In the novel, “The Probability of Miracles”, by Wendy Wunder, the author decides to make the main character a cancer patient, giving you a look on the perspective of her life and how her cancer took a huge role in her life. Still in remission, Campbell has to deal with everyday symptoms throughout her daily routines. Even though being diagnosed with cancer doesn’t mean you can’t be social and make new friends, I feel that Cam is a very reserved character in the first half of the book. However, once I get into about the middle of the book, i found a slow, but very effective character change in Campbell.
In the beginning of the story, Cams personality is very reserved. She doesn’t make herself do anything she doesn’t have to do. She is shy and doesn’t have many friends. For example, when her and her mom and sister Perry are about to go to Promise, (against Cams will) she starts packing her movies, planning to watch films all day on vacation. Doesn’t think she will be going out or meeting new people. Cam also doesn’t open up to people easily. When she has blue spots on her arm as a side effect from cancer, she tries to cover up so her grandma doesn’t notice. Even though it could be a concern or something serious, she doesn’t tell anyone because she wants to keep it to herself. She doesn’t even open up to her grandma! She doesn’t like to open up to new ideas either. Cam convinces herself throughout the book that miracles are not real and that everything happens for a reason, even though she knows deep down that they are miracles. A flock of flamingos in Maine, not moving from where they are. A dog that was due to die makes it through the night. Snowing in August. Letting your lobster free and while fishing a week later, fishes out the same one. All these happenings have no excuses and Cam knows it. Cam also doesn’t do anything new or want to do anything new unless she has to do it. Campbell brings along her flamingo list: a list she personally made in camp which lists things she has to do before she dies. So, Cam only does risky stuff when its on her flamingo list because it was a promise she made to herself. Cam shows a very reserved personality.
However, as I got towards the end of the story, I saw Cam slowly changing. She goes to a party on an island where as she wouldn’t have earlier in the book. She also opens up with her feelings more. She falls in love with Asher, a boy she meets in Maine. At the party she dances, met new people, and tried new things. Campbell opens up more and decides to get a job, right away she tells the boss, Elaine, that she is sick and that is why she came to Maine- her and her family are looking for a miracle to cure herself. She also makes new friends in maine, like Sunny. Sunny and Cam start to hang out sometimes and Cam gets happier. She has friends, is in love, and cancer isn’t her life anymore. And most important of all, Cam starts to believe in miracles. This really showed me a huge character change because Cam would have never opened up this much to believe in something that we are not sure exactly exists. I was proud of Cam and thought her change was for the best, because she became so happy once she made friends and started going out.
In, “The Probability of Miracles”, Campbell shows a big change in her personality which affected her life a lot. Being reserved and not having many friends wasn’t making her happy but I don’t think Cam wanted to change anything in her life and tried to stop herself from changing. But I realized that sometimes its hard to stop yourself from doing what’s best even though you don’t know what’s going to happen if you do change.
I really like how you contrasted her actions from the beginning and the end. I also did a reading response on character change so it was interesting to see it in another book as well. You used very good textual evidence from the book which also helped make your thesis strong. One thing that you could add in the conclusion is about why you think Cam changes?
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