Aunt Mary, An Analysis of the Joseph Imperiale Short Story

Usually, a short story may contain profound thoughts. Writers always convey their ideas or opinions by offering several arguments in their productions. These arguments are essential to advancing the story and defining characters. In "Aunt Mary" written by Joseph Imperiale, we might identify three arguments here.

The first argument is that children can only grow as far as their boundaries will allow them. This is supported when Joshua nearly electrocutes himself by sticking a knife into a plugged-in toaster in order to get his muffin out. At that time, Mary says: "If you need help, get me or Nonna" (Imeriale357). Obviously, Joshua is limited in his knowledge of physics. In this case, he should be told about electronic knowledge immediately to stay safe, instead of being told to get other's help. This argument is also supported when Joshua is watching television. In fact, Imperiale writes: "I flopped down on the soft beige living room carpet before the television. Sesame Street was on and Kermit was singing, `It's Not Easy Being Green'" (357). Here, Joshua is watching Sesame Street, yet he is twelve years old. Arguably, a twelve-year-old boy is a bit old for Sesame Street, and this suggests that he has become limited by the boundaries imposed upon him. Another example can be found when Joshua is watching the neighborhood kids playing in the yard. In reality, Imperiale writes: "So, I'd sit in his cart and tap the time away with a stripped maple tree branch, and through the fence, I'd watch the neighborhood kids playing softball in the field across the street. Nonna would not let me leave the yard" (361). Forbidden by his grandma, Joshua loses the opportunity to play and make friends with other kids, though a ...

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... a transplanted foreign country" (357). This suggests that Mary and Nonna treat Joshua, who is a half-Heb boy, in different ways, though they both are Catholic. Under the same new education system, Mary's brother accepts to marry a Jewish woman, and Mary takes good care of Joshua, the half-Heb boy, without any religious prejudice; nevertheless, it is hard for Nonna, who receives just little old education, to do that. Therefore, communication becomes hard in a Catholic family if they receive different educations.

These three arguments above compose the main conflict in "Aunt Mary." We can find many other examples to support these arguments. By analyzing two cultures or two religions which are in conflict, we are easy to see the writing purpose of the author and we can go a step further to know cultural or even religious background in that time period.