The Taker Theme Analysis

In The Taker by J. M. Steele, Carly Biels is a teenager who has a dream to ace the SAT without help of the Taker. The Taker is an anonymous person who goes from person to person, asking them if they want him to take the SAT for them. All she wants in life is for her family and boyfriend, Brad, to be happy for her. All she needs to do is bomb the high school SAT. However when she gets her scores back from the practice SAT, she realizes she needs to up her game. After she found out her scores, she got a text from the Taker he said he can help her. As a result, her parents, friends, and teachers recommend she should be tutored by the smartest but not popular kid in school, Ronald Gross. In the end, Carly decides to not use the Taker but use Ronald.

One example of one important action that develops to reveal the theme is in the beginning of the story. For example, in one scene Carly decides she needs the Taker to be able to get a better grade on the SAT. One important quote from this scene is when the author writes, “for better or worse, I made up my mind” (62). This is important in helping to reveal the theme because Carly thinks she can not ace this test. Her parents and friends thinks she can because all school year she she has high grades and is a smart child. She fears that if she isn’t smart enough, and she doesn’t get good scores, then she cannot go to Princeton college. Carly thinks using the Taker is going to get here that guarantee to Princeton college. The theme develops further when Carly decides she wants help from, Ronald Gross and Mr. Lettich. Carly takes tutoring lessons from Ronald, after school every day. Carly doesn’t want to join Mr. Lettich’s class because all the people in that class are really smart and she hates Mr. Lettich. Her parents think it is a great idea for her. They think her scores will increase by going to his classes. Carly thinks she needs a really smart teacher to help her study and pass this SAT test.