The Childs Upbringing in Superman and New Snowsuit :: Superman Paula Brown Literature Essays

The Child's Upbringing in Superman and New Snowsuit Narrator aged about ten (5th grade). American. Father seems to be dead (Otto). Uncle Frank a father figure -talks to her in a friendly, understanding way. Family seem comfortably off (linen table cloth, silver). Home a warm, friendly, secure place - goes to it to escape the other children. But war is beginning, so an unsettling time for a child, particularly one whose father is dead and whose uncle (whom she admires and likes - identifies him with Superman) is being drafted into the forces. Mother keeps quite a close eye on her - checks on what the film is that the children are going to see (Snow White) before allowing girl to go. Child imaginative and sensitive - plays imaginative games, vomits after seeing film about Japanese at war and has nightmares afterwards. Seems something of a loner - does not join in games played by big groups at school - instead plays with one 'bookish' boy and another who is an outsider. Invited to Paula's party only because 'it was for all the children in the block'. Paula invites her to play tag only because 'we need someone else' Paula picks on her quite unfairly because she wants someone to blame for her spoilt snowsuit. The other children join in, so girl feels isolated. Feels safe at home but when Mr. Sterling comes to tell about the damage, her mother says, 'Why didn't you tell me that you pushed Paula in the mud?' The girl is not asked what happened first, so feels that her mother is believing the lie without hearing her side of the story. Uncle Frank comes to her room in a friendly, understanding way, but by then the girl is feeling miserable and is unable to say what happened in a natural way. When Uncle Frank says they will pay for a new suit anyway, she probably feels that even he does not believe her. This episode, plus the war and probably her father's death, changed the girl's life for ever - she grew up and the world seemed a gloomier place (final paragraph). Kiss Miss Carol =============== Joli is completely different to the girl in the first story. Although he was born in England, his family are immigrants from Bangladesh. His father does not really fit in - he speaks Bengali to the boy, wears traditional clothing (unlike the children even of some other immigrant families). He has his own religion and village life at home is still so important to him that he sends his elder son home to sort out a dispute. The Child's Upbringing in Superman and New Snowsuit :: Superman Paula Brown Literature Essays The Child's Upbringing in Superman and New Snowsuit Narrator aged about ten (5th grade). American. Father seems to be dead (Otto). Uncle Frank a father figure -talks to her in a friendly, understanding way. Family seem comfortably off (linen table cloth, silver). Home a warm, friendly, secure place - goes to it to escape the other children. But war is beginning, so an unsettling time for a child, particularly one whose father is dead and whose uncle (whom she admires and likes - identifies him with Superman) is being drafted into the forces. Mother keeps quite a close eye on her - checks on what the film is that the children are going to see (Snow White) before allowing girl to go. Child imaginative and sensitive - plays imaginative games, vomits after seeing film about Japanese at war and has nightmares afterwards. Seems something of a loner - does not join in games played by big groups at school - instead plays with one 'bookish' boy and another who is an outsider. Invited to Paula's party only because 'it was for all the children in the block'. Paula invites her to play tag only because 'we need someone else' Paula picks on her quite unfairly because she wants someone to blame for her spoilt snowsuit. The other children join in, so girl feels isolated. Feels safe at home but when Mr. Sterling comes to tell about the damage, her mother says, 'Why didn't you tell me that you pushed Paula in the mud?' The girl is not asked what happened first, so feels that her mother is believing the lie without hearing her side of the story. Uncle Frank comes to her room in a friendly, understanding way, but by then the girl is feeling miserable and is unable to say what happened in a natural way. When Uncle Frank says they will pay for a new suit anyway, she probably feels that even he does not believe her. This episode, plus the war and probably her father's death, changed the girl's life for ever - she grew up and the world seemed a gloomier place (final paragraph). Kiss Miss Carol =============== Joli is completely different to the girl in the first story. Although he was born in England, his family are immigrants from Bangladesh. His father does not really fit in - he speaks Bengali to the boy, wears traditional clothing (unlike the children even of some other immigrant families). He has his own religion and village life at home is still so important to him that he sends his elder son home to sort out a dispute.