Hello children! I haven't posted for a while because I haven't finished a book for a while. Strange I know!! It is speech season so that means writing, memorizing, and practicing speeches. I am in a category call Review, and surprise I am reviewing a book. I am reviewing the book The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. If you haven't read this book, YOU MUST!!! I love this book sooooooo much. Please do yourself a favor and read this book. I am going to post my review of this book, so that you can all read it and have a little background on the book first. So without further ado, my speech!!
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
“No more skipping breakfast, No
more dropping out of school. With a windmill we would finally release ourselves
from the troubles of darkness and hunger. In Malawi the wind is one of the few
constant things given to use by God, blowing in the treetops day and night. A
windmill meant more than just power, it meant freedom.
Standing there looking at this
book I decided I would build my own windmill. I’d never built anything like it
before, but I knew if windmill existed on the cover of that book it meant
another person had built them. Looking at it that way I felt confident I could
build one too.”
After experiencing hardship that
many will never experience William Kamkwamba, a young boy from the Africa,
decides to harness the wind to bring electricity and hope to his family.
William’s moving and inspirational story is told in the non-fiction book “The
Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope” by
William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer. As
William tells his life story you are drawn into the book because of the harsh
and realistic country he lived in, the strong and empowering characters in his
life, and the important and meaningful message he has to tell us.
The
circumstances William is raised in are drastically different from those here in
America. William was born in the impoverished African country of Malawi. The
school system there is extremely poor compared to that in the United States.
School is often an unaffordable and unrealistic goal in many children’s
lives. The schools are inadequately
equipped without enough textbooks, desks, or teachers to go around. William has
dreams of becoming a scientist, but his dreams are quick smashed because he is
not allowed the type of education he deserves. Because many of the people in
this country are uneducated they resort to explaining the way things work
through magic. Science and religion take a backseat to the magic practiced in
this country. Spells casted by witch doctors are considered to be binding. William
along with many others in this country lived in daily fear of magic that was
really not existent and extremely untruthful. Another problem that plagues this
country is hunger. During William’s adolescences Malawi goes through a famine.
His family is forced to eat one meal a day with 5 mouthfuls of food per family
member. And the sad thing is that William’s family is better off than most of
population in the country. People roam the lands looking for any sort of food.
The hunger changes humans into hallow faced creatures with swelling stomachs
and no hope. It is no less than a miracle that William and his entire family
survive the famine. In fact it’s a miracle that William can overcome the
circumstances put in front of him and achieve success in the manner he does.
Just
as the description of Malawi allows the reader to better understand William’s
circumstances, his descriptions of the important figures in his life and of
himself helps the reader to see the world through William’s eyes. While talking
about their own accomplishments and attributes many people are not always the
most honest. Throughout the book William has complete honesty with the reader.
He describes his flaws with as much truth as his good characteristics. Through
his writing style the reader is able to see William as the hardworking and
courageous individual he is. When William is not allowed to attend school
because of the cost, he does not give up on his education and accept his future
as a farmer. Instead he goes to the library. There he picks of a physics
textbook because he finds it interesting, and by reading he learns how to
harnesses the wind. He thinks up hair brained scheme of building a windmill to
bring his family electricity. During the process people taunt him. William says
“At first I tried to explain the windmill, but people just laughed and said ‘You’re
wasting your time, this junk is good for nothing’. Even when I tried to sneak
past someone would spot through an open window and yell ‘There goes the madman
off to smoke his chamba. Chamba is marijuana. Finally I decided that whenever
someone yell at me from the school, ‘William, what are you doing in the
garbage?’ I would just smile and say, ‘Nothing only playing.’” . He possesses
the courage the work through the negative comments, and the conviction in his
talents to not let them faze him. These are all things William learned from his
father. Trywell Kamkwamba, also known as
the Pope, influences his son William in more ways than you can count. As a
young child William views his father as almost a super hero. As the famine hits
there is a definite shift. The Pope turns from a superhero and unbeatable man
who had the physical strength to concur all into a weak thin man who has the
emotional strength to keep his family alive through a tough time. As the amount
of food coming in decreases Trywell refuses to eat and gives his food to the
children. William observes that “My father then started excusing himself once
the food was served. ‘Papa, aren’t you going to eat?’ ‘No you kids go ahead’”. His
father is the man who influences him and encourages him to obtain his dreams
and build his windmill. The honesty in which characters are presented helps the
reader see these people as real people, and understand what they are going
through.
William’s
story is not just a description of his life and time, there are many important
messages. The most important message in this work of non-fiction art, is
bettering yourself through education. As I mentioned earlier William is forced
to stop school. He could just accept his fate and become a farmer, but instead
he takes it upon himself to become educated. He wants to stay up with his class
so when his family has enough money he can start school again. Determination to
go after your dreams and change your life is very hard to find now-a-days.
People have become lazy and complacent. William shows us that by reading and becoming
educated you can change your life. After learning about physics and windmills
applied these concepts and makes a windmill to bring his family electricity and
clean drinking water, exponentially increasing his family’s standard of living.
But success does not stop there. William’s quest for knowledge leads to
international fame in the scientific community. Just by using his curiosity and
inventiveness William changes his life. We all have the chance to do the same.
We all have the chance to examine our lives and then using the resources
available to us, change the way we are living. No matter your age, social
standing, color, or amount food in your cupboard you are able to change and
better your life. You are able to be what you want to be. William chose not to
let his limitations keep him from what he was truly capable of. He overcame his
circumstances to make a better life for himself.
The
country William lived in, the figures in his life, and the messages his story
has make The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind more than just a boring non-fiction
book. They make the story relatable and meaningful. This book allows the reader
to step into another world and experience life through another person’s eyes.
It clearly shows that no matter you are and no matter where you come from, you
can be someone. You can change life. Best said by William himself “If you want to
make it, all you have to do is try”.
PLEASE!!!! PLEASE!!! Read this book. I can talk for over an hour about how amazing this book is. Please do yourself and me a favor and read this work of non-fiction art.
Sincerely,
Lindsey
