The soloist 7-12

As I started reading the next couple of chapters, the book seems to get deeper. Lopez is trying to make a deeper connection with Nathaniel. Lopez even goes as far as spending the night wit Nathaniel and experience how it feels so live out on the street. Lopez is not caring about his columns no more, but to help out a friend and update the people that are concerned or contributed interest in Nathaniel’s story and for the ones that gave him instruments.

Who does he write to? Who does he write for?

Lopez writes to people that can see the bigger picture on things and not just what’s in front of them. Lopez wants readers to see Nathaniel’s gift and not just the raggedy person living on the street with a mental disorder. Lopez digs deep into Nathaniel’s life. He cares about this man to a high degree because if he didn’t he wouldn’t help him as much as did after his column was published. By helping Nathaniel to me Lopez gets a feel of self fulfillment. I believe this because Lopez feels good about himself after he does things for Nathaniel. He really feels good after he gives him an opportunity to sit in the Disney Hall and watch the orchestra play. He knows this will make Nathaniel happy so he will be to because he knows he is doing a good deed.

What makes him so interested in the lives of strangers? How do journalists (Lopez) decide how deeply to pry into the lives of those they write about? How do they choose their subjects?

I wouldn’t necessarily say Lopez is very interested in the lives of all strangers, but it seems as though Nathaniel was an exception. Even when Lopez tried to think of another story to right his column on, he always found himself back on the story of Nathaniel Ayers. Nathaniel wasn’t just an ordinary man. He had talents hidden behind his baggage, and this made Lopez want to go even deeper and find out things because every piece of information that was revealed to him about Nathaniel was deeper and more interesting which made Lopez want to be apart of his life beyond the story for the column. So to me Lopez doesn’t choose his subject on who can make a good story, but who story can capture the readers and make them feel for the subject and would make them want to help the subject just as much as him.

The soloist 1-6

The opening of the book really makes you want to continue to read. You can tell Lopez is a very caring person. He seems really eager to find out about Nathaniel's life even without his news column in mind. I say this because he gets in contact with several people from Nathaniel's past to find out more information about it him. The way Nathaniel gets details about Nathaniel's life to unfold really contributes to the book. It helps you know the foundation on which Nathaniel's life is rooted from such as telling about his mom and dad and getting information from his sister. I really like the fact that even though Nathaniel suffers from schizophrenia, his sanity comes from within his music. You can tell because he will do anything just to play his instrument. He is also much calmer and more focused when playing music. I believe Lopez is trying to give the world a reality check and show them that people with mental disorders can have the same talents as everyone else, so never be quick to judge a person. Nathaniel really is a smart man and you truly can see that if you set aside his mental disorder and the fact that he's homeless. He has the ability to play music by memory which shows talent. He can remember names of people he went to school with over years ago and numbers that he haven't dialed in forever. He also knows the names of several musicians and several buildings. I believe Lopez so far is trying to open the minds up of the readers and show that people with mental problems are still capable of doing regular things.

Death of a Salesman

Death of a salesman was a very interesting book. I enjoyed the fact that Willy had some type of mental disorder. I just wonder why it wasn't dealt with. His family was a typical family with problems. He was having affairs on his wife. It was ashame because he would give his mistress things he wouldn't even give his wife. He ended up getting caught with the mistress by his own son. Willy really wasn't living his life right. He was on the wrong track. He wanted his sons to be so much like him and become successful in the business, but that wasn't what they wanted. This kind of hit them hard because they wanted to please their father but they wanted to do something of their choice. Willy wasn't really happy with himself so he set these goal for his children that they didn't want to live up to. It was kind of sad. So in the story Biff decided to ake his on path in follow his dreams. This was hard for him to even say to his father but it was good that he did. It showed a sense of strength.