In the novel The Sky Fisherman by Craig Lesley, he illustrates the full desire for direction and the constant flow of life. A boy experiences a series of life-changing events that cause him to mature faster than a boy should. Death is an obstacle that can bring down any man, a crucial role in the circle of life. It is something that builds your past and no direction for your future. No matter how tough life was, Culver fought through the pain and came out of it a different person. Physical pain gives experience, emotional pain creates men. “I envied the people on the train because they seemed to be going somewhere” (Lesley, 7). Culver has always dreamed and hoped for a place to call home or a place to be. As he watches the people on the train, he has no choice but to envy them for their opportunity. A fire lights up in his heart and shapes his personality. In the book The Good Earth, Wang Lung envies people with their wealth and opportunities. Culver experiments, as both men were striving for more than they had. Culver will always look for a place to call home, giving it a fire. “As always, we set out hopeful, but as we travelled… a pall fell over our little group” (4). Culver has lived a life of struggle falling into a rut of hope that turns to sadness. He tries to put a positive spin on the change, but ultimately fails and loses hope as they travel. His background and personality are shaped by his moving experiences which have affected him for the worse. Culver's personality and situation are reminiscent of an orphan, both constantly on the move and losing hope over time. The older they get, the more they move and the less hope they have. If she can never live in the same place, she will become hopeless and her family... middle of paper... and Jake in a confusing state of his life. His love has always been the river, which gave him hope, peace, friendship, brotherhood and love. The river gave him everything but now it took away his only brother for no reason. No matter how much he tries to distance himself from his past, the river is his life and has become his home. The circle of life is an unfair and painful process of balancing the world. The river is used to maintain this balance by taking lives and continuing the cycle. As he uses death to maintain this process, he also provides direction and hope for anyone who requests it. Growing up is a part of life and becoming a man is a struggle for any boy. It requires experience and knowledge, but even then manliness can't mask all the pain. Unfortunately, life has no mercy on the weak or the young. All people are victims of the circle of life.