Tears of a Tiger

Draper, S. M. (1996). Tears of a tiger. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks.

The first book in a trilogy tells the heartbreaking account of the consequences that come out of a typical mistake made by a teenager: drinking and driving. Three serious issues are addressed in this book; drinking and driving have consequences that go beyond a legal punishment; a person’s inability to deal with his own guilt can lead to a depression that no one can help him out of; and a person’s way of dealing with depression can result in tragedy that many saw coming but were still unable to pretend. The agony that Andy undergoes while he blames himself for the death of his dear friend is touching and draws out the reader’s sympathy for this young boy. Terrifyingly accurate, this book opens our eyes to the crude reality of what a seemingly insignificant action can do and how it brings life changing consequences that may be a little bit too difficult to deal with. 

Heartbroken is how I felt as I read it. My heart hurts for Andy and for the agony that he undergoes. The guilt was too much for him to handle. How does one live after knowing your irresponsible actions killed an innocent human being. As a high school teacher, I see how they see themselves as invinsible. Nothing fazes them. They're young and they have their lives ahead of them. As much as I try to make them see that they have to live live cautiously, most still believe their youth guarantees them many, many years ahead of them. I have lost too many students in my fifteen years of teaching, most because of accidents. Life is too short. And although we must enjoy it while we are well and healthy, we must be careful as well. If we are lucky, our mistakes will affect only us, but if we are not, we will live with the agony of knowing our mistakes affected those we love. And will we be strong enough to endure it?

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