"Sissy" and "The Wide, Wide World" comparison

I found many similarities between Sissy and Ellen Montgomery in The Wide, Wide World. Both characters share a close relationship to their mother. Sissy “never asked to play with other boys, seeming to find in his mother all desired companionship” (Kellogg 545). He seems to be completely satisfied by his mother’s company and is always finding ways to please her. This is a very different personality trait than the other little boys we have read about. It is very reminiscent of Ellen whose “love to her mother was the strongest feeling her heart knew” (Warner 25).

I think that both characters had such a strong emotional tie to their parents because they were raised in households with absent father figures. Although Ellen’s father played a vital role in The Wide, Wide World, he certainly did not play a vital role in her life. Ellen’s complete fascination and emotional dependence on her mother reinforced the fact that her father lacked a pivotal role in the little girl’s upbringing. Sissy, on the other hand, never knew his father who died when Sissy was only three years old. His pure and eternal love for his mother was not perpetuated by his father’s cold, aloof personality like Ellen’s.

I also found similarities between the two texts with references to windows. When Sissy is trying to convince his mother to adopt Margie he describes how “she’s got to stay cooped up there in that miserable, dirty place all summer, and just look out the window” (Kellogg 562). The lonely little girl staring out of a window conjured up memories of Ellen Montgomery. “Ellen betook herself to the window and sought amusement there” when no one else would entertain her (Warner 21). Both of these passages have a very sad and forlorn feel to them.

Sissy

Sissy challenged the texts that we have read thus far about what it means to be a little boy or little girl in the nineteenth century. He occupies a unique place in society because he captivates traits of both genders. "He possessed a girl's taste and delicacy and skill… combined with a boy's physical strength and hardihood" (Kellogg 546). Because he is constantly helping others and demonstrating a wealth of compassion, one would expect him to be rich with friends. I found it very interesting that he "had no 'crony,' or intimate companion, especially outside of the school-room (Kellogg 546). It seems as though a multitude of people, young and old, would seek a friend like Sissy in this world, however he is portrayed as somewhat of a loner. I think that Kellogg was trying teach people to accept others for who they are, even if they are immensely different. She continually uses positive words throughout the text to describe him and convey him as a sweet and loving boy. Even when he cuts up his great-grandmother's dress, his own mother shows no sign of anger because she wants to "commend Sissy's kindness" (Kellogg 551).
Sissy continually breaks the mold of societal standards of what boys were to act like. His loving demeanor and will to please his mother almost mirrors that of Ellen Montgomery, while his passion for sewing and cooking is a foil to Tom Sawyer's rugged character. He is also the first boy that we have read about who longs for a friendship with a little girl. He takes Margie almost as a charity case but ends up loving this little girl and obsessing over finding her. This desire to help and transform a little girl also demonstrates characteristics of a typical girl during this time rather than a boy. Sissy's character allows readers a glimpse into the heart of a little boy who is viewed as abnormal during this time and helps people to love his personality rather than dismiss him as different.

Short Story Reading Habits

As I read The Yellow Wallpaper and Desiree’s Baby, I tried to channel my focus into specific diction used in the texts. Because the length of the text is exponentially shorter, the author must choose every word with conviction. I was much more inclined to read every word in both stories rather than skimming the page as I would normally do with larger texts. When I skim large texts, I am able to fill in the gaps of the specifics words that I bypassed. In short stories, however, the text is so brief that a line could change the entire plotline.

In Desiree’s Baby, I noticed the manner in which old Monsieur Aubingy was described and actually took the depiction of his character to mean something deeper. I did not think that Chopin would frivolously foil old Aubingy’s “easy-going and indulgent” attitude which made his slaves happy with Young Aubingy’s strict rule that stifled their gayness (Chopin 517). It seems as though every detail that is included in short stories have some meaningful significance. Chopin’s portrayal of the father’s kind demeanor to his slaves foreshadowed his love and acceptance of African Americans.

The Yellow Wallpaper was a much more complicated story that took a tremendous amount of attention and analysis. I re-read the last two pages of the story very slowly and still felt confused about what was actually taking place. Only through close reading did I discover that the narrator was suffering from post-partum depression. She briefly mentions that she “cannot be with [the baby]” because “it makes [her] so nervous” (Gilman 507). An important clue like that may have been easily missed in a longer text because it would not seem to hold the same import as it does in this ten page text.

Little Lord Fauntleroy

Without making too many broad generalizations, I believe that Frances Hodgson Burnett’s gender shapes and influences Cedric in Little Lord Fauntleroy on a completely different level. Unfortunately, I think that it detracts somewhat to the paramount impact Cedric Errol had in shaping American society. Because Burnett is a woman, her fantasies about a young, sweet-natured boy who cares for his mother stupendously reflects her own personal desire for how boys and men should treat women. Cedric is repeatedly described as beautiful and charming with long descriptions of his “soft, fine gold-colored hair” and his “big brown eyes and long eyelashes.” (445) These physical descriptions seem to mirror the same standards of beauty that were applied for little girls at the time. It would seem as though Burnett was trying to have parents adopt the same ideals of beauty for their young boys as for their young girls.

I also think the scene where Cedric beats the other boy at the race is very insightful into the author’s own gender. Burnett creates peace and compassion through Cedric’s soothing words when he wins against Billy. Generally speaking, boys do not try and console their losing opponent in such a situation and most men would not encourage such a gesture. It is usually a girl or a woman who feels sympathy for her losing friend and wants to make the other person feel better.

This story is the first that we have read this year in which the boy’s characteristics and personality traits mimic those of the perfect little girls we have read about, i.e. Ellen Montgomery. I feel as though this is an attempt on Burnett’s part to create a guide for how the “good little boy” should act. Cedric is obviously very different from Ragged Dick and Tom Sawyer who prided themselves on being dirty and rugged.

Tom Sawyer

As I read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer I became more and more intrigued by Tom’s conniving and scheming ways. Although he is just a boy, it seems as though he has more than figured out how to manipulate the system. He constantly uses his “street-smarts” to dupe the other boys out of their deserved treasures. It is ironic to use the phrase “street-smarts” here since this story so obviously takes place in a simple, down-to-earth country town.

My favorite part of the story is the scene in the church where all the boys realize the fast one that Tom successfully pulled off to rise to the top. “The boys were all eaten up with envy—but those that suffered the bitterest pangs were those who perceived too late that they themselves had contributed to this hated splendor by trading tickets to Tom for the wealth he had amassed in selling whitewashing privileges.” (Twain 435) I found this passage to be rich with irony, trickery, and above all, entertainment. Not only was Tom able to swindle the boys out of their hard-earned tickets, but he achieved it through the tokens he received from tricking them into doing his work for him. Tom is constantly thinking on his feet and is able to use his wit to get ahead in life. His skill of being able to think outside of the box is a very powerful tool to have as an adult.

I also enjoyed the other boys’ reaction to the situation. It is obvious that they are always one step behind Tom, and the gravity of the situation did not dawn on them until it was too late. Although the kids despised his actions and felt themselves foolish, it is almost certain that they will revert back to looking up to him. He epitomizes the modern day, adult entrepreneur who everyone hates to love.

Ragged Dick

The prominent message in Ragged Dick is one that is quite contrasting to the message we have seen over and over for young girls in society. Ragged Dick is a symbol of hope and perseverance. Frank constantly gives Dick positive reinforcement and serves as his mentor and encouragement coach. His advocacy for Dick’s success is apparent in the scene where Frank says, “There’s hope for you, Dick, if you’ll try” (394). This idea of work ethic and success having a linear relationship says a great deal about the evolution of American’s thinking patterns in the 19th century. The American people wanted to instill this novel theory into the minds of young boys in order to create an ambitious society. Frank tells the story of Dick Whittington who “was very poor when he was a boy, but he didn’t stay so” (392). He rose to become the Lord Mayor of London by having an honest work ethic and by making sacrifices (even of his only beloved possession- his kitten).

The idea of rising to greatness was not even breached in our readings of little girls in the 19th century. They were taught to be young ladies- obedient to authority and submissive in nature. Not only are the valued characteristics of young boys and young girls completely different, the attitude surrounding the two genders is also very different. Boys who rise to a respectable stature will become powerful men, while girls who comply will become nurturing wives. These ideals that were taught to young children at the time carried over into adulthood and shaped the family dynamics during that century.

Insanity in A Whisper in the Dark

A Whisper in the Dark conveys new meaning in the concept of insanity. Because the story is narrated through Sybil’s eyes, the reader is not able to get a full, coherent picture of the story as it is unfolding. The story has an added element of chaos that I found very intriguing as I read. As Sybil grows madder and madder during her forced stay in the insane asylum, the story also becomes more and more bizarre. As I took a step back during the reading I wondered if the events were truly playing out in the same uncanny fashion described, or if Sybil’s perception of reality was indeed skewed and affecting the plotline. Her depictions of “a ghostly hand [that] emerged and beckoned” in the middle of the night seems to be a bit farfetched (234). The strange descriptions of her surroundings are also coupled with interjections she makes about her “health was going, [her] mind growing confused and weak” (235). These statements about her inevitable madness almost act as a plea for the reader to believe that she is still lucid enough to recognize her twisted fate playing out in front of her.

The fact that Sybil’s mother is residing in the room above her at the same insane asylum not only plays into the reoccurring theme of coincidences but also adds a new dynamic to the mother-daughter relationships we have seen thus far. The letter that her mother writes instructs her to “leave this accursed house while you have the power to do it” (238). I thought that it was very symbolic to see Sybil’s mother reaching out to her in an attempt to save her child even though she was unaware of her identity. It showed that same important ideal of mother’s protecting their children.