The world is black and white by Christopher knight is a story about love, sacrifice, and perception and judgment. 16 year old Greg Chapel leaves behind his life in order to search for his little sister, who took off in search of a better life a year prior. A random phone call from her one day begging for his help began his journey from his home town in Bay City, Michigan, across the country to Florida. He had no more than the clothes on his back, 50 bucks, and his lucky black and white quarter in his pocket. On his journey he experiences more than one could ever imagine; including meeting and getting to know a young prostitutes, truckers and hill-billies whom have surprisingly insightful advice, as well as many other strangers who changed his perspective on the world itself and everyone in it.
When Greg was 10, he found a quarter on the ground that was painted black on one side, and white on the other side. He looked at the world in only 2 ways (like many people do) like he looked at the quarter: the good and the bad. There was only 2 sides to everything: the good vs. evil, happiness vs. sadness, and so on. Being on his own, Greg soon realized that judgment gets you nowhere in life. He took risks, and soon realized that the most unexpected people will show up to help. Greg’s biggest problem was trying to make it across the country with little time and little money. He had to rely on people with bigger hearts to help him out, and he soon found that it was the most unexpected people that did.
Gregg Chapel left behind everything for his sister, and he never got it back. His life was turned upside down- and he did not have the outcome he was hoping for. He found out how life throws boomerangs at us again and again, but that is just the way our universe works. Although bad things happen, he found there is always something good to come out of it. It could be minutes after, or it could be years after, but what he found out is that life is unexpected and you just have to trust that good things WILL come. People are unpredictable, so judging will get you nowhere in life. The last person anyone might expect to be insightful is a prostitute, but that was exactly who changed his life. She Flicked his lucky quarter on a table, and as it spun like our world does, it was no longer black and white- but grey. Everything was blended once it came together, not separated into 2 halves, but as one. It was a new way to look at things, and although things didn’t always go as planned, there will be a good outcome in the end- it just depends at how you look at it.
The world is black and white is one of my favorite books. It’s story is exciting, adventurous, touching, and sad. I would recommend it to absolutely anyone, and give it a rating of 4 stars.