What Will It Take?

Author’s Note: This is a text analysis essay that is based off of the online, unpublished, story, Forever and Always His, by RiceLover.  This is also an edited piece to help me improve in Text Analysis and score a 10 in body paragraphs.

In two years, I’ll be able to drive.  In two years, I’ll be half way through with high school.  In two years, I’ll either have my future decided or will be trying to figure out a plan for my future.  A lot can change in two years.  In the beginning of Forever and Always His, by Ricelover, Everett loves Riley to no end, until one day his mother, Collette, dies.  Throughout the next two years Everett builds up so much hatred towards Riley, by blaming his mother’s passing on Riley, that it takes Everett and Riley practically another year to become lovers again.  Since, the book is written from Riley’s point of view, readers have already have pity towards her, but if you were to read the story in Everett’s point of view, you’ll also see how over-powering Everett is, and gain more pity for Riley.

Riley put up with taking Everett’s sarcastic remarks for two years after Collette’s sacrifice, but only because she loved him.  She may’ve thought it was unfortunate for her to run into his dad at the grocery store at the time, but in the long run she was grateful.  She became closer with Everett, but she still blames herself for his mother’s death.  Unintentionally Everett’s father gets remarried and it brings them even closer together, yet Riley is still rebuking.  Immediately after Collette's passing it was easy for Everett to accuse Riley of the incident, he even had other things to hold against Riley.  After two years though, his personality has changed drastically and it takes a mistake of his to notice how awful his attitude had gotten, since he broke up with Riley.

Long after Collette’s death and Everett and Riley’s reunion, their relationship is once again ruined, but this time around Riley can’t be blamed for what happened, yet Everett tries.  In the following quote Everett proves the control he had in their past relationship.  “”You have to believe me Riley.”  Everett suddenly said, making my heart sting.”  (Chapter 23, page 2)  If this had happened during the time before Everett’s mother’s passing, Riley would’ve believed him, because he was never at fault in their past relationship.  He was always right, never wrong.  This time a lot has changed between them and even though what Riley says next isn’t forgiving, it still hurt her.  I don’t think it should’ve hurt her, but she was and still is fragile and Everett knew it.  It was easy for Everett to use that against Riley during the two year period of him lowering her self-esteem.  Reading this certain section of the book made me feel victorious for Riley, for not only because she stood up to Everett, but for shutting him down as well.

Unlike the first quote, the second quote is taken from a part later in the book where Everett is trying to regain Riley’s trust, once again.  ““Riley, one thing,” I heard a whisper before I went into a deep slumber, “I don’t want you to blame yourself for my mother’s death anymore.  I never wanted you to blame yourself.””  (Chapter 27, Page 5)  For one, his apology is quite late.  Which leads me to suspicions of other last-minute apologies in Everett and Riley’s past relationship.  Considering Riley  isn’t one to decline one’s justifications, this could potentiality be another reason why Everett considers himself the boss.  The power Everett has doesn’t allow Riley any choice but to accept his pleas.  From my viewpoint I find this perverse for Everett to do, because he knows Riley lacks confidence, which should only lead him to question Riley's true feelings.

You’ll see how over-powering Everett is, and gain more pity for Riley, if you were to read the story in Everett’s point of view.  Even if he gradually changed back to the Everett he was before his mother’s sacrifice, he still has his over-powering aspect.  He will still expect Riley to buy his lies and he will still expect Riley to forgive him and his late apologies, but she’ll slowly put him in his place.  After a whole year of trying to regain his love, she deserves to have some say in their relationship.  Hopefully she will, and if not I hope he loses her again and notices how much he misses her.  Knowing that, they’d be a perfect match, and he would be worthy of her as well.