Astray In Daddy's Girl 'And What Remains'

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In each period of time, there are things that are not the norm and it will be considered “strange”. Astray is going out of your pathway of being and doing things that are not ordinary. Sometimes going in a different direction will create a new and unique story that inspire others. In the book Astray by Emma Donoghue, a collection of stories are written to suit the theme of characters living life extraordinary. Daddy’s Girl and What Remains are stories found in the sub-themes of arrivals and aftermaths. Daddy’s Girl is about a woman being a man in the 1900s. What Remains is about two female sculptors accomplishments being told when they were getting close to their last days. Both stories carry the theme of being astray during their time period …show more content…

During the 1900s, women did not have the same rights as men. Daddy, also known as Mr. Murray Hall, involved himself with politics. In New York, he was a pillar of the democratic party. The two characters in this story connect to the theme of astray. As Minnie arrive home from seeing her father’s body, she goes out of her ways to figure out everything about him. Throughout the story, we see how much Minnie felt surprised and even betrayed to not know that her father was a woman. She describes that her father did not go bald like his friends, he did not grow any hair on his face, and he was really good with women. It is also noted that “Daddy has always been able to cut me down to size and make me feel like a little idiot girl.” He was controlling and decisive of Minnie life choices because she was not allowed to wear certain kind of clothing and his office was off limits. After Daddy passed away, Minnie life was uncovering from all that she was hidden from. Nevertheless, she chooses to respect Daddy’s decision which is a powerful move to keep the identity as a male. She states, “there are some things you shouldn’t look at, because what are you supposed to do afterward?” Minnie chooses to go her own way instead of looking

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