Anne Tyler’s story, “Teenage Wasteland”, focuses on the complex relationships between parents and their adolescent children. Donny is going through a confusing time – his adolescent phrase, which is the most difficult time for both parents and children. Instead of taking responsibility for their child, Donny’s parents followed the school principal’s advice and hired the professional tutor, Cal, who carelessly took the parenting burden on himself. Donny’s mother, Daisy, had difficulty understanding what Donny’s problem was, whereas Danny felt pressure from his parents, teachers, and peers. Donny’s mother lacked self- confidence and cared more about what other people thought about her as a parent.
In “Missing” Maxine is in distress because her brother is now missing, and her mom thinks he’s dead so she has a medium come and the medium gives a false reading which is stressful for Maxine. In “Among the Hidden” Jen is the girl in distress because she can’t go outside and she has to live with knowing her dad is disobeying the law because he works for the population police and their supposed to be getting arid of third children. “Missing” and “Among the Hidden” both have seemingly impossible tasks. In “Missing” a seemingly impossible task is Derek being able to stay hidden from friends, family, and the police. And in “Among the Hidden” it seems impossible that third children will ever be legal.
Bradstreet’s use of metaphor allows her to relate the complex relationships of being a parent to being an author. When the narrator calls her creation her “ ill-formed offspring of [her] feeble brain” she draws parallels between how parents can feel about their children when frustrated (line 1). The narrator refers to her work as a “ rambling brat” to show how difficult it is to accept something she has created (7). The narrator seems to feel this difficulty not only as an author but also as a mother. As a frustrated parent feels the narrator once again uses the metaphor of a child to describe how an author feels when their work does not turn out how they wanted.
Parents play a major role to influence their children’s characteristics and beliefs since they are the primary educators. In other words, the example they set via the actions they take and the decisions they make greatly impacts the behavior of the offspring. This is clearly seen in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen as Lydia, the youngest daughter in the Bennet family, is depicted to be the product of her mother’s failing position as a parent. Her immature behavior with others in addition to her elopement with Wickham justifies Mrs. Bennet’s unsuccessfulness to educate her daughter socially. Thus, Lydia’s lack of propriety and good judgment is a reflection of Mrs. Bennet’s inability to sufficiently fulfill her role as an effective mother.
Monday February 18, 2013 Essay An Education Problem Author Mary Sherry In the Praise of the F Word The author Mary Sherry is a school teacher and mother who believes in flunking students that are not motivated to master the basic skills in reading, writing and math. She thinks many high school students are cheated by the educational system that graduates them, lacking these basic skills. Also, she feels students should have these basic academic skills before they enter into the real world of college or employment. The author states the lack of not having the basic skills can lead to many social, educational and financial problems later down the road. She understands that people come from different environments and everyone can learn; they just need to be motivated.
Knowledge is not always power because the more you know does not necessarily mean you understand what you have learned. In the short story “Everyday Use”, education seemed to make a rift in the relationship not only between the mother and the daughter, but also between the sisters. Dee was one to always try and outsmart her family members always seeking answers knowing no one knew. It was mama who eventually got the community together to help send Dee to school so her daughter would be happy and satisfied. The values of heritage seem to have been lost with the gain of knowledge when Dee has gone to college.
It is important to keep a balance of the important things in one’s life otherwise, weaknesses can be developed that shadows over a person’s natural strength to prioritize. A balance of the important things in one’s life is what allows personal success to be achieved. Successfulness is the ability to seize new opportunities and explore new paths in life. Balance is the key to success because when there is balance in one’s life there is a cut back of stress, which makes room for the ability to thrive; and a person’s ability to thrive is what carries them to their personal success. To be successful is to understand what is important to you, to recognize your weaknesses without hiding behind them, to strive for balance as well as open new doors in life.
Kelcie Brown ENG 4U Miss Nimmo Dec 8th, 2008 Lost In the Glass Menagerie Failures are often seen as an event of inadequacy that one brings on oneself. On the other hand, failure can be induced and plotted by others. In these two plays, Bella Kurnitz from Lost in Yonkers and Laura Wingfeild from The Glass Menagerie, display many examples of total loss. Bella and Laura’s constant struggle to please their overbearing mother’s lead to their excessive defeats. Their mother’s cause them to fail in achieving their dreams of a loving male relationship, a decent education and an independent life.
Throughout the story, Laura is forced to see from a different point of view, making her a more mature young woman. Many believe that Laura has become more immature throughout the story because she makes unthought out, spontaneous decisions. Although she struggles to reach an understanding of maturity, she is unable to become a woman because of her divergent actions. One of these actions includes how distracted she gets when her mother gives laura, her hat. Laura's brother compliments her, and she completely forgets about Mr. Scott; “What an absolute topping hat!’… and [Laura] didn’t tell him after all,” ( p. 11).
Having worries, her parents take her to a therapist. But he is soon fired when he proposes that she should be put on medication. Her mom notices Phoebe’s self-destructive behavior at home, and her constantly getting into trouble at school, but she refuses to accept that there’s anything wrong with her daughter. Other than the trouble with Phoebe, her parents are also dealing with their own relationship problems. Her young sister feels jealous and left out when she watches Phoebe get all the attention from both parents.