The book I did my report on is called Ordinary People, by Judith Guest. It is a very well written novel about a boy's battle with depression, suicide, the loss of his brother, and communication gaps with his parents. The story starts by not telling you much about the situation, and the more the book ropes you in. The boy in the story starts out being 17, his name in Conrad Jarrett. Conrad had an older brother who died in a boating accident, he drowned. Conrad idolized his older brother, and never really came to terms with the loss, and about 1 year later, Conrad tried to take his own life. After that, his parents sent him to a hospital for the depressed, he spent 8 months there, and fell a year behind in school, and grew apart from his friends. .
This story starts when he is back in school and repeating his Jr. year. Throughout the story you see his ups and downs and recovery. Also, one of his main problems is communicating with his parents. His father feels tremendous guilt and just constantly tries to make him happy, but his mother on the other hand, resents him for trying t take his own life. In the end Conrad finally comes to terms with his loses, and faces his problems head on. He regains the friendships that, in his mind are worth it, and lets go of the ones that really weren't. .
Conrad is the main character in this story. Throughout the story he undergoes many changes, good and bad. At first he goes through many low points, where he feels he has nothing, no friends no family, and no one to rely on. Until he finds a psychiatrist named Dr. Tyrone C. Berger. Mr. Berger helps Conrad to come to terms with his problems and face them. Conrad doesn't develop any close relationships with anyone throughout the story until Berger comes along. Then he becomes involved with a girl named Jeannie. He develops a good relationship with her, and they are still going out at the end of the story. I think Conrad is a good kid that just tries to take on the role of his older brother, who in people's eyes was perfect.