The Avalon Ballroom

565 Words2 Pages

The Avalon Ballroom Mostly everyone has a hero, role model, or someone to look up to. These people can significantly affect your lifestyle, and what you do. The Avalon Ballroom by Ann Hood displays this type of character as the father of Lily, the protagonist. This highly respected patriarch inspires her to do many things, like to go to college at Princeton University just as he did. Lily seems to want to follow her father’s footsteps by going to Princeton University. This “god-like” figure has affected Lily’s entire family in many ways. Lily is enthused by Trip, her father, and is obvious when she said “I need to come up with $2,000 so that I can go to Princeton in the fall. That’s why I work all these stupid jobs and why I never get to go to the clubs with everyone else. I’m saving every penny to go to Princeton. Don’t ask me why, but going there is like the most important thing in my life.”(Hood 17) Throughout the story, Lily tries very hard to get the money, and doesn’t waste any, that it drives her to be angered with her mother when she said “I’m thinking, why doesn’t she write something that makes money? Maddie Hazelton’s mother writes articles for magazines and gets at least $2,000 every time. I even tried to write one, but I got a rejection letter that basically said, ‘Forget it.’ My mother could do it, though. One article and my problem would be solved. One article about cellulite and I’d be on my way to Princeton.”(Hood 20) It is unbelievable how much the characters admire him. A quote that shows the adoration for even the slightest things, such as doing what he did, is displayed by this: “‘I’ve got some great news,’ I tell her. ‘I got into Princeton.’ ‘Princeton!’ Ottie shrieks. ‘A real Harper this one is. Carrying on the tradition. My, my.’ She beams at me and her orange lipsticked lips seem to take over her entire face.”(Hood 22) This venerable man is thought about by Pearl, Lily’s grandmother, and Sara, Lily’s mother, every single day. This inability to accept that he is gone, and to move on, has cause them both to construct shrines! These shrines are made up of numerous possessions of Trip’s, and are described by this quote: “Pearl already has a shrine to my father. It’s in his old bedroom, which still smells vaguely of a gym locker, all socks and soap.

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