Gavin Willis
Mrs. Staples
Honors English 10
15 May 2012
Success vs. Failure There has always been and forever will be a very fine line between success and failure. Normal behavior can breed limited rewards; however the dreams of those who desire more can often come true through hard work and dedication. In Mal Peete’s Keeper, the most reoccurring theme is the main character’s consistent dream of highly acclaimed success as a goal keeper. Peete established this theme through detailed settings; and supported it throughout the early life of El Gato. The characterization of the main character El Gato; the symbolism of items used for his benefit; and finally the foreshadowing of the attainment and reality of his dreams. Being successful is the driving force behind the motivation of El Gato. Unlike the footsteps of many other children in his village, El Gato decided at an early age that he did not want to be like his father. His father was a very poor logger who didn’t have much of a future. El Gato dreamed and desired more from his life. At an unusual age he was able to set goals for himself, achieve them and create even higher expectations. All of which was overshadowed by his uncanny determination to be the best keeper the world had ever seen. The most unlikely place for El Gato’s dreams to become reality was in the deep jungle of South America. Not only is there little room to run but to play soccer was unheard of. Ironically, deep in the jungle there were two lush turf fields where El Gato could practice. Even more, at each end were professional goals. There on the pitch was a mysterious trainer destined to make El Gato the very best keeper. His passion and love for the game would symbolize the essence of his protégé dreams. El Gato was an inspired young boy mature beyond his years. His clear vision for his future and unbridled zest for attaining his goals served as an inspiration to his secretive teacher. They would practice hour after hour building more and more confidence after each session. El Gato’s parents were deceived by their son never knowing that he was missing school to practice his soccer. They thought all along that he was attending school like all the other village children. Often El Gato felt bad about this deception, but as always he stayed a steady course to allow his dreams to become reality. Why would a poor boy from South America and a mysterious teacher be representative of success when the odds of these symbolic pieces coming together are vastly remote? The effectiveness of these events brings the story to life. As in any walk of life, a little dream, the right timing and someone to help you along the way is sometimes all that is needed. Such is the case of El Gato. The unlikely path to success is even more pronounced when you take into account what it took for him to achieve his dream. Was the mystery man real or was it an hallucination of some kind? Was there really a turf field with professional goals at each end? El Gato
