Careers

While making my way through "The Westing Game" there are many themes that pop out, such as, identity crisis and trust just to name a couple. To me, another very important theme of this book is career status. These seem to jump out to me very clearly because they are presented to us (the reader) while the will is being read, and I have to think the author (Raskin) did this for a reason. With a variety of different people with an array of jobs, Raskin has placed a group of characters in front of us that seem very familiar. Most of these characters never seem to be completely satisfied with how much or little success they have had in their lives. The idea of winning the Westing inheritance will then make them happy, because will no longer have to run a chinease restaurant, make dresses, or be a judge. After the game is over, it easy easy to say that the lives of many of them had changed for the better, thus making them much more happy. We learn this as Turtle is at "Westing's" death bed. She gives him the scoop on what people have eventually done with their lives. Some of the more notable jumps in career status are; Angela had gone from being considered a "none" to eventually becoming an orthopedic surgeon, and J.R. Ford had become appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The character that is most changed from the game though is Turtle. She becomes a lawyer, plays the stock market, and eventually becomes the heir to Westing Paper Products. These successes prove that though The Westing Game did not develop into a get rich quick scheme it did improve the quality of life for it's players. This book gives the reader the idea that eventually someone is going to figure out the clues and win the game. This game helps people develop in the persons they had always dreamed they would be and can finally find something to be happy about in their lives: their careers.