Written by Hugh(현.초5)/March 7, 2025
Self-Discovery : A Support Of People’s Life
There is a boy who goes to high school. One day, he wakes up, showers and looks at the mirror. But there is an astonishing thing! His body is gone! He became invisible! This boy is Bobby from the novel Things Not Seen written by Andrew Clements. His family, new friend Alicia and her family all work together to find out why Bobby is invisible, and how his condition can be reversed. In Things Not Seen, the author suggests that overcoming struggles on one’s own leads to personal growth as shown by Bobby’s and Sheila’s experience with invisibility.
In the first place, the author suggests that overcoming problems on one’s own leads to personal growth as shown by Bobby’s trip to Sears. In chapter 21, Bobby goes to the legal department with Alicia to take list of names who returned the electric blanket. Before the trip, he calls Alicia and says, “ You’re the one who said I shouldn’t just sit around for five days and do nothing, remember? So are you ready for a little field trip?” Bobby thinks that the electric blanket made him invisible so he goes to the department to check up is it really a problem. He wants to find the problem by himself to return back. At chapter 22, Bobby comes home and calls people whose name is written on the list. He calls to Mister Borden. He says, “I’m doing a survey about your experience with a sears blanket.” Mister Boren says, “My daughter, Sheila. That was her blanket. She’s … gone now.” (190). This suggests that he found a meaningful clue about the electric blanket. Mister Borden’s daughter, Sheila was gone by one day after sleeping on it. He found a essential clue by his efforts and by himself.
Most importantly, in the book ‘Things Not Seen’, the author suggests that undergoing difficulties and searching for answers independently, it could personal growth to them by Bobby finding Sheila and becoming visible again. At chapter 23, Bobby get’s a suspicious clue that Mister Borden’s daughter is gone. He calls to Sheila and says, “I called your dad because I woke up one morning and I was…gone.” (204). She replies, “Hard to forget a day that totally scrambles your life.” (206). This means that Sheila became invisible too 3 years ago. He found another invisible person by himself with lots of efforts. After going to the legal department, he took lists and called people and led to a successful result by himself. It became a help to him. He could find a solution to be visible with her. In addition, at chapter 26, Bobby tries to return back to be visible by going inside the blanket and sleeping. He says, “I close my door, shut off the light, peel down to my boxers. And climb under the covers. Will I die? But I have to do something” (229). Even though the thinks he could die, he tries to return. He is desperate. He wants to be himself so much. At chapter 27, he returns back by himself. So, he found a solution and solved the problem. This means that he developed through experiencing problems.
In conclusion, the author demonstrates that overcoming struggles on one’s own leads to personal growth through showing Bobby’s and Sheila and becoming visible again. The author wants readers to undergo a lot of problems and not give up and go through these problems and solve it. He wants them to not lose hope.