A Yellow Raft on Blue Water Essay In the novel, A Yellow Raft on Blue Water, the story revolves around the life of three female protagonists of Native American descent, and the narration is provided by three differing, troubled characters. One of the narrating character's, Christine, allows an intake into her alternating perspective, and describes struggles she faces from balancing the relationships she has with herself, her daughter, and her aunt . Throughout her section, she expresses her dissatisfaction with the disconnection she feels as though she has no connection with them even though she tries though best to get on their good side. She feels as though she tries to be a good mother to her only child, and a good daugheter. A contribution …show more content…
In the beginning of the book, her daughter, Christine, reflects on her living, “Twice I have stayed for few days with foster families in Seattle, once when Mom was getting herself sick, and the other time when she was pulling herself together” (101). From this passage, it revealed that Christine is guilty of committing act detrimental to her lifestyle. had to done bad decisions and actions and made Rayona experience the life of a unwanted child thrown from home to Because they are blood related they share some striking similarities the hill (146). Christine’s relationship with and respect herself is one made of recklessness. Being worried about looks and even describing herself as having the “face of a squirrel hoarding nuts in the winter”, she reveals that she is very centered about her appearance” (143). In another instance that reveals this is when she scruntized Rayona for her appearance. (237) In another instant her she decribes that she “came home at five in the morning” illustrating that she values having fun” (158). Being reckless with parties and alcohol, the doctor determined that her she wouldn’t live another six months” (234) One point in the story she revealed that even though she frequently parties and does dumb things, she doesn’t regretthem because she wouldn’t be able to stop critizing herself. From this, it is apparent that Christine has high self esteem and tries to keep a positive image. She doesn’t like to chatise herself for her past mistakes. She also has dignity to the pint where she tine feels as though she needs to prove herself to others in order to feel acceptance. In addition, she boasts that “ what she lacked in looks she made up in other ways.(149). Apart from Christine’s strong self esteem, illustrated even once describing herself “as a perfect size 8” (174). She is in many ways
Most everyone has someone they admire or look up to. In the book, A Yellow Raft in Blue Water, written by Michael Dorris, one character stands out and has the most admirable traits. Rayona is one of the main characters and throughout the book she shows us that she is hard working and never willing to give up. As well as getting the job done, Rayona has to be brave in a lot of different situations. Being clever is a trait that everyone looks up to. Everything Rayona does portrays how clever she really is. Rayona is the most commendable character in this novel because she displays young adult behavior.
The Jump-Off Creek introduces the reader to the unforgiving Blue Mountains and the harsh pioneer lifestyle with the tale of Lydia Sanderson, a widow who moves west from Pennsylvania to take up residence in a rundown homestead. She and other characters battle nature, finances, and even each other on occasion in a fight for survival in the harsh Oregon wilderness. Although the story is vividly expressed through the use of precise detail and 1800s slang, it failed to give me a reason to care because the characters are depicted as emotionally inhibited.
Overall, the use dual narration in this novel is very effective as it conveys the thoughts of both narrators. Furthermore, altering chapters also acquire momentum for the text, as well as foreshadow the events of McBride's life through that of his mother, plus suggest the similarities between them. Subsequently, by highlighting similarities between two stories due to the different narration, the novel, The Color of Water achieves complexity and nuance. While the parallelism of several issues and the rhetorical strategies further contribute to the meaning of the novel’s message, when Ruth and James finally came to terms with their past and when Ruth was able to help James understand his origin.
They are already in a compromising situation in celebrating her eighteenth birthday at a gas station having coffee which was already established as being not the norm earlier with Marie recounting her own large party where her “mother made a large party” (154). There reality is broken when the teenagers arrive and “One of the girls went to the juke box and put money in” and they are forced to leave because of Carol condition which causes her to have a breakdown from the noise (157). The arrival of the kids forced them to come into contact with their own reality which can never coincide with the one they have fabricated. This small reminder of what the norm is supposed to be is often brought to their attention through others such as when they “could see, in the light shaft of light, a boy, two girls and a dog” (155). In this instance, they are walking on the way to their weekly picnic, which is in itself repetitive, when they are shown the norm of other having fun “the boy splashing in the water with the dog” while they are forced to go through the motions without much emotion. This depiction of the norm unsettles their reality and, even though they don’t stop trying to alter reality to shelter Carol, shows how dysfunctional their own situation is as it can be seen as a potential version of themselves without Carol’s
This documentary is about two girls’ journey as they are released from their juvenile home after committing a crime. At first glance, these two girls look the same; both of them committed some sort of crime and ended up in a juvenile home. Throughout the documentary, Shanae is seen as someone who wants to change because of her past mistake. On the other hand, Megan struggles more because she is starved for love. What makes this girls circumstances different is that Shanae has a family that loves her and want her to get better, while Megan comes from a broken home where her mom is constantly in jail. In order to understand both Megan and Shanae’s struggle, the labeling theory is one of the theories that fit their situation.
Now, as the family of four travels across the continent, the narrator is able to slough off all the obligations which society has dumped on her. Almost relieved, “we shed our house, the neighborhood, the city, and…our country” (378). On the road, she is no longer forced to hide from the friendly phone calls or household chores. The narrator has been freed on the highway to Ontario, Canada. The Prisoner of War, held under siege in her own home, is liberated to be “hopeful and lighthearted” (378). This trip becomes a break from the life that she’s is currently leading, a life which society thinks should make her content. With this new bit of freedom the narrator is able to form an identity for herself.
At the alternative school, Precious is inspired and encouraged by a very caring and passionate teacher, Blu Rain. She also meets many other female peers just like herself in the program. They all become a support system for each other. Precious learns to read and write, and starts journaling daily about the life that she daydreams about having for herself. She feels as that her body, looks, incest, and abuse in her home with her mother have caused her life to be unpleasant. She daydreams about dating a “light” skin guys, being in movies, and having a very functionally family with her two
Connection to people, family, and places are conveyed through the representation of belonging. “Rainbows End” by Harrison gives us the connection between Nan Dear with the Aboriginal Community, and a connection through family. “The Little Refugee” illustrates how Anh has had barrier that has prevented him from belonging, and how he has fitted in school, resulting in Anh creating friends along with being accepted.
As a teen, Rayona is in a confusing period of life. The gradual breakdown of her family life places an addition burden on her conscience. Without others for support, Rayona must find a way to handle her hardships. At first, she attempts to avoid these obstacles in her life, by lying, and by not voicing her opinions. Though when confronting them, she learns to feel better about herself and to understand others.
The starting point of this book shows how much she hates Ms.Leone and complaining about her current situations. For example, in one of her first entries, she talks about when she got in trouble for coming home late from school. Her foster parents think she is doing drugs, so they search her. After that they lock her in the laundry room. ...
Her father works out of town and does not seem to be involved in his daughters lives as much. Her older sister, who works at the school, is nothing but plain Jane. Connie’s mother, who did nothing nag at her, to Connie, her mother’s words were nothing but jealousy from the beauty she had once had. The only thing Connie seems to enjoy is going out with her best friend to the mall, at times even sneaking into a drive-in restaurant across the road. Connie has two sides to herself, a version her family sees and a version everyone else sees.
influence all her life and struggles to accept her true identity. Through the story you can
Huck and Jim’s oldest and most reliable companion, except each other, is their raft. It carries them away to safety and freedom and protects them from dangers along the way. I have chosen to replicate this raft for part five of my Huckleberry Finn portfolio. I imagine that this raft is from sometime after Huck and Jim’s encounter with the Walter Scott, from which they obtained the supplies.
Regardless of one’s particular journey, we all deal with varying magnitudes of difficulties. This aspect is not only a part of everyday life, but it is also a fundamental one. Every person deals with their own sorrows and from these we are able to learn from them. By overcoming adversities, people create better lives for themselves and can have a new beginning. All of this is portrayed in Nella Larsen’s Quicksand and James Weldon’s The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man. Beginning off with the passage from Quicksand, Larsen is able to develop this theme by using the characters. An example of this is seen when Helga struggles with “inherent aloneness” that she is experiencing as she’s on the boat to leave America, where she didn’t feel as though she fit in, and return back to Denmark: “Leaning against the railing, Helga stared into the approaching night,
In the story “Two Kinds”, the author, Amy Tan, intends to make reader think of the meaning behind the story. She doesn’t speak out as an analyzer to illustrate what is the real problem between her and her mother. Instead, she uses her own point of view as a narrator to state what she has experienced and what she feels in her mind all along the story. She has not judged what is right or wrong based on her opinion. Instead of giving instruction of how to solve a family issue, the author chooses to write a narrative diary containing her true feeling toward events during her childhood, which offers reader not only a clear account, but insight on how the narrator feels frustrated due to failing her mother’s expectations which leads to a large conflict between the narrator and her mother.