Shattered By Eric Walters: Character Analysis

Alexandra Schleicher
Mr. Farsad
Grade 9 English
May 23, 2014
Evolution of Ian 's character throughout the book Shattered by Eric Walters.
`Ian from the book ‘Shattered’ by Eric Walters is a fifteen-year-old student passionate about friends, his social life, wealthy lifestyle and the hope of getting a car for his sixteenth birthday. He is selfish, lazy and lacks interest in school, especially his social studies class. He is reluctant to complete his mandatory community service hours that he needs to pass his social studies course. He has no personal gain by completing the hours and his only motivation is that his father is rewarding him with a car if he passes all his courses. As he attempts to find the easy way out he choose to work at
This is reflected when Ian talks to his social studies class and makes them aware about the homeless community and the horrible events in other countries. At the beginning of the book Ian was unable to see past the small community he lived in, he was oblivious to the tragic events that went on all over the world. He simply did not care what was happening because it did not affect him. If his life did not directly change because of some other tragedy than he could not be bothered to acknowledge it. In the same way he also is very shielded from the world outside his community. This is inferenced in the following quote “…did they even have TV? They had to. No country was so backwards that they didn’t get MTV?” (Walters p.103). This quote represents that Ian is very ignorant about the state of third world countries and he is unaware about how lucky he is to lead the life he does. Very soon after this quote Ian began to realize that the world is not as perfect as he once thought it was, not in Canada nor in other countries. He researches the genocide in Rwanda that one of the homeless men from the kitchen was part of and it consumed a large part of his time. He began thinking about the event and also trying to find out as much as he can about the people that went through it. Ian 's character evolved to become more passionate for the things that
Although his passion towards world issues had developed greatly, Ian also became selfless and less reliant on material objects. This becomes apparent when he helps Jacques, a former military peacekeeper come forward with his drinking problem and what caused it. He then takes initiative and finds an addiction program to help him get clean. Formerly Ian only cared for material objects and trying to do the bare minimum work so he gets what he wants. Ian did not care for others and did not care how his actions affected other people. This is presented in the following quote “…Now, thinking about the car, the job interview had some real meaning” (Walters p.2). This quote was meant to tell the audience how selfish Ian was in the beginning of the book. It displays his unwillingness to do anything that does not directly benefit himself. Despite his selfishness he was able to realize that it was important to help people you care about even if you get nothing in return. Shortly after, Ian begins to care less about what he gets in return for his actions, and more about how we can help other people. This becomes apparent when he realizes his homeless friend Jacques is trying to block out his past as a military peacekeeper by drinking. In the first scene of the book Ian met Jacques on the streets and Jacques saved him from three thugs. Jacques actions were selfless and this influences Ian.