Change In The Short Story 'Shells' By Cynthia Rylant

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“Shells” by Cynthia Rylant is a short story that is realistic fiction about a boy named Michael, who lives with his Aunt Esther after the death of his parents. In the beginning, Michael and Aunt Esther fight with one another. Soon, Michael brought home a hermit crab named Sluggo. Michael and Aunt Esther start to make a good effort to fix their broken relationship with one another mainly over the crabs. In the end, Aunt Esther and Michael now have a good bond and apologized for fighting with one another. This story shows that Michael and Aunt Esther change throughout the story.
At the beginning of the story, Michael and Aunt Esther do not get along. The characters do not want to be where they are in life. They have different ways of life that …show more content…

After getting Sluggo, Aunt Esther and Michael are having a good relationship. They end up working out their bad relationship with one another. For example in paragraph 60 the author said “Aunt Esther, who had not embraced anyone in years, gently put her arm about his shoulders.” Also, in paragraph 64 Michael says “No Aunt Esther,” “I don’t hate you.” This is important because Michael admitted he does not hate Aunt Esther. This is proof that their relationship has changed because he said that he did hate her in the beginning. It is also important because, Aunt Esther hugged Michael and she would have never in the beginning of the story. So, that is also proof that they have changed and have a good relationship now. Michael and Aunt Esther's relationship like a lot of people's relationships can change over time. Michael and Aunt Esther would fight, accuse, and hate each other in the beginning of the story. In the middle, Michael and Aunt Esther started to put in an effort to have a good relationship. At the end, Michael and Aunt Esther changed and now have a good relationship. People can come out of very dark situations with a little help from