made Peter feel as if he had to get rid of his bullies to feel safe again, just as these women feel in domestic violence situations, traumatised to the point that their only way out is to get rid of the

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