What conflicts are your characters facing and how do they affect your characters? My book, The Awakening by Michael Carroll, is about a generation of super humans. The superhumans fought crime and bad guys and now their offspring Colin and Danny, who are best friends, are dealing with difficult problems. Overall the main conflict my characters are facing is preventing the bad guys from taking their power and trying to maintain a normal life.  Having superpowers ruined and destroyed the lives of Danny and Colin by putting them on the run from secret agents and tearing their families apart by splitting them up.

One way how the presence of superpowers is destroying their lives is because of the situation that Colin is in. For example, Colin was being chased by agents in a helicopter, torn away from his parents and stuck in a lab with terrible conditions. In the text it says “‘Colin please do as I ask.’ Rachel said [she is one of the scientist] ‘No.’  ‘Very well,’ and she pulled something against his neck and a powerful electric shock coursed through his body.”(159) This evidence shows how Colin’s life was turned upside down. Just the other day he was sitting on his bed wishing he had superpowers but after he got powers he was stuck in a lab being tortured like a guinea pig. Another way how superpowers are ruining Colin’s life is because his family is getting torn apart. For example on page 62 it says “ ‘ If either of you sees an opportunity to escape, go for it. But only if you’re absolutely certain that you can make it. Leave us behind.’ ” To save their child Colin’s parents are willing to give up freedom so their only son can escape and be free. These reasons show how having superpowers is a big conflict in this book because it can split up families and destroy lives.

Another reason why superpowers are a big conflict in this book is because it destroyed Danny’s life.  For instance, Danny has been living for about thirteen years with a guy pretending to be his father. But it turns out he was actually a superhuman who was pretending to be Danny’s parent to monitor his abilities. This information is supported in the text on page 55 “‘You’re not Danny’s dad, you’re not Paul Cooper. There’s only ever been one superhuman with shape-shifting powers. You’re Façade. The man nodded ‘Correct.” That shows how Danny’s life was turned upside down since he was deprived of growing up with his real father because a shape-shifting villain wanted to monitor Danny’s abilities . Lastly, why I think that having superpowers is such a big conflict and life changing situation is because Danny ends up losing his right arm as he destroys a machine that would strip superhuman powers and kill many people. For example, on page 183 it reads“‘ Danny you have to shut it off. Hundreds of thousands of people could die. He closed his eyes and concentrated and his arm became translucent and his hand slipped right into the nucleus and ripped out the plugs. But Danny’s arm turned to a solid too quick while his hand was still inside the machine. Pain tore through his entire body as his arm fused with the inner workings of the nucleus. Danny Cooper screamed for a long, long, time before he finally blacked out.” Danny’s arm had to be amputated because it fused with the machine. This shows that Danny’s world was turned upside down with the discovery of superpowers. Just the week before Danny was sitting in class learning math. Now he lost his arm cleaning up a mess someone else started. These examples explain why I think that superpowers are a big conflict in this book and changed the life of Danny and Colin for the worse.

In conclusion, superpowers are a big conflict in this book. For example, it destroyed Colin’s and Danny’s lives by splitting their families apart, causing one to lose an arm, turning another into a lab rat, and separating one from his father. Overall superpowers might seem cool to have but according to the author, Michael Carroll, it can make your life harder and more complicated.