Mick Kelly Quotes

1052 Words3 Pages

In literature, many may argue that the obvious prosecution or defense of a character is specifically stated within the course of the novel. However, I am inclined to believe that the attributes of a character lie deep within the novel and are not always explicitly stated. As in the case of Carson McCullers's The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, many may believe that Mick Kelly was a rebellious young girl for her obscene profanity that she overtly showcased to her younger siblings and later graffitied inside of a vacant house or because she was portrayed as a poor role model to her younger siblings by pawning them off and cursing them out, but I believe that Mick was deemed worthy and heroic due to her strong and independent nature, her acceptance …show more content…

Throughout the story, Mick Kelly exhibited signs and characteristics of a full grown adult. For example, she walked by herself to Biff Brannon’s store at midnight and confidently proclaimed “I’d like a pack of cigarettes, please” (McCullers 18). This statement addresses Mick’s yearning to escape from the social conformity of her family and experience life as an older adult. Mick further exemplifies her independent nature when McCullers explains that “In the dark she walked by herself and it was like she was the only person in town” (McCullers 101). This statement not only proves that Mick was independent, but that she was becoming more like an adult by acting out in ways most young teens would not think about or dare to act. Furthermore, Mick was the main caregiver to her younger siblings. McCullers writes that Mick would take her siblings out after Sunday School and walk them around town (McCullers 34), evidence that proves Mick was forced to babysit her younger siblings and mature earlier than her peer group. Additionally, Mick was portrayed as …show more content…

For example, McCullers writes that Mick “got special permission and took mechanical shop like a boy” (McCullers 104), as opposed to a stenographic course like the girls. Mick also imagined herself “becoming a great inventor” and she would write her initials “M.K. on everything when she was seventeen years old and really famous” (McCullers 35). These three statements diminish the social expectations of women in the 1940s and help prove that Mick thought of herself as an individual rather than part of a social

More about Mick Kelly Quotes

Open Document