Sunday in the Park

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Bel Kaufmann writes “Sunday in the Park” in 1985. I think the main theme in the short story presents two conflicts. On one side the conflicts between two different social classes and on the other side the problem with how differentiate between right and wrong. In the short story the narrator is enjoying a Sunday afternoon on a playground along with her husband and their 3-years-old son Larry. While Larry is playing another boy comes and throws sand at him and the narrator tries to stop him, but does not succeed. The other boy’s father encourages him to continue and the conflict arises when Larry’s father tries to reason with the other man. In the short story the narrator is enjoying a Sunday late afternoon in a playground in the Park. The father is named Morton and is probably a middle age man. He is highly educated and teaches at a university. He is described as a fine, lean, pale man who has always had an apologetic, shy smile and speaks very politely as well as eloquent. But when the father has to confront the other boy’s father, he does not know how to express himself, because he is not used to the same communication as the other boy’s father. Therefore the father is not only physically weakened but also mentally incapable because of his lack of adaptability. He is not aware of the fact that reasonable arguments do not affect the other boy’s father but only provokes him furthermore. The name of the other boy’s father is unknown, but he is described as a big man. He seems indifferent when his son throws sand at Larry. His indifferent makes it easy for one to see his ignorance and that he finds amusement provoking other people with his rude and inconsiderate behavior. His behavior is very hostile and threatening but also very relaxed. His behavior and his way of communication indicate that he is form a lower social class. He is very aware of the

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