Main Theme Of The Summer People

1043 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Parents'influence on children

The Summer People: Parents Via Friendship In Kelly Link 's short story, The Summer People, the overall theme is that of debt, relationships and wealth. The story is about Fran, a teenage girl who lives in rural North Carolina. Her father, who comes in and out of her life, has gone away to Florida to find God. The mother abandoned them and left Fran in charge of the summer people. The short story starts out with Fran having the flu and now is taking care of herself. She decides to go to school, but later realizes that she can’t do it. She convinces an old friend, Ophelia to drive her home. Fran sends Ophelia to the summer people to get her medicine. Fran convinces Ophelia to sleep in the room. Fran finally feels free because she decides to make her escape. In her short story, The Summer People, Kelly Link helps Fran escape the Summer People House, just like her mother, via her renewed friendship with Ophelia. The main conflict is that Fran is wanting to escape and finding her …show more content…

Fran was first that sweet innocent character until what she does to Ophelia. Fran is described at the beginning as a sweet, poor, friend, and hard working. Towards the end, Fran is more of not a friend, take advantage of things, poor, and hard working. Ophelia at the beginning is rich, helps people, sweet, and sings. Towards the end, Ophelia does not realize but Fran takes advantage of her. Fran had now left Ophelia with the Summer People. “I remember now,” Ophelia said. “When you came and played at my house. You brought a silver minnow. It was smaller than my finger” (Link 14)… This is when Ophelia a Fran start to remember their friendship together and renew the friendship also. “I wish I could help out,” Ophelia said. “You know, with the house and the summer people. You shouldn’t have to do everything, not all of the time” (Link 25). This leading up to Fran’s idea of leaving Ophelia with the summer

Show More
Related

  • Jeanette Walls Quotes

    545 Words  | 2 Pages

    Lori was the first one to leave for New York City after graduation, later, Jeanette followed her and moved into her habitat with her. Jeanette promptly found a job as a reporter, the two sisters were both living their dream life away from their miserable parents. It wasn’t difficult for them since they cultured to be independent and tough. Everything was turning out great for them and decided to tell their younger siblings to move in with them, and they did. Jeanette was finally happy for once, enjoying the freedom she had and not having to be moved every two weeks. She then found a guy whom she married and accustomed her lifestyle. Furthermore, her parents still couldn’t have the funds for a household or to stay in stable occupation, so they decided to move in with Jeanette and her siblings. Jeanette at that moment felt like she was never going to have an ordinary life because her parents were going to shadow her.

    Read More

  • One Fat Summer - Analysis Of Important Theme

    665 Words  | 2 Pages

    One Fat Summer by Robert Lipsyte, is a very good book for teenagers that feel insecure about themselves and have low self-esteem. In the book they will read about a young boy name, Bobby who overcomes his fears of being fat and being bullied by Willie, one that is much stronger then him physically, but not emotionally. The basic theme of this story is to stand up for yourself no matter the situation.

    Read More

  • A Summer Life by Gary Soto

    620 Words  | 2 Pages

    Back in 1990, a man named Gary Soto decided to write an autobiography about himself, titled A Summer Life. One of the more interesting portions of the book was when Mr. Soto described a summer day back when he was six years old. On that day, young Gary found out what it felt like to be a true sinner, as he stole an apple pie from the local bakery. Some readers found this as one of the more interesting parts, not because of the plot, but because of the literary devices used, such as detail, imagery, and pacing. The three aforementioned literary devices are almost a backbone to the story, because without those three, the story would be shortened and fairly bland. The following three paragraphs will each describe a literary devices used by Mr. Soto to enhance the quality of his story.

    Read More

  • The Life of Jeannette in The Glass Castle

    634 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jeannette started to lose faith in her parents after they could no longer provide for her, and swore that she would make a better life for herself. “I swore to myself that it (her life) would never be like Mom’s…” (Walls 208) Jeannette has the idea to move to New York to escape her parents, and pursue her dream of being a journalist. She decides that her older sister, Lori, will have to escape with her, because Jeannette would never leave Lori alone with her parents. The next day, Jeannette buys a piggy bank to start an “escape fund”. To make money, Lori would draw and paint posters for kids at school and sell them for a dollar fifty. Jeannette would babysit and do other kids homework. She made a dollar per assignment and and babysat for a dollar an hour.

    Read More

  • Why Did Polonius Use Ophelia Go To Power

    108 Words  | 1 Pages

    Ophelia was an object that male characters, i.e. Hamlet, Polonius, Laertes, etc., used to gain more political power or to get what they want. Polonius was greedy, he told his daughter to hold herself to a higher standard than Hamlet. Because Polonius wanted the marriage of Ophelia and Hamlet to happen, he went to the castle in Elsinore, which lead to his death. A connection through marriage to prince would be a huge power for the family. Ophelia was being used to gain more power. Hamlet only used her for sex and affection, which This show how no one really cared for Ophelia other that to use her.

    Read More

  • One Crazy Summer Theme

    567 Words  | 2 Pages

    All the novels that I have read in class this year have been absolutely fascinating and remarkable. Each one captivated me in an indescribable way. However, there is a particular novel that stood out to me. It is a novel that is highly enjoyable and I recommend it to anyone looking for a poetic and simple book to read. That novel is One Crazy Summer by the distinguished author of books for children and teens, Rita Williams-Garcia.

    Read More

  • Who Is Ophelia A Foil In Hamlet

    602 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ophelia is portrayed as a sensitive, fragile woman. Easily overpowered and controlled by her brother and father, Ophelia is destined to be weak. Ophelia’s brother, Laertes, warns and pushes Ophelia to stay away from Hamlet and is further supported by their father Polonius. “Polonius enters and adds his warning to those of Laertes. He orders Ophelia not to spend time with Hamlet or even talk to him. Ophelia promises to obey” (“Hamlet” 95). Ophelia’s obedience to her father’s directions prove the side she

    Read More

  • Ophelia’s Madness

    663 Words  | 2 Pages

    As far as we know, up until the recent events, Ophelia has had a comfortable life. Her father counsel to King Claudius has landed the family in a high part of society, shielded from the effects of poverty. She is beautiful, rich, and has the boy, well only for a little while. During the time of the passing of King Hamlet, Polonius has forbidden his daughter Ophelia to see her one and only lover, the man she believed she was going to marry, she sings, “Quoth she, “Before you tumbled me, You promised me to wed.” He answers, So would I ha' done, by yonder sun, An thou hadst not come to my bed.”(Shakespeare IV.V) She has given herself completely to Hamlet, but on orders from her father she must sever all ties. This has her grieving, grieving over love lost, true love lost. She is still in love with Hamlet, but must obey her father despite her grief; this is putting a tremendous amount of stress on poor Ophelia. She is torn between family, ...

    Read More

  • Role Of Ophelia In Hamlet

    303 Words  | 1 Pages

    Throughout many literary works we are met with characters who appear briefly throughout that work. In the literary work Hamlet (Shakespeare, 1603), we are introduced to the character Ophelia. Ophelia can either been seen as driven for her mad love towards Hamlet, or seen just as a victim to society for the outrageous expectations she has for being a woman. Ophelia appears briefly throughout Hamlet, but when she appears she is caught between the her father and brother’s instructions, and Hamlet’s overwhelming demands.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Love In The Novel Summer By Edith Wharton

    1209 Words  | 3 Pages

    Have you ever love someone who you can’t be together with? The novel “Summer” by Edith Wharton states that during one summer, there was a girl name Charity Royall who fell in love with a young gentleman name Lucius Harney. Everything change when Charity knew Harney had the same feeling towards her. The significance of love that Charity felt for Harney was more than she can give to anyone, even if it’s not Mr. Royall who take her in when she was a little girl. At times, Charity didn’t know what to do or what decisions to make in her life unless she seek for advice, yet, she still do the opposite of what she don’t like. As it goes on, Mr. Royall would use informal ways of telling Charity not to date Harney and stop her from seeing him. Throughout the novel, Charity’s position was forces beyond her control.

    Read More

  • The Tragedy of Ophelia in Hamlet

    946 Words  | 2 Pages

    Poor Ophelia lost everything.  She lost her lover and the social position and security that would have come when she became Hamlet's wife.  She lost her father and an honorable burial and her trust and respect for her Queen and King.   Finally, she lost her life. The innocent destroyed with the deceitful. Perhaps Shakespeare used Ophelia's innocence to provide an even greater contrast to the deceit of the characters that engulfed her.

    Read More

  • The Analysis of the Character Ophelia on Hamlet

    1284 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Elizabethan times, Ophelia is restricted as a woman. She is obedient to the commands of the men in her life although she often attempts to do the right thing. Polonius, Laertes, and Hamlet all have a grasp on Ophelia and who she is. She does not have the freedom to change her fate as Hamlet does. Shawna Maki states, “Ophelia’s life is determined by the whims of men who control her” (1). Polonius takes advantage of his relationship with Ophelia by using her to achieve a better relationship with Claudius. Polonius and Laertes teach Ophelia how to behave, therefore, abusing their power in allowing Ophelia to become who she wants to be (Brown 2).

    Read More

  • Ophelias Role in Hamlet by William Shakespeare

    1236 Words  | 3 Pages

    We first meet Ophelia when she is talking with her brother Laertes, who attempting to educate her about the ways of the world. He warns her not to get too close to Hamlet, for Hamlet is "subject to his birth," (1.3, 18) he cannot choose who he loves. His caring advice for his sister, though, is lined with undertones of accusation. He warns her that even "the chariest maid is prodigal enough,"(1.3, 36) implying that even though she may seem modest, but her intentions could very well be the opposite. He attacks her virginal nature, heaving the burden of other, more crass, women upon this frail beauty. She, though a member of the more seemingly dim and weak sex, replies very wittily to this, "Do not, as some ungracious pastors do...reck not his own rede." (1.3, 47-51), advising, and possibly implying, the same things to her dear brother, showing their mutual respect for each other.

    Read More

  • Role of Women in William Shakespeare's Hamlet

    1159 Words  | 3 Pages

    Ophelia’s betrayal ends up putting Hamlet over the edge, motivating him in his quest for revenge. Ophelia is one of the two women in the play. As the daughter of Polonius, she only speaks in the company of several men, or directly to her brother or father. Since we never see her interactions with women, she suppresses her own thoughts in order to please her superiors. Yet, however weak and dependent her character is on the surface, Ophelia is a cornerstone to the play’s progression.

    Read More

  • 500 Days of Summer

    1001 Words  | 3 Pages

    500 days of summer is a story where a boy meets a girl, he falls in love with her yet she does not truly love him. The movie shows the progression of the relationship of Tom and Summer. It begins when they first meet when Summer begins working as a secretary where Tom works and progresses to them casually dating. Summer is obviously hesitant and against relationships yet Tom is overly eager to find the perfect girl. The story ultimately shows the demise and after effects of their relationship. At first thought anyone could think this is the typical love story where the movie casually progresses to them living happily ever after. This is not that kind of fairy tale love story.

    Read More

More about Main Theme Of The Summer People

Open Document