In I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak, the protagonist Ed is a nineteen-year-old Australian taxi driver who has never done anything. One day, while he is with his three best friends, an event happens that will change his life forever. While in a bank, they are held at gunpoint. Ed ends up stopping the criminal and saving the day. Days later, as the trial of the bank robber is winding down, he tells Ed that he is "a dead man... [And to] [re]remember that every day when [he] look[s] in the mirror" (Zusak 38 ). This reader-overlooked statement returns at the end of the novel to reveal an important message that “everyone can live beyond what they are capable of” (535). Before attending the trial, however, Ed begins receiving playing cards with addresses, names, times, and movie titles that require him to complete tasks, which challenge him in more ways than he could have ever imagined. In the story "Good People" by David Foster Wallace, the two characters, Lane and Sheri, find themselves facing a situation that also changes their lives; Sheri is pregnant with Lane's baby. While Lane and Sheri's situation is a little different than Ed's, the two are very close as all of the characters are forced to make decisions that can alter the rest of their lives. In the novel, morality is used to realize Ed's self-discovery and personality growth by pushing his limits, and in the short story "Good People" by David Foster Wallace, morality is used to bring about growth and realization of consequences of their actions. placing the young couple in a situation of doubt about their faith that no teenager would want to face. When Ed receives the first card and visits 45 Edgar Street at midnight, he sees and hears one of the most disgusting things that...... card... or strong faith, causes more doubt about what is the right thing to do. This problem is too complex for the couple to rely on faith alone. Everyone has different beliefs and ways of handling things, but ultimately we all face difficult problems. These tasks, even the smallest of gestures, can make a difference in a person's life as Ed realizes that “big things are often just little things that get noticed” (Zusak 221). Works Cited Morales-Sánchez, Rafael and Carmen Cabello-Medina. “The role of the four universal moral competencies in ethical decision making.” Journal of Business Ethics 116.4 (2013): 717-734. Business origination completed. Network. April 8, 2014. Wallace, David F. “Good People.” Norton's introduction to literature. 11th ed. New York: W. W. Norton &, 2014. 149-55. Print.Zusak, Markus. I am the Messenger. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2005. Print.