After You, My Dear Alphonse Essay-What Does the Author Say About Judgement

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After You, My Dear Alphonse Essay Stephen King once quoted, “You want to remember that while you're judging the book, the book is also judging you.” Judgement occurs every day in our society. Often times you don’t realize you are making assumptions about a person. In the short story, After you, my dear Alphonse, Shirley Jackson, the author, explains the results of judging a person without learning about their real identity. She shows her ideas through her characters’ speech, and also through the setting of the story. Overall, Shirley Jackson creates the idea that adults are always the ones judging a person before learning about their real identity. The mother, Mrs. Wilson, is the most judgemental character throughout the story. Her multiple presumptions of Boyd are shown through her actions. The mother’s judgemental mind automatically clicks in and the minute she sees Boyd’s arms loaded with split kindling wood. She places a dish of stewed tomatoes in front of Boyd, assuming he will enjoy eating it. She says, “’Boyd will eat anything…Boyd wants to grow up to be a big strong man so he can work hard.’” However, Boyd did not eat the stewed tomatoes, and he didn’t know what he would like to be when he grows up. Mrs. Wilson is the only adult in this conversation, and also the only judgemental one. She is also the oldest, and probably the most educated out of the three characters in the story. Maybe improper education, and years of living in a subjective civilization have changed the immediate thoughts of the mother. The situation above is not the only judgemental one in the story. At the bottom of page 87, Mrs. Wilson asked, “’What about all your [Boyd] other brothers and sisters?’” Actually, Boyd had only one sister, Jean, who is going to become a teacher. Mrs. Wilson was obviously judging Boyd in her conversations, yet Boyd did not assume

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