Blog Post Number Six - 'Tricks' by Ellen Hopkins - Eden's Story (Blog Post Number Five) REVISED

"When I am, God forgive me, I want to know what it means to give myself to him so completely. Want to know what it's like when it's absolutely right."

In the book 'Tricks' by Ellen Hopkins, I think that Eden wants to try certain things out and go to a different side of humanity, because her mother and father are over protective and very religious so they won't let her date anyone who isn't going to be her future husband or isn't Christian. I also think that Eden wants to try out the other side of humanity because she has no teen girl experiences. Such as her first kiss, or her first boyfriend. Before she met Andrew, she would just live her"normal" boring life that she is sick and tired of. When she met Andrew, she became as bright as the sun, and she was always happy when she was around him. But she had to keep him a secret, away from her parents. But when her parents found out, they thought that she was possessed by demons and sent her to The Tears of Zion, to think about what she has done and to try and get the demons out of her.

One conflict that Eden faces is that her parents are extremely religious and won't let her go out and see the world. In the beginning of the book, Eden wonders about what other teen girls her age do (sixteen year old girls). She would like to think the way that they think. And have normal, teen experiences. But she knows that she can’t because of her parents.

"No, not at all. Andrew is pretty much perfect. Not gorgeous in a male model kind of way, but he is really cute, with crazy hair that sometimes hides his eyes, dark chocolate eyes that hold laughter, even when he's deadly serious.

... 

No, he's not even a little wrong for me except maybe - maybe! - in the eyes of God. But much, much worse than that, he's completely wrong for my parents."

I thought that Eden was really into Andrew and even she knows that she can't be with him because of her over protective parents. I think that her parents should at least let loose, just the slightest bit. Because what girl like her, isn't going to go behind their backs and try and get the guy anyways?

Another conflict that Eden faces is that she has to have a secret relationship with the man of her dreams - Andrew. Eden and Andrew's relationship has gotten VERY serious. They actually care and love about each other. And they never want to be apart. Andrew knows that Eden can't tell her parents about them, but that doesn't stop Andrew from telling his family! Eden doesn't mind and neither does Andrew's mother. In fact, she's glad that they're together. Eden wishes that her parents could be as flexible as Andrew's mother. But Eden knows that, that could never happen. I think that Eden and Andrew are really meant to be because, he is very protective of her and cares about her so much. And she is the same exact way about him.

"... I tense waiting for his response. It's swift. Oh God, Eden, I love you too. How did I ever live without you? It's like I was missing a huge part of me. ..."

I think that Andrew really meant what he said because he says it a lot in the book, before she got taken away. I also think that Eden and Andrew are the perfect couple because they take perfect care of each other. For example, when Eden's mother got very mad at Eden, and she called Andrew straight after, he came right away and asked her what was wrong. He took care of her. And I thought that was really sweet.

Another conflict that Eden faces is that her parents find out about her and Andrew's secret relationship and splits them up and puts her into an isolation camp, Tears of Zion, in order to get the "demons" out of her. Since Eden's parents don't approve of her relationship with Andrew, they send her to The Tears of Zion, where they send girls who disobey God. Eden's parents don't believe that she should be dating someone if they aren't to wind up becoming her husband. Especially is the boy isn't Christian! At the Tears of Zion, she is trying to break out. But in order to do that, she must sleep with one of the workers there, Jerome. Everyday, when the two see each other, he gives her a small gift such as food or shampoo. And after they sleep together, Eden scrubs it all off, to try and make it go away. But of course, it never does.

"... The second time takes longer, but when he's finally done, he says, I'll think about it. After he leaves, I lie in an aura of hope. Say a little prayer to Mary Magdalene."

I thought that Eden was very smart to come up with a plan like this. But it all must come with a price. Eden still must sleep with Jerome whether she likes it or not. It takes a while, but eventually, Eden escapes but with Jerome. But she must escape again. And thankfully she does. She travels to Vegas, in hope of reuniting with Andrew. Eden winds up going to a Teen Prostitute Helping Center that deals with other teens that have similar problems that Eden has faced in the story.

In Conclusion, in the book 'Tricks' by Ellen Hopkins, I think that Eden wants to try certain things out and go to a different side of humanity, because her mother and father are over protective and very religious so they won't let her date anyone who isn't going to be her future husband or isn't Christian. In the beginning of the story, Eden is very curious and wants to have a boyfriend. And she eventually does. The two are madly in love. But when Eden's parents find out, the couple is separated and Eden is taken into a isolation camp in order to get rid of the "demons" inside of her. She eventually escapes the camp, in hope of reuniting with Andrew, but instead is taken into a Teen Prostitute Helping Center that deals with the different problems that she has faced in the story. I think that Eden has had her experiences, but with the wrong people - Jerome. I also think that if her parents hadn't found out about Andrew, Eden would have been much happier and the two would have lived happily ever after. But all good things must come to an end.