She is constantly looking for a “better” life that will bring her self-fulfillment, but to her misfortune she never finds it. In the text Quicksand, Helga Crane shows great dissatisfaction with her life because of the racial barriers she has set for herself psychologically. She has formed these barriers in her life to keep distance from facing racial discrimination and conformity. Crane fights to keep differentiation between herself and the rest of society, and makes a life choice to not repeat the same mistakes as her given mother. While trying to find her own happiness, Helga Crane looks towards her materialistic views which prove to dissatisfy her in every situation.
“The Ends of the World as We Know Them.” The Writers Presence: A Pool of Readings, 6th ed. Eds. Donald Mcquade and Robert Atwan. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martins, 2009. 648-653.
Elements of Literature, Sixth Course: Literature of Britain. Ed. Kristine E. Marshall, 1997. 21-46. Print.
Elements Of Literature, Sixth Course: Literature Of Britain With World Classics. sixth. Holt Rinehart & Winston, 2000. 301-387. Print.
"Trifles." Making Literature Matter. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford St.Martins, 2012. 94152.
McIntyre, Megan, and Curtis Le Van. Rhetoric Matters. 6th edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2011.
Brown County Library. 17 Nov. 2009. Fraustino, Lisa Rowe. “Laurie Halse Anderson” Salem, Press (2008): NoveList. EBSCO.
As did Eveline, the main character of James Joyce’s 1914 short story “Eveline”. Based on her personal experiences with both her father and her mother, in addition to what she witnessed as her parents interacted with each other helped Eveline choose her path to what could be happiness and perfection in her adult life. When we interpret the level of perfection in others, we also base these perceptions on our own personal experiences as well as our own imperfections. The search for personal perfection starts when we decide we know, or think we know, what perfection could or should be. Once a person as has decided what will get them one step to perfection, he or she will start and/or continue setting goals to have a career that is worth wild of a perfectionist; such as a doctor or a lawyer.
Literature and Ourselves. Sixth Edition. Eds. Gloria Mason Henderson, Anna Dunlap Higgins, Bill Day, Sandra Stevenson Waller. New York: Pearson Education, 2009.
When they do not do their “best”, they can suffer from depression or feeling of worthlessness. It is said that these pageants help build these confidence but it is clearly that is hinders more than helps, most of these “competitions” have girls questioning their self-worth or always second guessing their abilities. Girls are taught that appearance is the only thing that matters and they are always being judged. Child beauty pageants are more hurtful then helpful for girls, even in their adult years.