Zoey Ebaugh Language Arts p4 5/20/24 Comparative Literary Essay: Unwinds vs Uglies Imagine living in a world where a faceless figure that is your government, defines your every move, and if you choose to do otherwise, you will die. Sometimes, people choose to listen to these rules and follow directions, but sometimes people choose to go against the government and risk it all. In Unwinds by Neal Shusterman, Risa refuses the opportunity to walk after being paralyzed to make a statement against unwinding, and in Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, Shay runs away from home and refuses to get the pretty surgery, so she doesn't look identical to everyone else. Neal Shusterman's Unwinds uses systemic obstacles and Scott Westerfeld's Uglies uses dynamic characters to show that no matter the cost, people should stay true to themselves.
In Unwinds, by Neal Shusterman, systemic obstacles are used to show the theme…show more content… Westerfeld shows this by proving that Shay is a static character. She chooses to not get the pretty surgery and runs away to avoid the government, so Tally goes after her. Throughout this, Shay stays adamant that she does not want this surgery, therefore being a static character. On page 216, this is demonstrated: “I just think that the smokey have to be careful.” “Okay, sure. I'm not saying we should advertise. But if people like you and me want to come out here and live differently, why shouldn't we? I mean, no one has the right to tell us we have to be pretty right?” This connects to the theme because Shay ran away to stay true to herself and avoid the pretty surgery. Shay is a static character because she stood up for what she thought was right throughout the entirety of the book. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld uses static and dynamic characters to support the theme that no matter the cost, people should stay true to
