Is Steve making his own decisions?

Use this forum to discuss the August 2022 Book of the Month, "Wild World", by Peter S. Rush
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Missing Person
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Re: Is Steve making his own decisions?

Post by Missing Person »

Soshell W wrote: 23 Aug 2022, 08:51 I get that feeling as well that he is just following what Roxy says. He joined the marches because she begged him to go, he joined the police force because she asked him to do more to change what was going on. I feel he's just being led around by her because he wants to impress her and he's afraid of losing her.
Steve had made the decision to join the police force without her, and even though Roxy insisted that Steve made a difference it was a police officer, and not Roxy, who inspired Steve to become a police officer. I think the narrative was trying to suggest that Steve has multiple motivations for joining the police force, and sometimes his different motivations for joining the police force would come into conflict with one another. The fact that Steve's motivations are ambiguous is one of the reasons why I only gave Wild World 2 out of 4 stars in my review.
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Post by Fome Ewhe »

I think that Steve actually made his own decisions. Steve loved Roxy so much and was very considerate of her, maybe he was too considerate, but I won't credit his decision of joining the police to her. I felt that was merely a result of a meeting with an inspiring police officer. Staying near Roxy was a plus for him, and not the main deal.
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Post by Bombasticsideeye »

I think Steve was desperate to impress Roxy and hence held her opinion too highly if you ask me. However I think at some point his conscience set in.
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Post by Abril Zacca »

I believe he was scared of being the one to cause Roxy more pain than she had already suffered. And this led him to make all of his decisions based on what Roxy would say or feel.
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Post by Fareed Regal »

Steve is conflicted as he wants to please everybody. As much as he makes his own decisions he still looks for validation from the people he is trying to please. His father in terms of not furthering his studies and Roxy, in terms of joining the police force to try and bring about change from within. His naivety at that stage of his life makes his character very real and endearing.
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Post by Famzi Ken »

While reading, I had this feeling that Roxy had Steve at the thumb of her finger. His love for her was strong that he changed his life plans because of her. I think it was after their breakup that Steve was able to decide on his own.
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Post by abstactlemon »

I'm of the mind that Steve didn't catch on about his actions. He was doing a lot to please Roxy, but he wasn't aware.
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Post by Lilian Kikimoe »

Yes, Steve was making his own decisions. He might have started out wanting to please the love of his life, Roxy, but as time went on, he started doing things for himself.
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Post by Brain Jax »

In part, I think his love for Roxy influences his decisions. I don't think it is really a bad thing to make decisions to please the people you really love and care about.
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Post by Stella Edogun »

I believe that Steve made his decisions based on his desire to please Roxy. I think he would've gone to law school. He didn't want to go because he couldn't bear the thought of being away from her.
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Post by BENARD ACHUKU »

No. His blind love for Roxy is the one making decisions. Before he makes his decisions he asks himself what would Roxy say or think
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Post by Azuka Jessica »

From the book's beginning I would have thought so, but after he joined the police force, he was not that totally obedient to Rosy. And that caused some of their fights.
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Post by Iniko Santamo »

María Andrea Fernández wrote: 22 Aug 2022, 10:25 Do you guys also get the feeling that Steve is just following what Roxy says?
I mean, I understand Roxy's fight; I do. But I wonder if Steve would've joined the police or if, once in the police force, he would've joined the "system" if it weren't for Roxy.
Take, for instance, the following quote: "They had questioned law school after Kent State, but he took this different path. Now he had this new plan that they needed to discuss. It would put them back on track." (p. 190)
Are all his actions guided by a desire to please her? Or is he truly socially aware?
Steve's actions was guided by his need to please Roxy. That means those actions were not organic. I also do not think us is socially aware.
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Post by Rawdat George »

María Andrea Fernández wrote: 22 Aug 2022, 10:25 Do you guys also get the feeling that Steve is just following what Roxy says?
I mean, I understand Roxy's fight; I do. But I wonder if Steve would've joined the police or if, once in the police force, he would've joined the "system" if it weren't for Roxy.
Take, for instance, the following quote: "They had questioned law school after Kent State, but he took this different path. Now he had this new plan that they needed to discuss. It would put them back on track." (p. 190)
Are all his actions guided by a desire to please her? Or is he truly socially aware?
Most of his actions are done to please Roxy. I do not think he made his own decisions most of the times.
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Post by Zainab Wasif »

Yes, Steve saw joining Providence, a win-win situation. He would be close to Roxy and he would also make a difference in the system.
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