The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA

“One funny thing about life and all the stuff that happens while you’re living it is that mostly you only see it through your own eyes, that is, unless you decide to try to see things through the eyes of someone else. Then, you have four eyes, and looking at things with more eyes than just your own lets you see things more clearly—maybe even see things the way they really are, not just the way you want them to be.”

The novel’s opening lines establish the image of eyes as a symbol of empathy. The importance of learning from others’ perspectives is a lesson that Meriwether teaches the protagonist, which links the passage to the theme of friendship and mentorship. Gabriel’s observation that empathy can make someone “see things the way they really are, not just the way you want them to be” foreshadows the fact that the boy’s friendship with Meriwether will make him aware of his seemingly nice town’s underlying racism.

“My name is Gabriel, like the angel, but I’m sure not ready for heaven. I don’t have any brothers or sisters, and at times I wish I did. And we aren’t rich, but we’re a ways from being poor, and being a ways from being poor is how I got the bicycle, and having the bicycle is how I met Meriwether, and meeting Meriwether is how I learned that seeing life through more eyes than just the two on my face can make some things a lot easier to understand.”

Woods adds vibrancy to Gabriel’s narration and evokes the novel’s setting of rural South Carolina during the 1940s by employing dialect and colloquialisms, such as Gabriel’s use of “sure” and “a ways.” Additionally, the passage’s third sentence starts with a coordinating conjunction and rolls on and on with several linked clauses to create a sense of rhythm. These grammatical informalities give the novel a conversational tone that reflects Gabriel’s youthful voice and Southern roots. In addition, the repetition of Meriwether’s name emphasizes his importance to the