A Christmas Memory Character Analysis

The Remarkable Character of Sook

In Truman Capote’s short story, “A Christmas Memory”, Capote shows his true admiration for Sook by illustrating her loving character. Throughout the story Capote explains the ways Sook was an extraordinarily loving person to Buddy. For example, Sook giving Buddy ten cents every Saturday for him to see a picture show, she tries to sell her own valuables to purchase Buddy a gift for Christmas, and she spends most of her time with Buddy. Sook was a loving person to everyone she met, but she was most loving to her best friend Buddy.

Although times were tough in 1941 and they were very poor Sook still showed her love towards Buddy. Saving money was important because they were living in the time of the Great Depression, but to Sook seeing Buddy enjoy something meant more to her than having a lot of money. Sook would give Buddy ten cents every Saturday to go see a picture show. Buddy would always insist that Sook go along with him but Sook would always say, “I’d rather hear you tell the story, Buddy. That way I can imagine it more”

(10). Sook would do anything to make Buddy feel special, because she loved and cared for him so much. She wanted Buddy to be able to experience what it was like to be a child and to have a childhood that he would never forget.
In the story Sook proves she is a noble person by saying, “Its bad enough in life to do without something you want; but confound it, what gets my goat is not being able to give somebody something you want them to have” (34). Sook wanted so bad to give Buddy a bike that she tries to sell her cameo that her Papa gave her. That proved that she loved Buddy more than anything because that is an item that cannot be replaced and it was so special to her. Even though Sook could not afford to get Buddy a bike for Christmas she makes him something that has more of a meaning. She makes him a kite. Buddy described it as a “beautiful kite that was blue and scattered with gold and green Good Conduct stars; moreover, my name is painted on it, “Buddy” (38). While Sook shows her love for Buddy by giving him money for picture shows and trying to sell her valuables to buy him a bike for Christmas; those weren’t the things that meant the most to them, their time together was worth so much more.
Sook and Buddy spent most of their time together.

They were best friends and did everything together weather they were in the kitchen making fruitcakes for their friends, going on adventures to cut down a Christmas tree, or flying kites in their favorite spot. Through out the story in several occasions Sook would ask Buddy, “When you’re grown up, will we still be friends?”(36) Sook loves Buddy so much that she couldn’t imagine her life without him, and she doesn’t ever want Buddy to grow up and forget about her.

In the story “A Christmas Memory” Truman Capote really did admire Sook’s loving character. She did so much for Buddy and did everything in her power to love him and to keep him happy. She would give him ten cents every Saturday to go see a picture show, she tried so hard to sell her valuables to buy him a better gift for Christmas, and most importantly she spent all the time she could with

him.