We are faced with problems and challenges everyday. What really makes us who we are is how we pull through and deal with these tough times. The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint by Brady Udall and A Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler, each tell a story about a person who fought to stay alive both physically and emotionally. When it comes down to it, the main characters, Barnaby and Edgar pull through and end up on top. Though Barnaby and Edgar are far from the same age, they are both faced with broken families, hard times, and finding their place in the world. In their own special ways, Barnaby and Edgar truly show us the meaning of "perseverance of the human spirit.".
A Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler tells of a middle-aged man, Barnaby Gaitlin, who tries to get his life in order. As a child Barnaby broke into multiple homes. He wasn't looking for the big loot, but rather a view into their personal lives. After his criminal past he tries to move on and eventually lands a job at Rent-a-Back. This job introduces him to Martine, one of his few friends in this world. Still his family holds the debit of paying off Barnaby's former victims over his head. Not only has he disgraced the family through his criminal past, but also the fact that his "Gaitlin Angel" still hasn't visited causes his family to further shun him. Even his ex-wife wishes Barnaby would stop visiting their daughter, Opal. Through all of this Barnaby finds a steady partner, Sophia. Barnaby even believes she could quite possible be his guardian angel, but when the chips are down she doesn't fully trust him. It turns out that Martine is the only true blue friend for him. .
Through many trials and tribulations Barnaby emerged on top. Plagued by the money owed to his parents, Barnaby tries to raise the money to pay back his debit. Barnaby's mother, Margot, constantly nagged him over the issue of returning each penny borrowed. "Our eighty seven hundred dollars," she said, "that you have never paid back a cent of because you earn barely a subsistent wage at that so-called job of yours" (81).
