In any genuine friendship there are the differences between the people that spark curiosity, yet, it is similarities that draw two together to form a tight bond. This is evident in the friendship that starts between Vivian and Molly. Vivian, from outward show, does not display the slightest similarity with Molly. It is not until one examines the often tragic back stories of both that striking parallels begin to be made clear. By the time all is uncovered, the likenesses shared between Vivian and Molly far outweigh any disparities. In examining the relationship between Vivian and Molly, a perfect balance is struck in Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline. In Orphan Train, Christina Baker Kline weaves a strong friendship between two characters, Vivian and Molly, despite a lengthy list of differences. The most blatant contrast, and the root cause of many other differences, is age and the separate eras both Vivian and Molly grow up in. In the span of her life, Vivian Nielsen, a ninety-one year old widow, experiences the Great Depression, World War II, and a technology boom impossible to keep up with. On the other hand, Molly Ayer is a sixteen year old tech-savvy foster child who uses “her Goth persona like armor” against an unsympathetic society (Kline 4). Another dissimilarity is ethnicity. Vivian is a first generation Irish immigrant and in being a Penobscot Native American Indian, Molly is unable to be more different than Vivian. While these differences seem apparent, the
The audience has quite a connection towards the story. The story talks about the struggles of a young girl and a ninety-one year old lady who share each other's stories connecting them to their personal lives. Molly the young lady connects the story told to her by Vivian to the struggles she is going through in her life and the story told by Molly connected to the struggles in Vivian's life. They both connected each other stories to their own personal life, the readers can make connection of the struggle that Molly goes through and the history of the actual orphan train. As Muriel Rukeyser stated due to his research on the
Redemption, a word with many meanings but few examples. People who usually think of redemption will normally think about Jesus, but few ever think of Molly Ayer and Niamh Power. Molly Ayer is a young troubled orphan teenager with a gothic persona, who desperately tried to find a family who she can call her own. Vivian is a 91-year-old women, who is more commonly known as Vivian. has agreed to help Molly complete her 50 hours of community service while Molly is on probation after she was caught steal a book. Throughout the novel Molly and Vivian will enlightened each other with their own past and their various similarities that will help them develop a closer bond with each other. In the book, “The Orphan Train” Molly Ayer and Vivian
Friendship can be shown through the words of anyone in any form, whether it is short or long, in a simple poem to a complicated novel, even in a simple common book such as, Bridge to Terabithia. The author, Paterson, uses many of reasonable literary elements in her book, such elements encompass: character, plot, setting, theme, style, point of view, and tone. These seven elements show us that friendship between the main characters, Jesse and Leslie, in Bridge to Terabithia, although interrupted by many everyday occurrences, can develop quickly, without one's realization. And that friendship, that was suddenly started, can be suddenly gone with the least suspected. In this instance, friendship is suddenly ended, there would be the
Characterization is a widely-used literary tool in Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club. Specifically, each mother and daughter is a round character that undergoes change throughout the novel. Characterization is important in the novel because it directly supports the central theme of the mother-daughter relationship, which was relevant in Tan’s life. Tan grew up with an immigrant mother, and Tan expresses the difficulties in communication and culture in the stories in her book. All mothers in the book are immigrants to America, and all daughters grew up living the American lifestyle, creating conflict between the mothers and daughters due to miscommunication. Characterization of the mothers and daughters in Amy Tan’s The Joy Club creates and
The Orphan Train movement provided many children with homes during a very difficult time. Many of these children were loved and treated very well, but many were not. Many children were separated from parents and siblings for the remainder of their
In Charlotte’s Web we are witness to an odd friendship that evolves from a need to survive into one of deepest respect, understanding, and selflessness. In The Fox and the Hound, we see how the innocence of childhood breaks through the barriers of society’s norms and their friendship develops from similar passions and curiosities - with bonds so strong that neither time nor the pressures of family and work can not break them. In life, as in literature, friendship is an important theme that touches us all. One never knows where or when they will find a friend so stay open and receptive. Smile at that person next to you in the cafeteria, strike up a conversation with the kid next to you on the bus, bake your neighbor some cookies and stay for tea… You may be embarking upon your next tremendous
Orphan Train is a novel about Molly and Vivian who spend time together and share their life experiences. Molly is a 17 year-old girl, a Penobscot Indian who is aging out of the foster care system, and her improbable friendship with a 91-year-old woman named Vivian, an Irish immigrant child that rode an orphan train. Vivian Explains that the Nielsen family depend on her. Vivian begins to set on making make the store as lucrative as possible. Molly learns that she must depend on herself. Molly has learned not to faith in people besides herself.
In 20111, Molly Ayer is a 17, almost 18, year old troubled foster child living in Maine who is soon going to become too old for the foster system. After stealing a book from the library, the only way she can avoid getting kicked out of her foster home and being sent to a juvenile hall is helping an old woman named Vivian Daly clean out her attic as a community service project. Molly soon learns how closely related her and Vivian’s lives are related. Vivian and her family came from Ireland to New York in 1926 in hopes for a better future, but after a fire kills Vivian’s family she is put on an Orphan Train to Minnesota in order to find a new family. The train has 19 other children hoping for brighter futures, including a boy named Dutchy who Vivian strikes up a friendship with. Vivian is soon adopted by the Byrnes who call her Dorothy. Once the Great Depression struck though, Dorothy was moved to the Grote family, who lived in worse conditions than she has all her life. Although the conditions are grim, Dorothy is sent to school every day. After Mr. Grote attempts to rape Dorothy she goes to live with her teacher Ms. Larsen before being relocated to yet another new foster home. Dorothy soon finds the Nielson family which was a seemingly perfect fit for Dorothy. The only request the Nielson family had was to call Dorothy Vivian after their departed daughter. Vivian lives happily with the Nielsons and grows up to once again find Dutchy. Vivian and Dutchy are soon
Rayona and her mother Christine grew up in different worlds but they are very similar in many ways. Christine faced various problems as a young child that are now being passed down to Rayona and she is now seeing how they are being affected by them. The novel “A Yellow Raft in Blue Water” walks us through Rayona’s coming of age story and the three perspectives that it is being told in, Rayona’s, Christine’s, and Ida’s. Although Rayona and Christine are very different, they both seem to be facing similar problems; they end up helping one another find their self identity and both are finally able to appreciate and understand one another.
There are many valuable aspects in life that may mean a lot to a person. In this case, friendship is one of the most important relationships a person can have. Human interaction is something necessary to survive, having a friend is essential to the well being of everyone. However, not all relationships with people can be considered a friendship because some may take advantage of others to gain something for themselves. Whereas, other friendships may last years and remain strong between the two people, but if there is no trust then there is a possibility of losing a friend. On the other hand, positive friendships still exist and are the ones to cherish and appreciate the most. The novel Speak written by Laurie Halse Anderson is based on a fourteen year-old girl named Melinda, who was sexually assaulted at a summer party. She called the police for help but since none of her friends knew what occurred, they assumed she called to get them all in trouble. This made her an outcast and she spent her ninth-grade year by herself. The theme of friendship is evident in the novel Speak as it impacts the protagonist Melinda. This is seen through Melinda 's friendship with Rachel, Mr. Freeman, and Heather.
In History and Society, edited by Paula S. Fass, vol. 2, Macmillan Reference USA, 2004, pp. 680-681. U.S. History in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3402800328/UHIC?u=azstatelibdev&xid=698a7145. Accessed 7 Dec. 2017. Orphan Train by Christina Baker
Twyla and Roberta meet in an orphanage for young girls. This is how the movement of the story began. The orphanage plays an important role in the way the way that shows how the two main characters change over time. The two young girls meet and quickly become friends disregarding the fact that they are different races. The story sort of takes a turn when the two girls are eager for their parents to meet and Roberta’s mom looks upon Twyla’s mother with disrespect. Over time the story explains how Twyla and Roberta drift apart. Throughout the story the writer refuses to give away the racial identities of Twyla and Roberta, which leaves the reader challenging their own way of thinking about race.
Lucy experiences inner conflict as she tries to reject Mariah; the pain sparked by the memory of her mother is too much to bear while simultaneously, a connection is established with Mariah who in a way replaces her mother. Lucy’s
The resentment within the young girl’s family is essential to the novel because one can understand the young girl better as she makes her decision.
Throughout literature and film, common themes have appeared and stand out once seen by a viewer and reader. Because of these themes being so prominent, they have shaped culture and society into what it is today. One of the most important and well-known theme is friendship. A bond as strong as friendship is shown to be able to conquer anything. Literature shows the ups and downs of friendships time and time again, and in most cases, towards the end, those relationships have changed characters’ lives causing people to relate to it. However with any relationship, the downs in friendships can always reach rock bottom at some points. Authors use friendships to create archetypes about different sets of characters. Because of this companion archetype, people are able to find different ways to fulfill those empty spaces in their very own lives.