Child's Play By Zz Packers

Alice Munro’s “Child's Play” and ZZ Packer’s “Brownies” are powerful short stories that explore themes of friendships, discrimination against marginalized communities, and the lasting impact of mistreatment. Each story approaches these themes in its unique way, but both demonstrate the significant impact of words and actions on the lives of people. In “Child's Play,” there is the portrayal of toxic friendships, while in “Brownies,” Packer shows the conflicts and misunderstandings between two groups of girls from different backgrounds as a result of lies and prejudices. Despite their differences, both stories highlight the impact of words and the enduring qualities of the characters, both good and bad.
In “Child’s Play,” the friendship between

Arnetta is a mean girl in the troop because she teases and criticizes people without caring about the repercussions. Laurel notes, “Arnetta could have blared through a megaphone that the white girls of Troop 909 were “wet Chihuahuas” without so much as a blink from Mrs. Margolin” (3). In “Child’s Play,” Marlene and Charlene are the aggressors toward Verna, but in “Brownies” all the girls in the Brownie Troop plan to mistreat Troop 909. Not everyone in the Brownie Troop gets along. Unlike “Child’s Play,” Laurel, also known as Snot, and Arnetta dislike each other because they’re different, but Daphne and Laurel become friends because they both share similar qualities. Although readers don’t know the future of the Brownie Troop it is hinted that the friendship lasts between Laurel and Daphne which is different from Marlene and

For example, both short stories are set at a summer camp with the story surrounding the friendships and mistreatments between girls. The stories share similar character attitudes and emotions. For instance, Charlene and Arnetta have leadership qualities and are assertive when it comes to getting what they want. They are extroverted and have sidekicks that follow their every move even when they are doing something very wrong. The girls immediately dislike Verna and Troop 909 for no reason and treat them as though they are something out of this world. Marlene and Laurel are also two characters from the stories that share the same qualities. For starters, both girls are the narrators of their stories and have a prejudice against people they don’t know and they don’t make an effort to. Marlene and Laurel are quiet and shy girls that don’t stand up to the mistreatment of Verna and Troop 909 when they know that something is wrong. The characters in “Child’s Play” and “Brownies” have different endings, but they are more alike than people