Symbolism In La Grosse

Loredana Dell’Erario
Mime Alicandri
FSF 4U
Wednesday December 17
Shaping Clay was Never Easy
La Grosse a French novel by Marilyn Sache is based off the narrator and main character of Jeff Lyons, a high school senior who becomes obsessed with creating a new, beautiful, person out of an unhappy fat girl, but when she begins to think independently, he loses control of the situation. Essentially, it all comes down to where the story begins, ceramics class. To where the three main characters are introduced to pottery nevertheless clay has a significant aspect in the novel symbolizing control and the abuse of control through manipulation. This symbolism is prominent as Jeff transforms Ellen, controls her throughout the novel. On the contrary…show more content…
He would never say rude comments to her face but he never hesitated to say them under his breath where she couldn’t here. He never found Ellen attractive. After making fun of her and seeing each other they create a relationship among each other. He then begins to start to transform her from the way she talks and stands to what she wears and her weight. “He’s going to have a beautiful face, I said, “by the time we’re through.” (Sache, 118) While talking to the sales person he says she will look beautiful only because she will have new clothes and will be wearing makeup. She’s only beautiful when she is changed from what she actually looks like. Jeff takes the opportunity to take Ellen in his own hands. He transforms her into his ideal image of beauty. He tries to shape Ellen as if she was a block of clay, as if humans aren’t more complex than we can possibly understand. He has the image already in his mind and nothing can get in his way of moulding his creation. In the process of transforming Ellen, Jeff disregards her needs and feelings and he begins to lock…show more content…
He got a high from taking control and felt like she was his okay only because of himself. “I thought, She’s going to be all right. Because of me.” (Sache, 106) Jeff needs to feel the need for power, he thought he was the reason for saving her from killing herself. He needs to be the hero. He feeds off that power of control. Jeff feels the need for control because he has none in his life. His life is a mess. Having to take care of his mother after she attempted to kill herself because of Wanda and her unfulfilled life. The lack of power and control he got from his mom was transferred to his relationship with Ellen. Control is her doing exactly what she tells him because she always seeks his approval not being able to make decisions for herself. He took this human being and changed her life around. He treated her as if she was just another project in his life. Jeff controls everything she does and tells her what she can and cannot do. “Because I said she should. She’ll do anything I tell her.”(Sache, 103) Jeff was so proud that he can dictate her future. He knew that she would do whatever he says that his opinion was what she needed to be perfect. Jeff was so content with what he has created. She always listens to him it seems as if she is always immersed into everything and anything he says. He feels power when he has control over Ellen. He tells her what to do because he assumes he knows what is best for her. He obsessively