Raymond's Run Literary Analysis

very highly compared to the other characters. But over the course of the events in the book her opinion slowly begins to change eventually having her view completely flipped around. This was mainly after the race when she almost lost to Gretchen, her rival. From that win she realized that not everyone is what they seem and that she should use that to help herself grow. Squeaky was mainly thinking about Raymond who she had before treated him to how he looked, a boy who wasn't quite right. Nevertheless she had still cared for him by watching Raymond and making she he didn't get into trouble.. But now he saw him and everyone else in a

”Gretchen smiles, but it is not a smile, and I’m thinking that girls never really smile at each other because they don’t know how and don’t want to know how and there is probably no one to teach us how, cause grown up girls don’t know either.”(147-151)” I was once a strawberry in a Hansel and Gretel pageant when I was in nursery school, I was like a fool just to let my mom and dad come dressed up and clap. I am not a strawberry. I do not dance on my toes. I run.” This explains that Squeaky stands up for herself and says “No” to whatever she does not like. And does what she really want to do, like

Besides Gretchen and Squeaky, Squeaky’s older brother Raymond proves to be talented as well. To me, it seems that he’s been learning from her without her notice. Squeaky is tasked with watching over Raymond, and she does so with some reluctance, and she states that she will, “as long as he doesn’t run me over or interrupt my breathing exercises,” on page 30. Squeaky doesn’t realize that Raymond is talented until the end of the story as well, and the little hints are revealed. “Doesn’t he always keep up with my trots?” she asks herself on page 37, “And he surely knows how to breathe in counts of seven.”

Imagine you're a young girl competing with rude girls and they try and push you around and make fun of your brother. That’s exactly what happens to Squeaky a young girl and her older brother Raymond. One important lesson readers can learn from Toni Cade Bambara’s “Raymond’s Run is to put others before yourself. The story shows how squeaky sticks up for herself and it helps her stay calm and not flip out. “When Gretchen a mean girl” and her sidekicks Rosie and Mary Louise. They say that Squeaky isn’t going to win she’s going to lose. But then, Squeaky proves them wrong.

Squeaky is a proud sister, she’s sassy, she is protective and takes care of her brother Raymond in the book Raymond’s Run by Toni Cade Bambara. Squeaky is proud of Raymond because after she finishes the race, he comes running to her, showing he keeps up with his sister and she realizes he is a very fine runner. She takes care of him because she is the one looking after him taking him out and helping him. She does love him and takes care of him because when Mary Louise Williams asks a question to Raymond, Squeaky chimes in to tell her if she has something to tell Raymond, they will have to tell it to Squeaky first. She is also sassy when Mary Louise asks a question.

Because she saw Raymond running along the sidelines, something sparks inside of her. “Cause if I’ve lost this race, or if me and Gretchen tied… I can always retire as a runner… and coach with Raymond as my champ” (Bambara 111). Squeaky doesn’t care about her win anymore. She is thinking about Raymond’s potential as a runner. Her heart is growing fond at the thought of her brother following behind her footsteps. “My brother Raymond, a great runner in the family tradition” (Bambara 111). This shows that Squeaky is excited for her brother’s future. He is no longer the annoying ‘little’ brother he always was. Now, he is a person with the ability to run like she can. Finally, even after the man announces that Squeaky won, she looks over at Gretchen. There is no longer venom boiling between them. “And I smile. ‘Cause she’s good, no doubt about it. Maybe she’d like to help me coach Raymond” (Bambara 112). There is a newfound respect between the two girls. Gretchen even smiles back. The walls Squeaky spent so long building up are now crumbling down piece by piece as her mind

When the race is in progress Squeaky sees her brother Raymond on the sidelines and she almost stopped “to watch my brother Raymond on his first run” This shows that she was willing to stop her whole race, ruin a year's worth of work, just to watch her brother Raymond run in his wobble like stance. Now, being able to show that amount of love and compassion is the real win. Even though she doesn’t stop that thought is worth a thousand words. Also, at the end of the race Squeaky is saying “I’m smiling to beat the band cause if I lost, or if me and Gretchen tied, or even if I won, I can always retire as a runner and begin a whole new career as a coach with Raymond as my champion.” This quote really shows the exact moment when Squeaky realizes how much she loves Raymond and that he is more important than any shiny trophy that she could ever get!

Squeaky cares about her brother, Raymond a lot and she protects him like a mother. Mary Louise comes with her friends to talk with squeaky, and she tells her how she is not fast. Then she tries to ask Raymond something, but Squeaky stops her. “ You got anything to say to my brother you say it to me, Mary Louise Williams of Raggedy Town, Baltimore.”(Bambara 3) This quote explains how much she cares and is very protective. Rosie tries to be mean and asks squeaky, if she was Raymond’s mother. “ Thats right fatso, And the next word out of anybody and I’ll be their mother too.”(Bambara 3) This explains how squeaky could do anything for her brother no matter what.

She says, “I always win cause I’m the best,” to Gretchen, who is competing against her. Which is a very strong statement to say, because what if she didn’t end up winning the race. Probably the reason that most people wouldn’t brag that they are going to win because no matter how much you train there is never certainty that you always will win. Nevertheless she thinks that it is impossible for anyone to beat her at the race, and repeatedly states that she is going to win the race throughout the book without seconding guessing herself. In particular, “ I’m subject to run the quarter-meter relay all by myself and come in first, second, and third”.

“Raymond’s Run” is a story by Toni Cade Bambara about an African-American girl known to all as Squeaky who lives in Harlem, New York. Her numerous character traits and values make her very unique and unlike most her age. In the story, Squeaky arrives to the park where the race that she will be participating in will take place. An example of one of her values is, “I squint at him real hard to see if he is seriously thinking that I should lose the race on purpose just to give someone else a break” Bambara (22). This quote shows how much Squeaky values pride and hard work. The example supports the idea of Squeaky’s uniqueness through her values because not many children of that age possess those traits.The character Squeaky from “Raymond’s Run”

She normally goes on her walks to practice her breathing exercises and, “[keeps] Raymond on the inside of [her]...which is OK by [her] so long as he doesn’t run [her] over or interrupt [her] breathing exercises” (Bambara 2). When the race is finished, she decides that she is going to devote her attention to helping Raymond develop into a skilled runner. She decides she's going to “begin a whole new career as a coach with Raymond as my champion” (Bambara 6). From the beginning of the story to the end, she goes from thinking of herself as the main priority to recognizing that she has the capability to help others, and she is going to put her skills to use on Raymond. Finally, Squeaky learns to have respect for other girls. Squeaky believes that girls have the inability to be true friends with each other. When Gretchen smiles at her, she misinterprets it for a fake smile because, “girls never really smile at each other because they don’t know how and don’t want to know how and there’s probably no one to teach us how, cause grown-up girls don’t know either” (Bambara

For example, it says in the story that “But once I spread my fingers in the dirt and crouch over the Get on Your Mark, the dream goes and I am solid again and am telling myself Squeaky you must win, you must win, you are the fastest thing in the world” (44, 45). This shows that Hazel wants to win the races she runs in.

Also, in the story, “Raymond’s Run”, Squeaky and how she is open about her opinions, serious about running, and does allow other people to tell her what she has to be. One quote from “Raymond’s Run” that demonstrates the theme

A character that uses these emotions to conquer the hardships of her own life is.... Squeaky, Squeaky, otherwise known as Hazel Deborah Elizabeth Parker, the protagonist of a short story, “ Raymond’s Run”, by Toni Cade Bambara, is overcome with many obstacles, but one of her main obstacles is taking care of her brother Raymond, and aggressively

In a all Squeaky is a great character she is my favorite out of the story. She wont back down from anything and she reminds me of myself because she has a big heart and the heart of a lion. No matter what she never gives up and she is willing to fight who ever also she will go through any challenge to be the best she can be. She is a great person and she takes care of her brother which I also like about her. She doesn't care who you are or how big you are she will go at you with everything shes got she knows her size but she doesn't care she is a young