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Superman's New Snowsuit By Sylvia Plath

637 Words3 Pages

The story “Superman and Paula Browns New Snowsuit” by Sylvia Plath, explores the themes of bullying, growing up, war, illusion vs reality and betrayal. The story follows the life of a young American girl who thinks she is above everyone else, but when involved in an oil-slick incident and is used as as a scapegoat, she realises life isn’t all as envisioned in her head. This story is written in the third person by the author. In the story there is a very relevant theme of growing up which is explored thoroughly by the author. The short story follows the life of a girl who feels her games are cooler and better than everyone elses, but reality hits her when she is asked to join Paula Brown’s game of Chinese tag and everything goes terribly wrong. …show more content…

The narrator is invited to Paula Brown’s annual birthday party, this year they went to see snow white, a pretty innocent film for children to see. All the children were disgusted when a war picture began playing before the film. The war movie was about Japanese prisoners who were being tortured by having no food or water. This made the narrator feel extremely sick and disgusted that things like this actually happened in the world. This caused the narrator to have a nightmare about the film. “As soon as I closed my eyes, the prison camp sprang to life in my mind, and again the groaning men broke the walls, and again they were shot down as they reached the trickling fountain”. This is a part of the theme of growing up because the narrators mum has sheltered her from seeing such things, so as she’s getting older she’s realising that the world isn’t all she thinks it

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Anna was screaming on the top of her lungs because she found her mother lying on the floor bleeding. ’’Mother who did this to you’’ said Anna. A british soldier who killed your father’’ said Mary. Then Mary took her last breath and passed away. Anna was sobbing because her mother died like her

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825 Words | 4 Pages

In “Rules of the Game,” the author directs her focus on the strained relationship between an immigrant mother and her daughter born in America but of intense Chinese background. The narrator, Waverly Jong describes her encounter at the marketplace with her mom; who taught her the art of invincible strength. She explains how her mother termed it as a strategy for winning arguments, respect from others stating that the strongest wind never meets the eye. This lesson proves pivotal in Jong’s spectacular chess expeditions that saw her crowned national champion as well as defined the latter`s relationship with her mother, whom she often saw as an opponent. Jong becomes entrapped in her conflicting environments, forcing her to adjust accordingly to both her physical and social environment.

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In the past, authors have used different kinds of diction and imagery in order to express their thoughts and experiences on the thought of growing up. In the vignette “The Monkey Garden” from The House On Mango Street Esperanza deals with the pain of her friend growing up before she does. Her lack of maturity in social situations causes her confusion and pain. At the beginning of the vignette Sandra Cisneros uses positive diction and peaceful, playful imagery in order to show the beauty and innocence of childhood. Cisneros then shifts the tone and uses negative diction and Sorrowful imagery in order to express that growing up can be a painful, revealing process.

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927 Words | 4 Pages

After a long journey and many games, she began to win lots of tournaments against people of all ages. Then, her mother introduced Waverly to the world by showing her off and this made Waverly upset. Waverly proceeded to run away and lost track of her surroundings. When she returned, her family was ashamed of her, displaying no announced resolution. The theme of the short story, “Rules of The Game” by Amy Tan is that the journey is what matters.

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694 Words | 3 Pages

In the next stanza, the reader discovers that the narrator is a fourteen-year-old girl, whose best friend is a “white girl named Denise” (8). In the remainder of the poem, the narrator describes her friendship with Denise and how it eventually became spoiled. At first, the narrator and Denise spend time together and tease each other. Later on, Denise erupts with rage against her, and the narrator doesn’t understand what induced Denise’s anger. The setting of the novel is during World War II, and, at this time, people turned against the Japanese Americans, including the American government, who was concerned with Japanese spies.

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379 Words | 2 Pages

Being scared to grow up is normal. In the story “Marigolds” by Eugenia Collier, growing up can change the way you think and act. That is something you can think about while reading about a character named Lizabeth, who is now telling the story of how her life was in her little village during the Great Depression. Lizabeth was going through a transition between 14 and 15, so all her mind was tangled up in a knot. The author tells us how this was a significant moment in Lizabeth's life while she was going through a tough time growing up.

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940 Words | 4 Pages

She is reminded of the violence that torn not only communities apart but families as well. How the social norms of the day restricted people’s lives and held them in the balance of life and death. Her grandfathers past life, her grandmother cultural silence about the internment and husband’s affair, the police brutality that cause the death of 4 young black teenagers. Even her own inner conflicts with her sexuality and Japanese heritage. She starts to see the world around her with a different

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It is not the girls’ fault that they were unable to wash their hands for the water was frozen. However, the superintendents in the orphanage lash out at them and mistreat them. Life in the institution is harsh, and the girls are overworked and underfed. The superintendents do not show compassionate towards the girls and this lack of affection deprives them of the love and care they need.

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1253 Words | 6 Pages

“Rules of The Game” by Amy Tan divulges into the story of young Chinese-American girl Waverly Place Jong, named after the street that she lives on in San Francisco’s Chinatown. In her small two-bedroom flat, she lives with her two brothers Vincent and Winston, along with her very traditional Chinese mother. Raised under the strict influence of her mother, Waverly grows up under the impression that success and honoring your family are the two most important concepts in life. With these beliefs instilled in her, she puts forward her best effort into everything-- whether it’s her talent for chess or placating her mother. This becomes evident throughout the story in terms of what Waverly’s character reveals.

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Childhood innocence is a huge factor of growing up and a recurring theme throughout the novel. The familiar feeling of being a child, when days were spent carefree with minds running wild. However, with age, those memories seem to slowly fade

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The winter of 1880–1881 is widely considered the most severe winter ever known in the United States. ... The snow arrived in October 1880 and blizzard followed blizzard throughout the winter and into March 1881, leaving many areas snowbound throughout the entire winter. The winter of 1880–1881 is widely considered the most severe winter ever known in the United States. Many children—and their parents—learned of "The Snow Winter" through the children's book The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder, in which the author tells of her family's efforts to survive. The snow arrived in October 1880 and blizzard followed blizzard throughout the winter and into March 1881, leaving many areas snowbound throughout the entire winter.

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746 Words | 3 Pages

“‘Check,’ I said, as the wind roared with laughter. The wind died down to little puffs, my own breath.” Amy Tan’s short story, Rules of the Game, is about a talented Chinese-American girl, Waverly Place Jong, who aspires to become a champion in chess. As the story progresses, she builds up experience and becomes close to fulfilling her dream with help from her mother she takes for granted. At the end of the story, Waverly gets annoyed at her and runs away from her, only to figure out the action is her loss.

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525 Words | 3 Pages

The child then seems to grow heavy as stone. The writer’s use of words and imagery conjures up a surreal and dreamlike atmosphere, which at times, seems to over- shadow the plot. The issues explored in this story can be themed by guilt (“And when I realized for the first time that I was a murderer…) and fear (“I began to feel afraid of him even though

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Most people remember fondly of childhood, as childhood is an innocent and carefree time. Yet childhood may be a lonely memory for others, as not everyone had the fortune of a loving household. In the essay “Let it Snow” by David Sedaris, the author looks back at his childhood and tells of a winter day. Sedaris does not directly say it, but through his words, one can infer that he grew up in a detached family. He describes the behavior of his mother, and it is obvious that there is something more than what is shown.

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The Game of Badminton In her short story, “The Embassy of Cambodia”, author Zadie Smith explores the complex mind of a domestic servant named Fatou, and how she finds happiness despite personal experience with abuse, suffering, and death. “The Embassy of Cambodia” manages to address a wide spectrum of societal and cultural problems and also has the ability to connect with individual readers on a deeper level. Smith uses many intertwining techniques to ultimately demonstrate how routine, faith, and relationships can help navigate a life that is filled with pain and uncertainty. In order to create a sense of structure and certainty in her life, Fatou sets aside specific amounts of time on certain days to ensure relaxation and happiness.

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