SRJ: Straight #1:
Personal Reaction :
The short story " Mines" by Susan Straight, made me feel sympathetic for adults who are divorced and have to play the role of both the woman and man of the household. Of the short story, one part that protruded out of the context, is the characters in the story, although the main character suppressed her unhappiness among her peers about playing two roles in her life, the characters around her symbolize and bring out her true feelings that revels the main character’s true feelings about her predicament.
Reading this short story it made me think of my father who played both as the mother and father of the household, although he was gone most of the time at work, he still tried to make time for us now after I read this story, I honestly cant figure out how he managed to work and come home and cook as well as put us to bed.
Literary element:
To illustrate the struggles of divorced parents being both the provider and the house wife, Straight uses Clarette the main character’s possessions as well as friends in the short story to unsurpress her feelings about being the provider and the house wife of her household. For instance, when it comes to money, it is clear she is struggling to make enough to support her family. Through out the story, she keeps track of money an object is worth such as when she brakes when the purple plastic phone, she exclaimed that it costs five dollars and ninety nine cents. Moreover, the character while washing her daughter’s old Navy capris she stated: “ one trip to Old Navy in spring, one in fall all I can afford.” By keeping a list on how much items cost, and that she can only afford to provide her children clothes two times a year reflects how very little income she makes to support her family.
As for the characters in the story they reveal some of Clarette’s feelings about herself and her children. For example, when Clarette sees her friend Tika’s lipstick upon seeing the lipstick Clarette quickly convinces herself that she does not have time to make herself look decent because she is running around doing chores and trying to make a sustainable income for her family. As well as Alfonso in the story represents her children, even though he is essentially not her child she puts the burden on herself to watch out for Alfonso to make sure he is safe. In the end of the story she, sacrifices her safety for him by fighting off his prison mates that are crowding and fighting him, this shows that he like her children she has made sacrifices for them.
Questions and comments:
Whats the relationship of the Ray Junior and his father? Why is Ray Junior hiding things from his father?
