Rising Actions And Characters In Sketches By Eric Walters

“Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there’s no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic.” - Laini Taylor. In “Sketches”, Eric Walters shows the positive impact on Dana and her friends that comes with having aspirations. Dana and her friends’ light is the idea of getting an apartment and off the streets, creating a life for themselves. Hope is a mindset that helps people problem solve difficult circumstances to find a clear path to success and purpose and this is evident in Walter’s use of rising actions and character perspectives. The use of rising actions in the book, specifically Dana, Brent and Ashleys’ plan to save money for an apartment,

After Dana counts how much money they could save toward the apartment and Brent doesn’t think they have enough she says, “‘But if we did that ten days in a row then we’d have a thousand dollars right? So we could have a place to stay… a real place where we wouldn’t have to worry about being beaten up or kicked out or arrested or have rats crawling all over us. We could do it,’” and Ashley responds with, “‘You know, it would be something to have our own place,’” (Walters 120). The idea that they would be able to make enough money for an apartment gave Dana and Ashley ambition. Brent was worried when they mentioned this but then since it was a very realistic plan they got him on board. It gave them a solution to their problem, being homeless and especially in the winter, in which now everyday they would wake up working towards a goal. This goal gives them purpose and they would not just be getting enough money to survive anymore. After they take this plan into action, the group goes out and works hard everyday, chalking to earn money, providing them a purpose. Walking to Sketches with Brent and Ashley who are having a conversation,

Before coming up with a solid plan, Brent thinks it is impossible to get off the streets when already living on them. When Dana introduces her dream of renting an apartment and how she thinks they could do it Brent says, “‘What’s the point of trying for something you can’t get? You just get your hopes up to have them crushed,’” (Walters 121). As the reader can see, Brent turns down the idea right away because he does not want to get his or anyone else's hopes up. He thinks because the people he has known on the streets haven’t done it they automatically can’t either. Brent thinks there is no point in trying when you know you will fail but he does not know that for certain yet, he just doesn’t believe. This absence of hope affects him negatively as it influences him in making important decisions for the future. Though he seems to have a strict opinion, throughout the story the reader sees Brent’s mindset change and he starts to develop the primary theme of hope. This is evident when he comes up with a business plan with Gizmo. Brent and Gizmo want to start a scooter business together and Brent asks the girls if he can take money out of their savings for it but they are questioning whether he still wants to be with them, “‘Of course I do … it’s just that I’m looking farther ahead. I