Short Story Ashes By Susan Beth Pfeffer

By the time Ashleigh was born, her parent’s marriage was dying. Ashes is a fictional story written by Susan Beth Pfeffer. Ashes is about a young girl named Ashleigh who is commonly called Ashes. The reader infers she is around the age of 10-14 years. Her parents are divorced and Ashleigh’s dad wants her to steal money from her mom, he wanted he to steal 200 dollars. Ashleigh did not steal the money because her dad is not trustworthy, Ashleigh’s mom is a responsible adult, and Ashleigh understands that her dad is a bad influence.

Ashleigh did not take the money because Ashes realizes that her dad was untrustworthy. In the fictional short story Ashes, Ashleigh states “When I was little, Dad used to promise me the stars for a necklace, but like most of his promises, that one never quite happened.” (Pfeffer,3). When Ashes was little her dad would always break his promises. So if her dad promises to Ashes and her mom to pay them back, there’s a good chance he would not pay them back. Therefore Ashes would not take the money because her dad would break his promise and never pay

Ashleigh asked her father, “‘Why don’t you sell your car?”’ (Pfeffer, 4). Ashes really does not want to take the money. So she suggests to her father how he can get the money in a legal way so she is not influenced even more to steal. Ashleigh’s dad turns down the idea because he claims that he could not find another car. While eating out Ashes asks, “‘Can you afford it?”’ (Pfeffer, 2). Ashleighs dad takes her out to dinner when he is already in the hole 200 dollars. It doesn’t make since to Ashes why her dad would take her out to eat when he is already in debt $200. So Ashleigh ask if her dad could afford to eat out. He insisted that he could. Ashes thinks that her dad is irresponsible with his money. Overall, Ashleigh doesn’t want to be around her dad because he influences Ashleigh in a negative