This Boy's Life: A Memoir [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

I believe the message Tobias Wolff was trying to convey was that despite all the hardships in life and all the expectations left unmet, there is always hope. It may sound a little corny, but I think the author was showing that no matter how bad things get you still have yourself, and humanity will find a way to thrive.

Throughout this book Toby is trying to appear to be the person he thinks his mother wants him to be, and he doesn't stop at lying and stealing to achieve this end. In doing so he loses sight of his own identity. What I think is most powerful about this book is that it does not end with him being successful at the private school he was accepted to (due to his lying). Instead, this book, in somewhat of an unconventional manner, ends with Toby and his friend driving home and singing their hearts out. Toby hadn't really accomplished anything material, he still was in a tough situation, but there he was singing. Toby had finally accomplished what years of effort had failed to do. He had let go, and for one of the first times in his life he was actually happy and almost relieved to be himself.

"I didn't come to Utah to be the same boy I'd been before. I had my own dreams of transformation, Western dreams, dreams of freedom and dominion and taciturn self-sufficiency. The first thing I wanted to do was change my name. (p 9)" These lines from the beginning of the book show Toby's expectations of his new life out west. In contrast, at the end of the book, Toby reflects, "When we are green, still half created, we believe that our dreams are rights, that the world is disposed to act in our best interests, and that falling and dying are for quitters. We live on the innocent and monstrous assurance that we alone, of all the people ever born, have a special arrangement whereby we will be allowed to stay green forever. (p 286)" So Toby had woken to the realization that he had failed. He was not the person his mother wanted him to be, he did not excel at private school, and he still lead a troubled life. And yet he was singing. Perhaps what the author is trying to get across is that if we can accept our problems and ourselves for what we really are instead of trying to fight it, we are more likely to better ourselves and our situation, just as in Toby's case.

I, like Toby, have always wanted to be the best. I too want to believe that if I try as hard as I can, I will succeed, and all my hopes and aspirations will come true. Unfortunately, life doesn't always work that way, as Toby learned in the end of the book, and although its hard to stomach I know that in Toby's case as well as in mine a large part of success depends on luck. Unfortunately for Toby, luck did not work in his favor, and he was born into a dysfunctional family. He seemed like a normal boy not unlike me; he too wanted to be the best, but we both have learned that there is always someone better than you, and unfortunately, not everyone can be the best.

This book was intended for all audiences; the language was not overly complex, and I believe it would be of interest to almost all ages. It was astounding that such a depressing story could be so enjoyable to read, indeed I read the entire book within days of my choosing the book. If it were not written so well I think this book would have been vary uncomfortable to read, but the manner in which Tobias Wolff wrote of his rather depressing childhood made reading this book very enjoyable and left me feeling refreshed. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone, as I found it not only to be an interesting story of one boy's coming of age, but also a moving, well-written almost artistic piece of literature.