No Promises in the Wind
Lost Love
Title of book
No Promises in the Wind has a theme about lost love because since the day Joey was born, Josh and his father seem to have lost love for each other. Josh has this feeling that keeps getting worse and worse that his father hates him. He just wants to leave it all, and eventually, when his mother even admits that he should go, he leaves. That is the main reason why Josh left his home in the first place. "It's time I got out, isn't it Mom?" (page 29) This is the part in the book where the mother agrees he should leave.
Conflict and Outcome-Man vs. Society
This theme relates to the story because it seems that Josh is always having problems with almost any thing or person he meets unless he plays piano. Except for the few friends he meets along the way, everyone and everything seems to disagree or go against him. The only way he survives is with the help of his brother after the loss of Howie. Not many things seem to be agreeing with him in society.
Character's remarks (words) and/or actions:
Josh is sick of his father always hating the food that he swallowed because Josh always wanted more. He always got in arguments with his dad as well. For example when he asked for more food at the wrong time his father yelled at him for asking and got really mad. This has to do with the story theme because it proves that Josh doesn't get along with society, and his father is part of that conflict.
Contrasts (differences) between characters: Joey and Josh are very different people. Joey is sweet and innocent, but is week and sick and has a way to easily make people love him. Josh is embarrassed when he has to beg and does not have a way of having people love him on first sight.
This has to do with the theme because Joey gets along with society just fine. But Josh does not, and has to play piano in order to get along with people somewhat. Or he has Joey do it, which he feels guilty about. Joey being sick is also the reason that his dad seemed to have lost all love for him, because when Joey was little, the father was constantly angry and trying to take care of him (Joey). "If I forgot that Joey was asleep and came into the house banging doors and yelling as I'd always done, Dad would turn on me in a way that soon convinced me he lost all the love for me he'd ever had." (page 12)