I Am The Messenger

In I Am the Messenger, as in Zusak’s other works, such as The Book Thief and Bridge of Clay, the author invites his readers to reflect on the beauty and brutality of life. Zusak uses fiction to show that the world is no less wondrous because of the existence of suffering. Indeed, his characters’ greatest triumphs occur when they decide that their suffering has meaning. Ed’s role as messenger requires him to bear witness to and sometimes even cause others pain. He gives Sophie an empty shoebox, encouraging her to compete the way that she trains. As a result, she races “barefoot till she was all trodden on and bloody and glorious” (118). In part, Sophie is so alive and free during the race because she refuses to let the fear of pain keep her from being her authentic self. The pain Ed inflicts on Gavin is more direct. The younger Rose boy is often on the receiving end of his older brother’s fists. He must bleed at someone else’s hands for Daniel to finally see him as his brother and want to protect him. The Rose boys find their loyalty to one another through Gavin’s suffering. Although he doesn’t receive any personal gain, the bank robber also finds meaning in his suffering. Near the novel’s end, the robber asks Ed if he still sees a dead man in the mirror. When Ed answers that he doesn’t, he says, “Well, it was worth it, then….” (351). This signifies that the robber willingly served six months in prison for Ed’s sake. Ed’s work as the messenger transforms pain from an inevitable part of life in his difficult neighborhood to something significant and even redemptive.

In addition, Ed finds meaning in his own suffering. In Part 2, he endures thrashings from Daryl and Keith and from the Rose boys. He describes his battered reflection as the “face of clubs” (182), underlining his belief that his pain was a necessary part of completing the second card. Ed must also weather emotional turmoil to deliver his messages. His “darkest hour” occurs when his mother explains why she detests him and then leaves him. Ed finds meaning in even this agonizing experience. He accepts that his mother needed the catharsis of telling Ed how she feels. Her words also have meaning because they push him to examine his own life. Another pain that Ed endures is his grief for his father, and the significance of this suffering is commensurate with its intensity. Even before Ed stopped the bank robber or received the first card, Ed’s process of transformation began with the death of his father because it helped him realize that he wanted more out of life than the broken promises and wasted potential his father left behind. Ed has an author to explain to him how his trials and tribulations are tailor-made to support his growth, but the general principle of this theme is something anyone can apply. By telling Ed’s story, Zusak encourages his readers to find meaning in their own suffering.