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These Shallow Graves Character Analysis

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In Jennifer Donnelly’s novel, These Shallow Graves, Josephine Monfort starts out as a scared, sad, helpless girl, but after her father's death, Jo becomes a fearless woman and someone she's always wanted to be. In order to get a change you want, you might need to go through something you don't want. For example, Jo Montfort gets called into the school office for a meeting with the head mistress and when she arrives awaits two of her friends wearing sad faces; nevertheless, moments later Jo receives the news “Your father is dead” (12). This will be the change in Josephine’s life that will completely change her. It will force her to learn and see things that she would've never imagined. When Jo gets home from school to spend time with her …show more content…

For example, she always wondered why boys get to do things and be things and a girl only gets to watch?” (9). She wants to do more than just watch, she wants to be able to do things. Ambition will carry Jo to do whatever it takes so she doesn't just have to watch boys be and do things. Jo had “Left her home without an escort, to visit a man. This is not very common for a women to leave alone and neither is it normal to go visit a man after dark and alone. She is taking risk doing these things. However the only reason she is doing these things is because she doesn't know who she can believe and needs to find out the truth on her own. Furthermore, Jo hears the words “You're going to go home and do as you’re told, like a good girl” (331). Constantly getting put down for your gender gets old. She constantly has thoughts of giving up on what she wants. Not listening and being her own person is the only things Jo has left to do so she can figure out the truth. Change may be good, may hurt and possibly break bonds. For example, “Her entire life, she’d loved him and over the last few hours, she had come to fear him” (436). A lifelong bond can be broken from a few actions. Jo learns a lot of new information and is hurt by the truth. In addition, “You don't know me, not at all” (208). You may think you know something and once a change of heart occurs, you may realize the truth. Change is good for

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