Summary Of The Missing Piece Meets The Big O By Shel Silverstein

Children’s books have different things to offer when one reads them as a child, but when one takes a second look as an adult, it has a completely different interpretation. The messages that we see from a childlike perspective are less complex, they present themselves in more simple terms, mostly aiming to be enjoyed, spark up imagination and have dreams arise. As adults, children’s books have the ability to speak to our fears, our desires, our dreams, and so much more, as we grow older we attain the ability of fully comprehending the deep meaning behind these stories. In Shel Silverstein’s, “The Missing Piece meets The Big O”, the reader follows the story about a wedge looking for a missing piece, going through many adventures and outrageous situations to do so. But really, it is an encouraging story about how true love, no matter if it’s who or what, does not complete us, but instead lets us grow and helps us reach our full potential. The words of Shel Silverstein stretch out
far more than just simplicity in words and art and will be a lens to how reaching fulfillment isn’t about finally attaining the “missing piece” but the process of it all -- a journey that impacts an individual in both heart and mind, further accommodating one’s true needs.
In a common told story about seeking a partner to either repair or be repaired by, the entire affair consisting of disastrous and often disappointing outcomes, we hide behind the idea that being ‘completed’ is what true love is. As people, we should not represent ourselves with our flaws as something to be fixed, our expectations should not be depicted as a portrayal of having something or someone complete us, but something or someone that accepts us completely. Silverstein tells us the story about a lonely, little wedge seeking its piece to which it can fit, “The missing piece sat alone...waiting for someone to come along and take it somewhere” (Silverstein), the Missing Piece then goes along to satisfy the sting of isolation, in search for being able to roll along happily into any destination. The journey itself is an intricate one, various partners come by but none are quite right. “Some fit...but could not roll. Others could roll but did not fit” (Silverstein).
Silverstein gives various representations about the rolling partners and the archetypes involved in friendships and relationships, mentioning each one in a short and simple sentence.
A few would be, “Some had too many pieces missing” (Silverstein), portraying the damaged-beyond-repair. The overly complicated, “some had too many pieces, period” (Silverstein), the fragile, which Silverstein draws as a balloon being popped by the sharp point of the wedge, the narcissist, “some rolled by without noticing” (Silverstein), and the worshipper, “one put it on a pedestal and left it there” (Silverstein) and so much more. These depictions of partners are ones that may be familiar to anyone, and we may come across partners who represent all of these archetypes, but the result is always the same. Some partners are just not entirely right for us, which becomes tricky. We become involved in the suggestion that maybe we are the problem, changing ourselves to attract what we think will be better
potential.
We transition our own selves, manipulating the very substance that makes us who we are just to attain the completeness, “It tried to make itself more attractive...it didn’t help. It tried being flashy but that just frightened away the shy ones” (Silverstein). When we compromise ourselves, we risk losing everything we are, getting farther and farther away from acquiring our most genuine of goals. It’s as if we are going one step forward and two steps back, heading in completely different directions, only getting us off track from where we need to be. If we commit to who we are and what we want, things get simpler and we get closer to finding exactly what is necessary. Silverstein sets it up, “At last one came along that fit just right”, the two then roll on blissfully.
It is during this point of the story that one may realize that the little wedge got its happy ending, but there are so many pages left that it’s impossible not to think that the story is not over. This is also the part of the story in which we recognize the best message there is. Even though the two roll on blissfully, something is different and the wedge begins to grow, to the point where the wedge does not fit anymore. This is a form of personal growth, where things change and just like in any relationship where one partner grows and the other remains unvarying, it all ends in disappointment, then, it’s all just over. So the unvarying circle moves along and the wedge is left alone once again, looking to be completed.
In a moment where the wedge is left sighing and hopeless as to finally fulfilling what’s been missing, a shape comes along. It looks completely different compared to all the other pieces that the wedge has come across. It reveals itself to have no piece missing at all and is introduced as the Big O. The conversation between the two is absolutely spectacular, completely different to all the other encounters:
[“I think you are the one I have been waiting for,” said the missing piece. “Maybe I am your missing piece”.
“But I am not missing a piece,” said the Big O. “There is no place you would fit”.
“That is too bad,” said the missing piece. “I was hoping that perhaps I could roll with you….”
“You cannot roll with me,” said the Big O, “but perhaps you can roll by yourself.”] (Silverstein).
This sudden suggestion for the wedge takes it aback considering the Big O asked if it has ever tried. This involves the wedge almost surprisingly and defensively stating, “But I have sharp corners, I am not shaped for rolling” (Silverstein). The Big O affirms that corners wear off and after this, the wedge is left alone once more, left with only an idea representing a fine metaphor about self improvement necessary for personal growth, a great form of change. The wedge begins, “For a long time it just sat there. Then...slowly...it lifted itself up on one end...and flopped over” (Silverstein). While the wedge goes on its way forward, lifting and flopping until the edges begin to wear off and the shape starts to look different. Throughout its progress, it goes from bumping to bouncing to rolling, like it has always wanted to with the aid of another, only this time it’s all by itself.
When the wedge finally becomes its well-rounded self, the Big O appears, and the two are seen rolling together, with absolutely no explanation. Silverstein does this with great reason. Since the wedge is a representation of the human being constantly looking for its fulfillment whether in a person or in something, it transitions into a message that explains one does not need to attain this sense of fulfillment but instead to grow on their own, to develop and cherish their own true self, looking first at who they are. It is from being a wedge to shaping yourself, through time and through commitment, but nonetheless with the same goal. When the wedge decides to roll side by side with the Big O, there is also a certain idea about love. In someone or something, instead of feeling the need to be complete, you love what you love because both are looking outward in the same direction. You are growing together because you feel the desire for the same thing, for the same goals. In terms of reading, to a child, this is just a story about a missing piece, but throughout all the stories, children can find perspective and ideas that would follow them to adulthood, helping themselves emerge in their own self love and respect. It is in this way that we can recognize the story as so much more and then some, learning lessons that helps us come to all sorts of revelations.