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St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves, by Karen Russel Essay

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Whether one would like to admit it or not, change is a difficult and not to mention uncomfortable experience which we all must endure at one point in our lives. A concept that everyone must understand is that change does not occur immediately, for it happens overtime. It is necessary for time to pass in order for a change to occur, be it days, weeks, months, or even years. The main character, who is also the narrator of “St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves”, realizing that “things felt less foreign in the dark” (Russell 225), knows that she will be subject to change very soon. The author makes it evident to readers that the narrator is in a brand new environment as the story begins. This strange short story about girls raised by…show more content…
This situation is relative to real life instances of immigration, as those moving to America with the hopes of improving their own lives and the lives of their family members are, in some cases, unfamiliar with the English language. Therefore, they must somehow learn the ways of the new people surrounding them in order to be accepted in this environment and also be able to communicate with others so they can attempt to obtain jobs to support themselves and family. Understanding the same language clearly plays an important role in assimilating to new surroundings.
The change of appearance and dress of the girls in “St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves” also reflects the idea of fitting in. At the beginning of the story, the girls are extremely unkempt and uncouth: “We had terrible posture… we went knuckling along the wooden floor on the calloused pads of our fists, baring row after row of tiny wood-rotted teeth.” (Russell 242). By the end of their training to become more civilized humans, they transform a great deal. No longer do they walk on the floor using their fists, for now they use only their two feet while standing up straight. The girls are also now easier on the eyes of civilized human beings: “The nuns swept our hair back into high, bouffant hairstyles. This made us look more girlish and less inclined to eat people… I
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