Mirror Image Lena Cocaley Analysis

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Title: Lena Coakley’s main character Alice in the short science fiction story “Mirror Image” is an utterly resilient teenager. In this story, fourteen-year-old Alice gets into a fatal car accident and as a result, she goes through the first ever successful brain transplant. Alice has to deal with an identity crisis, as well as adapting to changes in her body and family relationships. Alice is hesitant and conflicted in the beginning, however, towards the end, she gains pride and grows into a truly assertive person which makes her a dynamic character. Alice’s hesitation starts whenever she sees a mirror unexpectedly causing her to “start and lose her nerve”; she does not fully accept her body due to the fact that she looks different and …show more content…

She is confused as to why her and Jenny’s bond (relationship) is not similar to how it was before the accident and not to mention, that Jenny constantly reminds her that she acts differently, refers to her as Gail and “think[s] that [her] sister is dead”. In addition, her mom would continuously argue to Jenny that when people go to surgery “they are still themselves” yet, whenever Alice would look at her mom, her mother “avoid[s] her eyes” which makes Alice “guilty for thinking that [she is] not the same daughter she knew before”. Nevertheless, Alice completely changes her mindset when she meets up with Mr. Jarred, she turns out to be assertive and assured. She grows awareness and security that she is still herself when Mr. Jarred looks her in the eyes and said “that [he] didn’t see [his] daughter” in them. Alice “wrote her initials, ACS” on the sidewalk as a reminder that though her family may forever doubt her existence, she believes that she is the same person no matter what. Lena Coakley successfully made Alice into an exceptionally effective character due to the fact that she was once conflicted and hesitant to her surroundings but turns out to be very assertive and substantially resilient to changes in her body and her situation after all, which defines her as a dynamic

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