Thursday, February 14, 2013

Death and Growth


Death: A simple, one-syllable word, yet a difficult concept to grasp, especially in the mind of 12-year-old Esperanza. The vignette “There Was an Old Woman She Had So Many Children She Didn’t Know What to Do” may have a lengthy title, but her explanation for Angel’s death very sudden. Esperanza’s awe for this moment seems to override her actual understanding for what happened. This viewpoint alters in “Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark” from awe to confusion. The news of her grandpa’s death from her own crying Papa makes her think more about the situation, how to act, how to tell her siblings, and even what life would be like if her Papa died. This realization of death alone explains how much Esperanza has matured already in the book. She has gone from innocent, child-like thoughts to being more mature and coming to know her morals and values.

No comments:

Post a Comment