I read the book Unwind by Neal Shusterman. The theme of Unwind is life has value, and not only does every life have a value but no other person should be able to put a value but no other person should be able to put a value on an others life. In the book Unwind, abortion is illegal, but parents have the right to abort there child from the age 12-18. This action is called being unwound.
Connor, one of the main characters was being unwound because he wasn't smart enough or good enough in the eyes of his parents. Connor found the forms to unwind a child in his fathers workroom and was confused, discussed and angry. The only way he could live was if he ran away. His parents valued his life so little they just sent him to death, but Connor luckily found out before the government came to him. Connor loved life and valued it enough to run away and fight for it. He loved himself and his girlfriend. This is why only he could value his own life. Only he knew how his valued, he valued himself.
A character named Mai was sent to be unwound because she was orphaned after her mother died and was sent to her aunt's home. Her aunt already has three children to feed, take care of and send to college and she knew a fourth was to much. Mai got away to fight for her life somehow. It was never explained in the book. Her mother cared and loved for her and would never have unwound her. Mai also liked life very much. When the situation changed, Mai's life was in the hands of someone who didn't value her life as much as others and she did. Mai couldn't do anything about it either. She was stuck with some who valued her life so little compared to what she used to have. Mai's only option was to was to fight for her life which she did. This option was not fair though because her aunt placed a value on her life and only Mai has the right to do so. The aunt did understand the value of a life which lead to Mai being stuck in a bad position. Only Mai had the right to put a value on her life, but her aunt did not respect that like she should have.
In this book the society had to come to think of life more as money then a life, people could place value on an others life and get rid of them if they displeased them. The author was showing how in our society today, abortions are just the same as being unwound. The parents control the life of someone who can't stick up for themselves, or in a real-life scenario can't talk or speak at all. All in all one person should not be able to place value on a life thats not their own.
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