What would you expect to be the mindset of a misfit kid who isn’t really that popular who is playing baseball with the other kids because he wants to fit in with them instead of being himself? There is such a boy in a first person short story that was written by a worldly-renowned author. In “Eye Ball,” Spiegelman uses characterization to develop the theme of be yourself and don’t try to fit in with others at the expense of showing your true self. Spiegelman’s use of the little misfit boy as a round character reflects the theme because he realizes that he doesn’t fit in so well with all the other boys. Being a kid with Amblyopia, or “lazy eye”, he already knew that he was at a disadvantage and he points out his condition when he is saying “since I’m virtually blind in my left eye” and when he said “Amblyopia, a “lazy eye,” made my whole world 2D” (130). He still tries to play baseball with the other boys, but he quickly finds out that he isn’t that good at it. Identification can be made with the out-of-place feeling that the little boy most have felt. Now he is most likely feeling down because he did poorly when he was up at bat. Most out of place people “must escape into fantasy and/or develop a rarefied sense of humor to survive” (130). The usual “boy in 1950s America, baseball was not optional and to be inept assured a place in the social hierarchy even lower than a girl’s” (130). This shows that there was a current stereotype of how little boys should be and he tried to be stereotypical with all of the other little boys. Spiegelman’s use of the little misfit boy as a dynamic character reflects the theme because he learns to be himself and not try to be something that he isn’t. He realizes that he is out of place when the boys placed him and he “was inevitably relegated to right field, far out of harm’s way” (130). While in the outfield he thought that his boredom took out his “anxiety that a ball might come” (130). He already knew before he went with the boys, that playing baseball with them wasn’t going to go smooth so he “often kept some comic book handy” (130). While he is thinking, he finally realizes that his true comfort is in comics and not sports.
Bill Meissner is an author who enjoys writing stories about baseball that include nothing about baseball. In his stories there are many hidden messages which the reader tries to decipher and figure out the theme. Meissner uses baseball as his main attraction to catch the reader’s eye. Bill ties the character to baseball so he could demonstrate symbolism, which could help discover the theme of the story. In all his stories he establishes a lesson in which the character will uncover throughout the journey. The character in this story acts as a “weak” (42) human being which triumphs at the end by becoming the total opposite. In the story “Midgets, Jujubes, and Beans”, Bill Meissner expresses the theme of how a person should never lose hope on something they love by using a boy named Martin experiencing various challenges and in the end coming out on top.
In his story, "Martin", Nick Vaca, explains how an experience with the new kid on the block left a lasting impression on him. Vaca recounts this memory to convey how his initial perceptions of the new kid caused him and his playmates to act harshly and untowards. Through the use of imagery and symbolism, Vaca details how this experience caused him to realize that he should never judge someone based on their appearance.
2. The novel, The Brothers K, enables the reader to understand a child’s idolization of a given sport, in this case, baseball.
During Graff’s childhood, he was not able to relate to readings that he was given in school. Instead, Graff was interested in baseball. Being that Graff was interested in baseball, he would often find himself reading books and magazines about baseball and baseball pla...
Charles Baxter's short stories are well-known for the strong presents of ordinary people encountering extraordinary strangers who disturb their lives. “Gryphon” written by Charles Baxter is not an exception. The story is filled with characters that are awaken from their boring lives and transported into a world of possibilities. As a central idea of the story, Baxter's critics often mention “middle America's” conventions, and the effect it has on anyone who does not fit the mold. Within “Gryphon” the reader experiences a few days in the life of fourth grade class; specifically, a few days spent with a unique substitute teacher. The narrative outlines, on many occasions, the unsureness in the face of the unknown. Is the society ready to accept someone who deviates from the limits of the norm?
Similes in the story gives the readers insight of not only the fifth-grader but the adult too. “By the time school started that year, Eddy had a keloid like a piece of twine down the side of his face and a black patch he had to wear until he got his glass eye that stared in a fixed angle at the sky,” (Line 56-59). This quote has a simile, which shows how the fifth-grader feels about her cousin Eddy. The simile allows the readers to make a prediction that the fifth-grader and Eddy get along pretty well because the narrator never describes him as scary, mean, or distant. The simile effects the narrator’s characterization because it make the fifth-grader seem gentle and excited to be around people. The character is given characterization through similes. Similes are a key component to characterization because it allows readers to understand the narrator and character in the story. Figurative language is used throughout the story to characterize the adult narrator's memories in the
...Boyarin overcome his fear of being labeled by the society by sticking up to his morals and ethics. This shows that an individual’s fear of being labeled by the society can depend on the situations they face which shape their strategies of personal identity.
When pondering about what an individual thinks of you, people have varying views. Some people are not concerned; to others it is the most critical matter on their mind. The feeling of being judged is a very potent emotion. Likewise, conformity is one of the largest controversies in today’s society; the behavior of someone in accordance with socially accepted conventions or standards. So if someone personally made his or her expectations on what you should be like evident, would you change? In Matthew Quick’s The Silver Linings Playbook, he illustrates that judgment and expectations conform a person into someone they are not due to their personal identity. This can be seen through a character’s loyalty to another, dominance and the vulnerability it includes, and a character’s love and devotion. Conformity and the reasons for its appearance will be analyzed through samples from Matthew Quick’s bestselling novel.
”Because most people identify as separate from other people, they have what we call some "concept" of themselves. Self-concept refers to how people “think about, evaluate, or perceive” themselves.” Self-concept can be split into categories that make people who they are. Throughout “The Outsiders”, Ponyboy the protagonist, describes his brother and his friends in relation to him, giving insight on what makes each of them who they are. After reading an article on this topic “Self-Concept “by Saul McLeod (1), and reading chapters 1-3 of the novel “The Outsiders” (2). One can see the major reasons that make people who they are: self-image and self-esteem/self-worth.
Knowles deliberately juxtaposes Gene’s social awkwardness to Finny’s natural athleticism and charisma to suggest an imbalance of power between the two boys. Set in Devon School, described as “very athletic” (Knowles 13), Finny, “an extraordinary athlete…the best athlete in the school,” (16) establishes himself to be popular, tilting the balance of power. Stating there is no one “in this school – in this world – whom [he] could trust” (53), Knowles introduces Gene as a distrustful individual. Gene’s hesitant nature lets the animated Finny take charge of their relationship. To create power imbalance, the author purposefully creates Gene and Finny with wildly different personalities.
The role of identity plays an important role in all adolescence which can help shape their future. In psychology, identity is the conception, qualities, beliefs, and expressions that make a person or group. The movie, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”, illustrates how teens struggle with identity. Charlie is an anti-social freshman who is befriended by a group of high school seniors, who introduces him to the world of drugs, love, sexulatity, friendship, and lies. His friends play a huge role in his development. Throughout the movie, Charlie was able to build upon his character and develop friendships that gave him a new perspective that life needs, to live life rather than watching it.
The Sandlot is a classic sports film that shows how the role of friendship plays in children’s development. The story takes place in a small suburb outside of Los Angeles in the summer of 1962. The main character “Smalls”, just moved to the town with his mom and step dad. He doesn’t really know how to make friends but started watching a group of boys that walked to the ‘sandlot’. Smalls has always stuck to science projects, so baseball is a new subject to him. The step dad has a love of baseball so when Smalls goes into his office he has trophies and a baseball signed by Babe Ruth. Smalls wants to be able to connect with his step dad, so he tries to learn how to play baseball with the guys.
As the student begins his essay, he points out that Sammy is part of the lower class structure. He is an “eighteen-year-old boy who is working as a checkout clerk in an A&P in a small New England town five miles from the beach” (2191). While working an afternoon shift on Thursday, he notices “these girls in nothing but bathing suits” (2191) enter the store. It is in this scene that the student begins to identify the differences between the group of girls and Sammy.
He explains that boys hide their feelings they may seem normal on the outside but on the inside they are hiding something. When they are asked if anything is wrong they say no everything is just fine. This is because ever since the boy was a child he has been taught not to express his emotions. Little boys are made to feel ashamed of their feelings. Also society places an emphasis on boys separating from their mother at an unnecessarily young age. Often the result of all this is that the boys decide to be silent. They learn to suffer quietly and retreat behind the mask. This is why the boys do not express their feelings, because they are told not to. What tells them not to is the boy code. It says the men should be stoic, stable, and independent. Boys are not to share their pain or grief openly. Also this code says the boys should be daring and do risky behaviors. The most traumatizing code is the fact that boys should not express feelings which might be mistakenly as “feminine” –dependence, warmth, and empathy. This causes boys to never act this way and hide these feelings. These are the reasons the “mask” is formed over the boy.
Throughout life individuals face many challenges testing their values and personality one situation at a time. In the evocative novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton themes of growing up and innocence are shown. Ponyboy is not your average 14 year old he is part of a gang known to many as the Greasers. He encounters many situations testing his values and beliefs. Having lost both his parents recently he and his brothers stick together like a true family but this relationship is tested when Darry hits Ponyboy. He also experiences the loss several close friends in a very short period of time. Throughout this novel, Ponyboy encounters many life changing experiences that prove he is a dynamic character.