The Red Shoe

I made the decision to include a camera in the book Bento because I couldn't help but notice that nearly every page of the book featured a camera in some way. I was curious and as I took more notice of the story, I quickly discovered the significance behind the camera. It symbolized the main character, a man who was a photographer. He was tasked with documenting the injuries of a 9-year-old boy who had been involved in a tragic school disaster. The camera was a constant reminder of the pain and suffering that the boy had endured, as well as the man's responsibility to capture it all in photographs.

I added an orange basketball to the book bento for several reasons. It appears throughout the book with Kenan, a secondary character, holding it. This item is significant to Kenan's character development and is a symbol of his growth. Additionally, the front cover of the book features a boy holding a ball that closely resembles a basketball. By including this item in the bento, readers can connect with the story and characters on a deeper level, and it provides further characterization of Kenan as a basketball fan.

The reason I added blue medical gloves to the book bento was that the nurses and doctors in the book who helped the young boy Kenana all wore gloves. I thought it would add depth to the story and help readers better understand it.

As I observed the young boy, I couldn't help but notice a bandage wrapped on his forehead. It made me want to include a similar detail to depict the injuries by Kenan.

I added the newspapers because on the endpaper there was a picture of the main character in his messy office looking stressed with a bunch of photos scattered around. However, what really caught my attention were the newspapers. I added them because I thought they would look cool and saw them in the book.

The stethoscope represents what the nurses and doctors wore and shows how professional they are and how well trained.