In The Highest Tide, Florence tells Miles O’Malley, “This is your summer, Miles. This is the summer that defines you.” (47)
Assuming her prophecy is right, how has Miles defined himself by the end of the summer? Or, put another way, at the critical defining moments of the summer, Miles makes choices that can be viewed in terms of loyalties or betrayals. How do these critical choices indicate the person that he is choosing to become?
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By the end of the novel Miles has definitely found an identity to begin building. On page 244 Miles says “I kinda hope the ocean doesn’t give up all of its secrets before I can help discover some of them…The more I talked the stronger I felt.” Although this seems to be a career choice, there is more to it. The earth is covered by 70% water, most of which is the ocean. Water is the single most important piece of survival. Animals and humans alike depend on water for hydration, agricultural growth, food to eat as well as keeping the cycle of life going. Just as Miles is a caring person that wants to protect all of life, wanting to work with the ocean and continue that cycle is a definitive piece of his growing identity. He not only chose a career, but he also chose a career that will inevitably bring balance to the rest of the life forms on the planet. Florence was right. That summer defined Miles and allows him to do all of the things he enjoys, including protecting those he cares about.
What I feel Snowman will do, to be honest, I feel that he will probably keep quiet. In regards to the people that he found that are like him, I think that he will have the occasional spy session on them to be reminded that he is not alone, but I do not think that he would go up to them and talk with them, unless they see/ discover him. The reason that I feel that Snowman will not talk with them or initiate any sort of communication with them is for one, I feel that in a sort of weird, twisted way he likes the fact that the Crakers look up to him. I think that once more people are involved will it not only confuse them and be harder to explain a reason for them being there, but it will take the importance off of him. I other reason that I feel that Snowman will not initiate contact with them is because I feel that he is in way remaining loyal to Crake as well as Oryx. I think that there would have been a moment when he reflected on what would Crake would have wanted him to do. Crake probably would have wanted him to kill them, but at the same token Snowman is a good man, so I do not think that he would take it that far, until or unless they present harm to him or the Crakers.
I think that the critical choices that Miles makes in regards to loyaly and betrayl are in regards to Florence. I think that the major choice that Miles had to make was to either be loyal to Florence and not tell, or to betray her and tell someone about her planned suicide. I think that tthe choice that Miles made was a good choice because what it comes down to is whetehr or not if we agree or disagree with Florence's wishes, it is what she wanted. Perhaps her life in her eyes was no longer worth living, who are we to judge? Unless or until we are in her shos no one, for the most part can truley say. So the choices that I believe Miles had to face was what in turn made him mature into the bright young man that he became by the end of the novel.
The summer that defined Miles was his passage from being a boy to becoming a young man. Making the choice to take a stand against B.J. was a sign of loyalty to him-self and the things he believed were right, like getting a fair deal from B.J.
The choice he made in hiding the evidence of Florence's suicide, was a sign of his loyalty to a per-son who meant a great deal to him. Even in death he wanted to protect her memory from the negative things people would say and think about her taking her own life.
He chose to stay loyal to Angie, even though her life was a mess. I think he has more than a crush on her, and as Dr. Mietlicki said in class, with the passage of time the age difference between the two will become a nonissue. Who knows what the future holds in store for their relationship?
His loyalty to the sea took on much greater importance in that one summer. He shared his knowledge and respect for the sea with Kenny, Angie, and even the Eleusinians. He chose to bring others into this world of wonder that he had been keeping to himself.
I think the choices he made that summer indicate his becoming a man of strong convictions in protecting the environment; a man who will always be loyal to his friends and those he loves.
The difficult situation that Miles was put into because of Florence is the defining moment between loyalty and betrayal in the novel. At this moment of the highest tide, Miles makes a choice to let Florence do as she wishes. I think this is when Miles realizes what he did. When Florence had the discussion with Miles to let him know the house and land were his, I do not think he was able to fully comprehend what Florence was asking. Instead of thinking “she is asking me to help her kill herself,” I think Miles felt that there was a possibility that she was not going to kill herself. I do not believe Miles thought that he was assisting in the suicide.
I also do have a counterpoint because of the type of person that Miles has grown into. Most children at the age of fourteen, people believe are naïve; however, Miles was not a typical fourteen year old boy. He knew about things that even adults did not pick up on. He had a great sense for detail and searched for it everyday on the shore. He saw the beauty in people but respected the choices that they chose to make. Being fourteen and small for his age, I feel he wanted to keep Florence’s love for him instead of telling the social worker. Adults have always told me, if they are my elders, they can do as they please because there is no changing them now. If Miles had that same perspective, I think he felt that she could do what she wanted with her body. He saw the suffering she was going through and no one wants to see someone they care about go through all of that.
I felt that Miles should have said something to remind her how much it is important to live and fight. At this point I felt that Miles should have recited something similar to Dylan Thomas’ “Do Not Go Gently Into that Good Night.” I felt by not doing everything he could, just by words he betrayed her a little, but I also feel he was so loyal to her that he felt this is what she truly wanted. Sometimes silence is the biggest betrayal of them all.
Miles has defined himself in many different ways during the summer of the highest tide. I believe the biggest way he was changing and defining himself is his self-esteem and assuredness towards his family and other people. Miles sticking up to his mother when she missed the Bioblitz and telling her how he felt is very life changing moment for him. When Miles sticks up for himself against the drywaller and asks for his money up front before any dealings are also a very defining moment in the novel. He also is defining his loyalty to his friends, such as Florence. The manner in which he takes care of the elderly women and the patience he shows what a wonderful friend he is becoming and the maturity level that he has attained. Florence senses this and uses Miles to her advantage to keep her in her home. Her having Miles not telling anyone about her suicide is a very tricky situation but one that she believes has to happen for her to die when the tide came in.
This summer also defines how Miles is coming into his own with his sexuality. Again, his maturity succeeds his age and shows it during the boy’s episode with the 900 number sex line. The questions he asks the person are very innocent and have the feel of discovery, not the immature stuff that Phelps and the others laugh and snicker about. He also discovers that Angie has some serious problems and as much as he has a crush on her. He knows she has problems and needs to be helped and understood. I believe that the character Miles defines himself as good, kind person and friend that keeps on growing and learning but has problems in life like the rest of us
The critical choices that Miles is forced to make help to shape him into the confident young man that he becomes by the end of the novel. Miles is so dedicated to exploring sea life that it drives him to take chances just as he did when visiting the cult and speaking before the crowd.
Just as he has been loyal to the sea, Miles has chosen to be loyal to Florence by honoring her request to keep her death wishes a secret. I believe that his commitment to sea life ties into his commitment to Florence's quality of life.
Instead of seeking to save Florence's life he chose rather to do what she felt saved her sense of dignity. Miles was more concerned with preserving Florence's quality of life than betraying her wishes.
The summer that Miles experienced shaped his personality. Every one has that summer growing up when they experience life in a different a light. Some people might look back at the summer that they grew into their body (Which Miles did) some might look back at the some when they had their first serious crush (which Miles did) or the summer you see you first rock concert (which Miles did). These are three key points in anyone’s life growing up, and Miles experienced them all in just one summer, not to mention the fact that his parents split, he saved a dog, had his one friend die, and found a giant squid, a productive summer to say the least.
Over the summer Miles showed many signs of loyalty, but I feel he was most loyal to himself. Growing up is hard to do, now add to the equation that Miles doesn’t sleep, he is dealing with his parents separation, and he considered a prophet by many people, it would be very easy to lose yourself in the mix. Miles stays strong, and uses each trail he comes across as motivation, he could easy just hide in his room, and wait for summer to end, but he doesn’t. Miles goes out and still looks for messages and tries not to just teach himself, but others. It is interesting to see Miles teaching some many people while he is still learning about himself. Miles now takes this confidence and uses it, he takes chances, like sneaking into the club with Kenny, he stands up to B.J. and his mother, and he is more forward with Angie. Miles could have hide from this summer when his surroundings started to spin out of control, but he didn’t and his actions of going out day in and day out is what defined Miles and made him who he truly is.
The summer brought Miles to the edge of manhood. He has developed his identity and his place in the world through his passage of that summer. He has learned that some things he cannot control, like if his parents divorce, Florence dying, and Angie’s bi-polar issues. He has learned through observation that he needs to stand up for those that he can control such as BJ and getting his money fair and square. He has also learned that he can control the part he plays with the environment and the respect he has for it. He learned how to have confidence in himself and the choices he makes. His phone call to his mother showed the level of maturity he was reaching, his ability to communicate his need for her at the time showed strength and courage. I think that the summer gave Miles the ability to realize that he was capable of standing on his own two feet and taking care of himself and those friends that he was loyal to. I think Miles learned that in order to remain loyal to something whether it is the sea, Florence, Angie, or his parents, he had to make choices as to what mattered. In order to do that he needed to realize that sometimes there is not an explanation to be had, or the ability to rescue it, so therefore you have to let it go sometimes. Miles also learned that the choices others make impact him yet are beyond him, and that is a sure sign that he is entering adulthood.
Miles and Angie - It is clear that Miles has a love for Angie. When she overdoses on drugs, all he wants to do is be by her side and be there to help her. Also, when Miles’ mom says that Angie is crazy, Miles sticks up for Angie again. Miles is always loyal to Angie.
Miles and his Parents - Miles specifically goes against his parents wishes and proceeds to speak with the cult. As I mentioned earlier, he also stands up to his mother by saying “You shouldn’t talk about people you don’t know. . . You call Angie crazy. You call Florence crazy. You call all the cult people crazy. You think you’re the only one around here who’s not crazy?” (148). In this defining summer, Miles comes to terms with his mother’s harsh personality. His loyalty to Angie and Florence show that he overcomes her opinions of them, and of himself, and proceeds to live his life openly and caringly.
Miles and the cult - The cult helped Miles open his own eyes and see what a smart person he is. I really think that the cult helped boost his self confidence tremendously. With his statements to the cult, he was promoting appreciation for sea life.
Miles and Florence - The relationship between Florence and Miles was probably what defined Miles most. He was loyal to Florence first by caring for her on a daily basis. As a 13 year old boy, he acted selflessly for the good of another. He kept her secret of suicide hidden because he did not want her to get put into a home and be miserable. He even went as far as covering up her suicide so that the other townspeople wouldn’t talk and think badly about her after she was gone. This is an enormous amount of pressure for a young child, or anyone, to carry. Maybe Miles felt that Florence was betraying him by leaving the world on purpose. Others might see it as Miles betraying Florence by not preventing her death. Either way, he remained to loyal her wishes.
Over the course of his summer, Miles learned what it felt to love (Angie) and to lose (Florence, his mom). He also did not let the media attention completely go to his head. He still checked on Florence and fulfilled her wishes.
The character of Miles in The Highest Tide is one of the most virtuous and humble characters I have encountered in literature in a long time. Wise beyond his years, Miles struggled with issues of loyalty and betrayal throughout the entire novel. As we discussed as a class, Miles defining moment of selfless love and loyalty comes when he chooses to assist Florence in her suicide. Though he does not realize it at the time (and probably will not for a few years to come), Miles act of intense loyalty comes out of his best friend's moment of greatest betrayal. An old woman, Florence places her life in the hands of a mature, but naive 13-year old. Terrified at violating such a serious trust, Miles agrees to assist Florence in carrying out her desired fate. Undoubtedly, this tremendous love and loyalty would carry over into Miles' adulthood. Had he been only a couple years older, Miles would have been able to identify Florence's betrayal, and would subsequently make the changes in his own life to assure that he would never place a best friend of his in a similar, gut-wrenching compromise.
Miles begins the novel as a very loyal person and that loyalty heightens throughout the novel. Miles growth mostly is attributed to his growth into maturity and his acceptance that he is loyal to his friends and family. At the beginning of the novel Miles only solace is in the bay. This is where he defines himself. He does not appreciate any of the adults in his life except for Florence, and he doesn’t truly understand the severity of her situation. Even his relationship with Phelps is established out of convenience and necessity. Without this friendship Miles wouldn’t be involved with anyone his own age. It is not as though he doesn’t love all of the people that surround him; it is more that he sees them as inhabitance from the progression of his own personal happiness and growth.
Throughout the course of the novel, though, Miles grows to understand each individual’s role in his life. Through this understanding Miles increases his loyalty to the relationships in his life. He begins to see Phelps as a true friend and someone he can rely on even though neither of them would ever admit it. He also begins to see that Angie is not the twelve year old babysitter he once had a crush on, but rather a young woman with real emotional issues that cannot be overlooked. He dedicates himself to helping her even though this knowledge of her condition changes everything he thought he understood about her. His loyalty to his mother is also realized when she leaves and he realizes how much he misses her and needs her. He never appreciated her before, but once she leaves he knows how much influence she had on his life. Most importantly Miles is tested in his friendship with Florence. She expects him to grow into an adult and take on the responsibility of her death at a very young age. This event, most likely, is that which shapes him into a loyal adult rather than a selfish child because it robs him of his innocence. His loyalty to her is immense as he knows that she is going to die and that he must keep it a secret in order to let Florence keep her dignity until death. He changes greatly in the fact that his loyalty to everyone around him improves and helps him to grown into a dependable young adult.
Miles lives up to Florence's prophecy. He experiences many new things by himself and with the help of others. He is a mature, young man that deals with the death of Florence, his new "celebrity" status, followers, his parents separating, and everything that Angie is dealing with. Miles is only 13 years old, yet is able to handle all of these things, better than some adults would. He is truly a remarkable character and learns that no matter what, he is growing, maturing, learning more about people and sea life than he did before. He also learns that no matter what happens, life still goes on. He is somewhat of a boy wonder, and a good role model for other young children like himself. He is very in tune with nature and humans. He is compassionate and I think all of his character traits grow throughout the novel and become even better. He is loyal to his family, Angie, Florence, his customers, and others. He lets his passion for nature lead him into sharing what he has learned with millions of others. He is only 13 and has much more learning and growing to do, but I think he will do just fine.
The Summer that defines Miles is so important to the novel because Miles, although a young teenager, grows in many ways which will eventually lead to his adulthood. Miles already possess the tools to be able to make money as a biologist. True, he does not have a degree, but, he does have a base knowledge of marine biology, which will help him in pursuing his future goals.
Miles also realizes after this summer that the only thing constant in his life is that things are going to change. Florence tries to hint at this to him in hopes he can accept her eventual death. Also , Mile’s parent are probably going to get a divorce. It seems that they no longer make each other happy and the only reason they are staying together is for his sake. Miles is beginning to grow up and part of him growing into an adult is that things change and life is not always perfect.
The final way that this was considered the summer of miles is because he was responsible for so much. The sea, which what he was closely related with, went through a great deal of changes and he was there to witness them all. It could be several decades for the cape to warrant that king of attention and miles was in the middle of it all.
Miles has been defined in this summer of the novel because he has been given a great deal to live through and change with and he took everything in stride
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