Neil in To Everything There Is a Season To begin with, Neil is seen as someone who uplifts his family because he brings hope to his parents. Neil is perceived as a hard worker, traveling the distance of half a continent to bring the family’s only income. It is a huge sacrifice for a nenteen-year-old boy to go that far to assure his family’s survival. His father, struggling with lung cancer, and his mother, taking constant care of his siblings, are more than relieved that their oldest son is there to keep the family alive. In other words, Neil’s sacrifice removes a weight off of his parents’ shoulders. The parents never thank him explicitly in the story; however, the parents’ gratitude towards their son is perceived in their actions. For example,