Written by Hugh(현.초6)/July 3, 2025
Immortality: A Word That Divides People
Imagine there is a man who doesn’t age. People found out that he ate a food that makes one immortal. He both gets satisfied and dissatisfied. This situation is similar to the Tucks in the novel. The novel Tuck Everlasting is a story of a 10 year old girl named Winnie and an immortal family named Tuck’s who drank the water from the wood’s spring that makes living beings immortal. The author demonstrates that some people have a desire to live forever and some hate the consequences that immortality offers to people. The word ‘immortality’ divides people by agreeing and disagreeing it.
In the first place, the author suggests that some people hate the consequences that immortality gives to people by showing Miles and Angus Tuck who dislike immortality. In chapter 12, Angus talks about the Tuck’s life to Winnie in the pond; he says, “Everything’s a wheel, turning and turning, never stopping. We just be, like rocks beside the road” (63&64). The Tucks can’t move and grow such as a rock. Because they drank from the spring, it became harder to live and Angus Tuck dislikes immortality because it prevents growth by stopping skin aging and more. Also, in chapter 7, when the Tucks tell their story to Winnie, Miles talks about his wife and children; he says, “My wife, she finally made up her mind. I’d sold my soul to the Devil. She left me” (39). His wife sees Miles not aging and she was afraid of him so she ran away. Immortality led to a heartbreaking farewell with family. They both hate immortality so they see it is a curse instead of a gift and they feel a trapped life.
In addition, the author demonstrates that some people have a desire to live forever by showing Jesse and the man in the yellow suit. In chapter 8, when Winnie got kidnapped by the Tucks, Jesse says about enjoying immortality; he says, “Just think of all the things we’ve seen in the world all the things we’re going to see!” (43). He says it is wonderful to be immortal. He can see everything so immortality offers experience to Jesse and he’s satisfied with it. There’s more evidence that shows Jesse is enthusiastic with immortality; Jesse gives the bottle to Winnie and say to drink it and run away together few years later; he says, “Wait till you’re seventeen, and then you could go and drink some, and then you could go away with me!” (71~72). Also, in chapter 19, the stranger comes to the Tuck’s house and talks about his strategy; he says, “I’m going to sell the water. Only to certain people, people who deserve it. And it will be very, very expensive but who wouldn’t give a fortune to live forever?” (97~98). The man wants to be immortal because he can live forever and get a lot of money if it’s sold. They both like immortality so they think immortality as a gift instead of a curse.
In conclusion, the author implies that some people have a desire to live forever and some dislike the things that immortality offers to people. Angus and Miles hate immortality but the stranger and Jesse like immortality. It divides people into 2sides. Some can agree or some can disagree with it. The author wants readers to consider that immortality is helpful or not in their life.