# data[].attributes.body
I chose this excerpt because it explains Eddie and his father's relationship. At first, it was neglect. Every time Eddie and his father were at the pier, his father would leave him with random people to play cards and drink. Then it was violence. After Eddie's father had a bad day playing cards on the pier, he would come home and take it out on Eddie and Joe by whipping their behinds. Lastly, it was silence. When Eddie finally stood up to his dad and didn't let his dad hit him, his dad stopped talking to him completely. This shows how Eddie's dad tainted Eddie for Eddie's whole life. Yet, Eddie still craved his father's love and acceptance.

# data[].attributes.body
Months earlier, a kid's car keys fell off the ride. It was an accident, and nobody even knew that it happened. But the key escalated into ripping the ride cable's steel wire. This caused the ride to slowly malfunction. Which, led to the death of Eddie.

# data[].attributes.body
The little girl that Eddie made the balloon animals was stuck on the platform. The carts began to drop and Eddie didn't know if he had enough time to save the little girl. But he jumped towards her, attempting to save her life. He died trying to save her life. Yet, the readers don't know whether the little girl was killed too.

# data[].attributes.body
In The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Heaven is ultimately understanding your life on earth. This is what the Blue man explained to Eddie. He tells Eddie how there are five people that he will meet, including him. Each of them was in his life for a reason, whether he realized it or not. Eddie will discover the meaning of his life and get a deeper understanding of it in heaven.

# data[].attributes.body
Eddie had no idea that he was the reason why this man died. Eddie was a child and didn't know that running in front of a car to get his baseball would snowball into the man losing control of his vehicle and crashing. This shows the chain reaction that the simplest thing can cause. Somebody can do the tiniest thing and it can completely change everything else for another person. Joseph, the Blue man, teaches Eddie that everything affects everything and that the butterfly effect is real.

# data[].attributes.body
Although he doesn't use these exact terms, it is furthering Joseph's lesson that the butterfly effect is very real. And he is proving to Eddie how the butterfly effect of how running in front of a car literally led to his death. If Eddie had stopped and waited until the car passed, there would be a good chance that Joseph would've survived. Eddie says how it isn't justified how he died for something like that, and Joseph tells him how fairness does not dictate life or death. People feel so connected to life and death because they know that everybody is connected.

# data[].attributes.body
This excerpt is important because it connects Eddie's third person to his life. When Ruby was first introduced, the reader and Eddie were confused about how she was connected to Eddie. But here, it is revealed that she is the inspiration behind Ruby Pier. Ruby Pier was made and named after her by her wealthy husband, Emile. And Ruby Pier was the place where Eddie lived for most of his life. Ruby is also connected to Eddie because while she was in the hospital with Emile, Eddie's father was dying.

# data[].attributes.body
Sacrifice is the lesson that the Captain taught Eddie. He is basically saying that sacrifice is necessary in life. You need to aspire to your sacrifices instead of regretting them. Although he didn't realize it, Eddie had to sacrifice his leg in order to live. And what the captain was telling him was that instead of being sour about it, he could've appreciated that it saved his life.

# data[].attributes.body
The worst guard, Crazy Two, shot sick and weak Rabozzo. The men were angered by this. After Eddie hit the Crazies with rocks and the men attacked and killed them, Eddie felt that he needed to get more vengeance against Crazy Two. So, he repeatedly slammed his head as hard as he could and grabbed a rock and used that too. Meanwhile, Smitty shot Crazy Two in the Chest. This pure hatred that these men had as the killed Crazy Two was not only rooted in the fact that they were held hostage and were in such terrible conditions for so long; but also because they wanted justice for their 'brother', Rabozzo. This shows how much these men bonded in the war and how they would get such evil revenge for one another.

# data[].attributes.body
Here, it is revealed that the Captain was the one who shot Eddie. This is a plot twist because up to this point both the readers and Eddie had no idea what happened to his leg.

# data[].attributes.body
Eddie and his fellow soldiers were being held hostage during the war. They were gone for months and they were losing a lot of hope. But Eddie came up with a way to get them out of the coal mine. He used the juggling skills he had spent so long learning at the Ruby Pier to distract the crazies. While he mesmerized the guards with his skills, he used the language barrier to his advantage and got his fellow soldiers prepared. This proves how brave and witty Eddie was. Most people would be too scared to try this since the guards were armed, but he did and did it good.

# data[].attributes.body
This excerpt displays the humanity in Eddie's father. Up to this point in the book, he was proven to be a rotten person. But this shows that he did have good in him. After he walked in on his wife getting groped, he was chasing Mickey in an attempt to attack him. Until he found Mickey intoxicated and almost drowning in the ocean, he put his anger aside to save somebody's life. Despite his problems, this does show he has some morals.

# data[].attributes.body
This is Ruby's lesson for Eddie. Anger is a double edged sword. Humans believe that hatred is revenge. But, in reality, it is actually self sabotage. The person who truly gets hurt in the end is the one holding a grudge. Ruby is conveying the fact that you need to let go of anger because it does not help you.

# data[].attributes.body
This is Marguerite's lesson for Eddie. Love still lasts through death. Even though it might be from a distance, it doesn't mean that the love dissolves. Instead of having that person physically, you reminisce of the special memories of your loved one. This was important for Eddie to learn because after Marguerite died Eddie thought that the love was lost and he was holding on to anger because of it. Marguerite is proving that you need to accept loss and understand that it is natural. And also, love is eternal.

# data[].attributes.body
This is the fifth lesson, Tala's lesson for Eddie. Eddie felt like he didn't have a purpose in life. But, Tala told Eddie that keeping children safe was his life's purpose. This can also prove that everybody's life has a purpose, even if you don't realize it. It is bittersweet because Eddie and Marguerite never got the chance to adopt a child--but Eddie was able to help many other children--he saved the little girl's life at the pier.

# data[].attributes.body
Tala reveals that Eddie saved the little girl, Amy/Annie's life. Throughout his whole experience in heaven, he wondered whether he saved the little girl's life. It was a big relief for him when he found out he did. It was confusing because he felt a child's hand as he was dying, but it was Tala's. This is because Tala was bringing him to heaven.

# data[].attributes.body
That was Eddie's heaven. A busy day at Ruby Pier with many children and families. With Marguerite waiting for him atop of the White Ferris Wheel. This is Eddie's heaven because it is where he felt most comfortable and peaceful. It connects back to the comfort he felt back when he and Marguerite would look at the White Ferris Wheel outside of their window.