Daniel's Sense of Belonging in 'The Leavers': Significant Moments Anonymous 10th Grade

The struggle of losing a parent or of losing a child, of not belonging, of feeling as though your efforts will never amount to anything, the struggle of being alone although you are not physically alone. These are all struggles that can be achingly complicated and challenging to cope with as someone grows into their skin, no matter their age. These are additionally all struggles Deming, later renamed Daniel by his foster parents, and his mother, Polly, face throughout Daniel's adolescence and beyond in The Leavers written by Lisa Ko. Throughout the book, there are a variety of vital moments, however, the moments where Daniel reunites with his mother and begins piecing his life together end up shaping the meaning of the work by being the moments the author had been hinting towards. These moments show Daniel growing into the person he has been trying to become. The point in which Daniel grows into a person he is proud to be through reuniting with his mother shaped the work and its meaning by being the point in which Daniel realizes he belongs somewhere, even if it doesn’t feel like home.

Daniel spent a majority of his life without his mother. He was born in New York with her, but once he turned two he was sent back to China with...