The Yearling Essay

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the Yearling Author: Marjorie Rawlings Fiction Characters: Jody Baxter Flag (Jody’s pet fawn) Pa Baxter A.K.A Penny (Jody’s father) Ma Baxter (Jody’s mother) Jody Baxter was an all out American boy. His thoughts and actions were almost identical to any average lad of today. His constant desire for food, a good long hunt, and a dedicated pet are qualities of a true backwoods boy. The Yearling, by Marjorie Rawlings, illustrates how Jody’s sense of responsibility helped him to resolve his conflict between meeting his own desire to raise the fawn, and meeting his family’s need for survival. Jody’s sense of responsibility helped him to enjoy his experiences in raising Flag, the fawn. The soft or nurturing virtue in him helped him to be a loving caretaker for the fawn. Jody’s longing for a steadfast companion and Flag’s want of a mother helped them grow a bond of friendship and brotherhood that never broke. The self-sacrifice Jody showed in giving up food and time for the fawn makes him a great role model for the children of today. Jody’s Christian virtues of love, charity, and self-sacrifice helped him to enjoy life and to gain great happiness in serving Flag. Jody’s sense of responsibility helped him to cooperate with helping his family to survive in the backwoods of Florida. Sometimes he even stayed up at night to keep the ‘coons out of the corn or the wolves away from the livestock. His never ending courage and self-sacrifice helped him go on a long hunt, on Christmas, to kill a bear that had stolen and killed a Baxter cow. His good Christian values helped him deal with all the trials of a backwoodsmen’s life and helped him care for his family. Jody’s sense of responsibility helped him deal with the fawn’s interference with his family’s survival. For, at one point, Fag got into the corn and ate a large part of it. Jody than had to replant

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