Rasco's Distain For Amanda Essay

In P.D. Cacek’s short story “The Grave”, Elizabeth, the protagonist, resents bad mothers and their cruel treatment towards their children because Elizabeth is a bad mother. In the start of the story, Elizabeth notices a forgotten grave and immediately jumps to the conclusion that the grave belongs to a bad mother. As time passes, she tries to find reasons to disprove her statement but fails. As she gets home, the reader is introduced to Elizabeth’s mother, and this relationship illustrates the tension between to two. When it’s almost time to sleep, it is revealed to the reader that as Elizabeth leaves the grave, she dug up Precious' body and only recovers the skull. There are numerous examples of what happens when a parent fail in their job

Amanda Wingfield’s life is turned upside down by her husband’s departure. In her mind it shatters hope for

However, with her alcoholic dad who rarely kept a job and her mother who suffered mood swings, they had to find food from her school garbage or eat expired food they had previously when they had the slightest bit of money. In addition, when bills and mortgage piled up, they would pack their bags and look for a new home to live in, if they could even call it a stable home, since they would be on the move so often. Jeanette needed a dad who wouldn’t disappear for days at a time, and a mom that was emotionally stable, but because she didn’t have that, she grew up in an environment where she would get teased or harassed for it. Jeanette suffered so much, that even at one point, she tried convincing her mother to leave her father because of the trouble he had caused the family already. A child should be able to depend on their parents for food and to be there for them when they need it, and when that part of a child’s security is taken away, it leaves them lost and on their own, free and confused about what to do next.

Based on the evidence supplied by author Kent Anderson Leslie, slaves in antebellum Georgia did not always live under the oppressive system of chattel labor. According to Leslie, the rules that applied to racial hierarchy were not strictly enforced, especially when it came to propertied and wealthy planters such as David Dickson who chose to raise his mixed-race daughter at home. Amanda Dickson’s experiences during Reconstruction demonstrate that she had much more freedom after slavery was abolished than may have been expected before the Civil War. Amanda Dickson’s experiences and those of her mother in particular do not fit the presumed mold of oppressed slave with no opportunity for a better life.

Jody’s pride, materialism, and urge to dominant had turned him into a cold, bitter old man that was on his dying bed with kidney problems [Page 85]. This was the only time Janie had to tell him about the independence she had longed for during their marriage [Page 85]. She knows that Jody was a good husband in the aspects that he provided for her and had power. These were the things that Nanny Crawford had wanted for her. However, Janie the things she wanted which were love and independence in love. She also gained wisdom from her and Joe’s long time together. Janie did not have to leave Jody to get out of this marriage, because he died immediately after she told him all the problems she felt had been in their marriage.

Joyce Carols Oates highlights the importance of developing relationships in families. Connie’s future could’ve had a completely different outcome if she would’ve been raised with attention, love, and communication. Arnold would’ve never had the opportunity to manipulate her if she had her family’s protection; however, that was not the case. Connie’s family must live with a guilty conscience knowing that her kidnapping could’ve been avoided if only they were less neglectful towards

The characterizations of Connie’s family members have great effects on Connie. And onnie’s mother’s characterization is the main motivator for Connie’s rebellion. She always compares Connie with June, who is the “ideal daughter” in her eyes, and blames Connie for some little things, such as improper dressing and not having a tidy room. Oates suggests that the reason for Connie’s mother prohibiting Connie to dress up like an adult is that “ Her mother had been pretty once too” (Oates 1), but now “her looks were gone and that was why she always after Connie” (Oates 1). Therefore, she is jealous about Connie’s beauty and feels uncomfortable when seeing Connie wear beautiful outfits. Meanwhile, she likes June so much because June is obedient and plain, which makes her feel that she is dominant in the relationship. In the short story, Connie’s father is not given much description by the author, but his characterization has an effect on Connie as well. The irresponsible father spends little time with family and seldom has conversations to his daughters. When hearing his wife’s complain about Connie, he just bends his head with saying nothing, which makes Connie feels ignored and lonely. Urbanski states that “The father, who spent most of his time at work, is weak” (Urbanski 200) to reveals the father is not an active figure in his daughter’s life. Therefore, lacking of the company and communication of family members, Connie becomes upset. In addition, Connie’s sister June, who has the opposite characterization, is also one of the reasons for Connie’s rebellion. In Connie’s eyes, June is a

When people become parents they take on the responsibility of taking care of their children. Jeannette’s parents live in a fantasy world, with unrealistic wishes. They are blinded by this and lose sight of their children’s real needs. Jeannette says, “Mom gave me a startled look. I’d broken one of our unspoken rules: We were always supposed to pretend our life was one long and incredibly fun adventure”(69). Life is not a game of hide and seek, where some people can just hide/ shut out their problems. Problems must be faced because it is all a lesson. Life is real, and you only have one shot at it. Not realizing so can put yourself and others in danger. Jeannette is just wants some food to keep herself from starving. Her parents are selfish people that need to get their priorities straight and start living in reality.

     The plays, The Glass Menagerie and A Raisin in the Sun, deal with the love, honor, and respect of family. In The Glass Menagerie, Amanda, the caring but overbearing and over protective mother, wants to be taken care of, but in A Raisin in the Sun, Mama, as she is known, is the overseer of the family. The prospective of the plays identify that we have family members, like Amanda, as overprotective, or like Mama, as overseers. I am going to give a contrast of the mothers in the plays.

In the book “Woman of Color, Daughter of Privilege,” the author Kent Anderson Leslie discusses the life of Amanda America Dickson. Ms.Dickson was a born-into-privilege daughter of a young slave and her white master, who was also a very wealthy and socially accepted planter. Being a mulatto child from a white father who was greatly successful, Amanda America Dickson’s life could have been completely different. Yet, her father David Dickson and some of his family, made sure that her life wasn’t. Amanda America could ave been freed in another state, but would not have been able to return back to Georgia, so Elizabeth, and David decided to keep her as a slave.

Finally, the reader is introduced to the character around whom the story is centered, the accursed murderess, Mrs. Wright. She is depicted to be a person of great life and vitality in her younger years, yet her life as Mrs. Wright is portrayed as one of grim sameness, maintaining a humorless daily grind, devoid of life as one regards it in a normal social sense. Although it is clear to the reader that Mrs. Wright is indeed the culprit, she is portrayed sympathetically because of that very lack of normalcy in her daily routine. Where she was once a girl of fun and laughter, it is clear that over the years she has been forced into a reclusive shell by a marriage to a man who has been singularly oppressive. It is equally clear that she finally was brought to her personal breaking point, dealing with her situation in a manner that was at once final and yet inconclusive, depending on the outcome of the legal investigation. It is notable that regardless of the outcome, Mrs. Wright had finally realized a state of peace within herself, a state which had been denied her for the duration of her relationship with the deceased.

The reader can see from this that Amanda is definitely living in the past. Another way that Amanda hides from reality is that she tries to deny anything that she does not want to accept. She denies that Laura is crippled, saying ‘Nonsense! Laura, I’ve told you never, never to use that word.’ (p 247). Amanda believes that if she denies something so much, that it will not be true. This also occurs when Laura thinks that the gentleman caller will be her high school crush, and Amanda denies that it could be, ‘It won’t be him! It isn’t the least bit likely.’ (p 278). It is in these ways that Amanda Wingfield hides from reality.

The bond between a mother and child is often spoken of as being unlike any other. Yet there are always exceptions to the rule where this connection isn 't as impenetrable as one might assume. This book is an example of this bond gradually becoming weaker over time. It shows how it affects the child, Bone, and leaves her vulnerable to the abuse of her step-father. Bone’s mother, Anney, had fallen in love with a man who abused her which at first, she’s unaware but eventually comes to realize but still chooses to stay with him. Throughout the book there are instances of Anney’s negligence in recognizing her daughter’s abuse and being of aid to her but wasn 't. In having to deal with her

How she was so popular, so beautiful, and so charming. She tells her not so popular daughter how she had so many gentleman callers. Also, how she had many wealthy gentleman callers that could have been her husband and how she could have a much better life, but instead she chose their not so wealthy father. By always talking about her younger glory days, she starts to live in her fantasy life. Initially it did not seem harsh that Amanda was telling about her glory days, it was like any other mother telling her daughter about her past life.

As a mother, Amanda Wingfield had always encouraged her children to be all they could be. When Laura asked about clearing the table, Amanda’s responded by telling her to “…go in front and study your typewriter chart. Or practice your shorthand a little. Stay fresh and pretty! It’s almost time for our gentlemen callers to start arriving” (Williams, Scene 1, 976). This quote showed two aspects of the nature versus nurture debate. Amanda intended to nurture Laura’s success by encouraging and pushing her to study hard, to practice her writing, and look pretty while naturally, Amanda was concerned about taking care of herself and making sure her children make the right decision so that they may provide for her all the things she never had.