Troy Innocence

These two examples demonstrate why Troy is not allowed to be a child. Innocence is an integral constituent of childhood. Ignorance is bliss. Children don’t have to know what divorce, jail, poverty, or death is. Children also don’t have to know how these issues affect them. Children are precious because they don’t comprehend the gravity of plight. Such youthful privilege is ephemeral to Troy who watches Vic get arrested and her mother banish her father from their home. Troy must now ponder what these events mean, and how they will impact her. These ruminations are the withering of her sunflower of innocence. Noise and congestion brings Troy near conflict and exposes her to strife that rob her of her childhood. The second environment to analyze

Throughout the film, Carolyn cleans the house, cooks for the family, brings home the money, deescalates problems, combs her son’s hair, and numerous other housekeeping tasks. Woody, on the other hand, seldom provides for the household. Woody is never seen cleaning, cooking, or combing anyone’s hair. His lack of housekeeping is a crucial—not pedantic—issue because of mimicry. Children imitate adult figures. Therefore, children will imitate norms and habits parents perpetuate in the home. After Carolyn’s tragic death, Troy assumes the role of provider in the household, but why? Troy is not the eldest child. Again, Troy has a brother that is older than her, why doesn’t he assume the role of provider and care for Troy? Mimicry is the reason he doesn’t. The social environment of the Carmichael’s household insinuates that the woman is the provider of the home. Woody is unemployed and the only person who calls him out on it is Carolyn. The children don’t question Woody’s job status because a job is associated with money, which is associated with providing, and Woody is not viewed as a provider within the context of their home. Troy’s transformation at the end of the film is not surprising, since the children are used to a woman providing and tending to everyone’s needs. The brothers expect a woman to take charge of the housekeeping, and Troy too is affected by believing that since she is a girl, she is expected to take her mother’s place. Clearly, this social environment forces a role onto Troy that most young girls don’t have to play. The death of Troy’s mother curtails her childhood because in the Carmichael family only a woman can