Throughout our lives we all experience trials and tribulations. Good and bad times shape us into the individuals we become. We all may take different paths, but we all strive towards one goal; and that is to be happy. Even in the darkest of times we find the smallest things can change a situation into an experience. In The Flowers by Dagoberto Gilb, Sonny is a young man living in a very tough neighborhood and living a tough life. Sonny has always been on his own, taking care of himself and trying to be a tough guy. Though Sonny lives in a neighborhood full of violence, racism, drugs, alcohol, and surrounded by bad influence; Sonny manages to keep out of trouble and though he struggles with right and wrong, he always manages to take the right path.
Sonny seems very passive about his mom marrying Cloyd at first, and he never really expresses his feelings openly with his mother even though her decisions dramatically affect him.
“I was so mad at her for letting him get away with it. I mean, I could understand why a dog shouldn’t live inside an apartment with no yard, but couldn’t she at least fight this dude a little about it? If she didn’t care how I felt, didn’t she care any about Goof? Didn’t she miss Goofy a little? Didn’t she think I would?” (37).
Sonny is clearly devastated that Cloyd got rid of Goofy. Goofy was the one constant thing he had in his life; the one thing that could make him happy. Sylvia; Sonny’s mother passively explains the situation to Sonny and for the first time in the novel we see Sonny open up about how he feels not only about Goofy being gone but also Cloyd and his mother. Sonny has always seem to have a passive relationship with his mother even though he feels a lot of anger and resentment towards her, he never wants to express his true feelings maybe because he doesn’t want his relationship with his mother to end up like the relationship his mother and sister have. I can understand why Sonny feels the way he feels. He tries to make his relationship simple with his mom but he finds himself constantly frustrated with her, but makes it seem so ritual. He knows that his mom is the way she is, and she is not going to change. It is a difficult situation to be in but I can relate to Sonny’s dilemma. Some parents and their rules and beliefs will never change as much as you may disagree with them. Sometimes you know the best way to avoid conflict is to just avoid the confrontation entirely. Sonny seems to keep that same idea about his mom and her decisions.
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteGreat introduction! I really like how you have made that connection to the "big picture." You've slowed down on your writing of this draft...are you still trying to get through the reading???? Make sure you focus on finishing the book because it is so very difficult to write at this level without doing so. Yes, your controlling idea is powerful: how the good and bad shape us as we go. Now your job is not just to point out the good and bad in your TEA paragraphs, but to really point out to the reader how Sonny is shaped by these events. Add the end of each point ask yourself: why does this matter? Since you have selected Reader Response, your personal experience either in life or as the reader is going to be a central component to this essay. For example, "I can understand how he feels" is not necessarily as powerful as "I do the same thing..."or "When my mom and I are together we..."and then tell us how you connect to this concept. Also, be sure to organize your ideas with TEA. For example, the topic you have created for your quote about Goofy should talk about why Goofy was important to Sonny, not the relationship because that is another topic that needs to be developed. So make sure you evidence directly supports your topic and then tell us why that topic matters in your analysis. Good start, Amanda—keep reading and writing!:)