Crabbe EssayIn Crabbe, the author tries to prove that a that running away is not a solution toone’s problems, and there are many problems that come with a solution like that. Heshows the reader, how a young adult is withdrawn, and not only runs away physically, butalso socially. In the physical aspect, he runs away from everyone. He wants to hide in thewoods, to stay away from society. He thinks that they are the main aspect of hisunhappiness. On the social aspects, he smokes, drinks, and stays withdrawn from otherpeople. One of Crabbes main problems, was his drinking (a fine example of running awaysocially). This shows by how he comments that he tries to make all his troubles go away, asin The real problem, was that I was still having trouble getting along without my Pal Silent Sam (90). (Silent Sam was a brand of Vodka that he preferred because the could notdetect it on his breath.) He trailed this problem along with himself everywhere, even inschool he would skip Gym class to go drinking. He later worsens his problems by needing toresort to a mystical pipe that was given to him. (Supposedly to help quit his drinkinghabit.)Another place where he would be withdrawn, was in school He did not havemany friends, and he hated his teachers, so he would just pretend to pay attention. He hada master plan to show them all (His favorite book had the same situation and resolution). Which brings up another interesting point: Crabbe was a smart student, he was important tohis school, which would pardon most of his problems because of his intelligence. One ofthese situations was when, after he was caught drinking, the school did not punish him at
all. Being so smart, he realized that What teachers really wanted you to do, was guess whatthey wanted you to answer, and if you guessed correctly (not that it was hard) you were Right (30). So he did not care. This shows that Mr. Bell creates an aura of hopelessness for the student. Hemakes the reader actually think that running away is his only alternative. He had Crabbe runaway just before the final exams to prove that he wanted to be himself and to let othersrespect his ideas. When Crabbe finally does run away, he encounters many problems, and as smarta student as he is, he does not plan for all the events that are going to happen to him. Crabbe finds himself caught in many accidents such as: being mauled by a bear; almost dyingby falling off a waterfall; almost freezing to death; being lost; almost getting killed bysome drunk hunters; and many other things. Mr. Bell proves that some times you should justfight your problem instead of running away.The author also shows that Crabbe tries to solve his problems in many ways,before seeing that the best way is actually just facing his problem straight on. Anexample of this, is when Crabbe tries to solve his drinking problem by smoking a pipe.Finally, Crabbe does come home. Unfortunately, he brings with him a memory ofa special friend, who died; he loses 2 fingers from frostbite; and his parents have becomeheartbroken. In the end though, he talks to his parents, and they accept him back. Also, hehas joined a team of problem child helpers. There, he explains to other students withsimilar problems to his about how to help themselves, and teaches them what he has learnedin the wilderness.