Matthew James Thomas once said, "Any young man coming of age has a lot to go through," and Bobby did just that in The First Part Last. As a teenager, Bobby is forced to grow up and generate a change in his life because of his girlfriend's unexpected pregnancy. Throughout the story, Bobby is faced with many important events that change him, and eventually cause him to come of age. Many of the objects in Bobby's life are symbols, which are proof that Bobby is in fact, growing up. One of the first, and most important symbols in The First Part Last is Just Frank's character, and this symbol represents being a man, which must be done for someone to come of age. In addition to symbolizing being a man, his character relates to people's expectations. Without even thinking of the consequences, Just Frank risked his life to save a young girl, in defiance of what others had believed him to be. This is related to being a man because Just Frank took responsibility, decided to be man, and fought back. Bobby says, "I laughed 'cause I didn't consider him much of one, a …show more content…
man, hangin' on the corner, drinking forties at ten in the morning." An event like this also showed human expectations, based on something physical, such as what you expect someone to be like. As an important character, Just Frank would not have had a meaning to this book if he was not a symbol of being a man or the expectations that people have for others. Not only was Just Frank an excellent symbol, the basketball too had an effective meaning in relation to coming of age.
In The First Part Last, the basketball illustrates Bobby's freedom as a child and as he comes of age, that freedom slowly slips away like the basketball did. In the middle of Bobby realizing he left his daughter, he states, "I lay my basketball down and it rolled out of the door into the hall toward Mary's room." This symbol is representing his freedom of childhood going away, in the same way that the basketball rolls away without him pushing it. When Bobby nearly forgets his daughter, Feather for a game of basketball, the reader views that Bobby is going to have to come of age, whether he likes it or not. Later on in the story, the ball is thrown to Paul's child after being rolled towards Bobby, and this is when it is known that Bobby has definitely come of age, with no choice of going
back. While at the doctor's office, Bobby noticed the skiing trophies on the wall, which symbolize an investment in something that someone wants to put time, money, and effort into, or getting out of something. Coming of age is in relation to this, for Bobby is forced to make the mandatory choice of whether or not to invest in a baby. More often than not, adults are faced with many life-changing decisions like the one Bobby has to make. In this chapter, Bobby says, "And then I sit there and dream that I have just sailed into the wind on skis, way into the wind, out of reach," which relates to Bobby not wanting to invest in a baby at the moment. This also is an event that supports Bobby is trying to escape from the responsibilities of raising a child. Bobby does indeed come of age, while it could have been raising a child as a whole, or all the events that led up to him growing up. In The First Part Last, all of the symbols used, including the basketball, skiing trophies, and the character Just Frank, conduce to the deeper meaning of Bobby coming of age. Also, the symbols force him to grow up, even if Bobby did not want to. Bobby went through pleasing and awful times to grow up, from his girlfriend becoming disabled to raising a child, but no matter what Bobby went through, he did come of age.
A character that was admirable in the novel “we all fall down” is John. John is the father of Will who is the main character, they spend nearly the entire story together looking for a way out of the world trade center during the 9/11 attacks. During the story you learn that John is very smart, brave, and respected. These are all characteristics which play a crucial role in saving lives such as his co-workers and a random lady they find on the way named ting, but mainly in the ending John and Will successfully escape.
In “The First Part Last” there are many, many symbols spread all throughout the book. All of them symbolize him either growing up or not being mature. Symbols are a main part of this book and you have to look deeper than the pages to find them. Here are four of the major symbols in the book.
It's time to grow up. Too late, you're out of time. Be a grown-up." How many responsibilities do you have? Well Bobby is coming of age and realizes that he is going to have a lot more responsibilities than he though. The symbols throughout the book The First Part Last that show how Bobby is coming of age are, the red balloon, the brick wall, and Frank. The red balloon symbolizes love and innocence. The brick wall symbolizes disconnection from friends and family. Frank symbolizes becoming a man.
AP English Literature and Composition MAJOR WORKS DATA SHEET Title: A Raisin In the Sun Author: Lorraine Hansberry Date of Publication: 1951 Genre: Realistic Drama Biographical Information about the Author Lorraine Hansberry was born in Chicago on May 19, 1930. She grew up as the youngest in her family. Her mother was a teacher and her father was a real estate broker.
The poem is narrated in a limited third person perspective of a player that gains possession of the basketball after a rebound. The poet focuses the narrative on the actions directly following him gaining possession of the basketball. The determination the poet feels to keep the ball in his team’s possession and make a shot is felt strongly through the poem’s lines 3-7:
Before meeting Gwen, he didn’t have a sense of identity. He has asked his father numerous of times about where he was born but his father kept changing the name of the places. Bobby’s mother died when he was young and he didn’t have her around to ask her these questions. Bobby really didn’t know who he was all his life. Even when he was taking in to prison, “[he’s] been documented, but even they’d had to make it up, take your name as much on faith as you. You have no social security number or birth certificate, no passport. You’ve never held a job” (651). Bobby feels that he doesn’t exist in this world and there’s no track of him on where he was born. How can someone live half of his life not knowing his real name is? His identity was living with his father’s identity by telling Bobby what to do when it comes to committing crimes. He doesn’t know what other things he could have done because this is all he knew. Bobby didn’t choose this life even though he was grown enough to make his own decisions. He felt that this is where he belongs and nowhere
To the 20, to the 10, to the 5, touchdown! Charlie Gaines is a football phanatic. He knows all there is to know about football. From his favorite team the Los Angeles Bulldogs to the New England Patriots Charlie knows it all. Above all this Charlie truly wishes he were a better football player like his bosom buddy Kevin Fallon. All in all he is still a decent middle linebacker for the Culver City Cardinals. A kid known as the “Brain” because of his freakishly good ability at fantasy football, Charlie Gaines is a very interesting character.
The first theme of symbolism is the main character, Guy, who represents the theme of freedom by being enslaved to his family. He claws at freedom by working odd jobs and
“We don’t need the Nazis to destroy us. We’re destroying ourselves.” (559).These words of Mr. Frank shows many of the multifarious characteristic traits he possess. This quote shows that Mr. Frank is forgiving and has control over his own emotions. He doesn’t want any disputes in the Annex and he doesn’t lose control when angry. It also shows that he is authoritative. Mr. Frank took control of the situation in the midst of everyone arguing. One last example of a characteristic trait this quote shows is that he is intelligent. Mr. Frank understands the importance of forgiveness. He realizes that everyone is beginning to turn on each other and attempts others to forgive. For example, Mr. Frank tried to convince the others to forgive Mr. Van Daan
The play “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry has many interesting characters. In my opinion, the most fascinating character is Ruth because of her many emotions and captivating personality. She goes through extreme emotions in the play such as happiness, sadness, anger, stress, and confusion. Ruth is very independent, firm, kind, witty, and loving.
The first part last, has so many symbols in it. The first symbol I am going to bring up is the red balloon. The red balloon represents childness and that they are not old enough to have a baby. The balloon comes up in the beginning of the story. It came up because on Bobby’s sixteenth birthday Nia hands him a red balloon and tell him the big news that she is pregnant. Near the middle of the story, Bobby and Nia go to a party and Nia is dancing and having a good time even though she is pregnant.The place they are at is a apartment and it is smoky,smelly, and has really loud music playing which,is probably not good for the baby. That action was really immature because a responsible woman that is pregnant wouldn’t go to a party at all. While they are at the party, Nia brings up the point that she is not ready to take care of a baby. Nia tells Bobby that she wants to give the baby up for adoption. Which is a really big decision because it is there baby and giving it up will be really hard once they actually have her. With the whole adoption process they can chooses if they want to be able to still see her or if they don’t want to see
Bobby is just a boy who like most nine year olds looks up to his older brother. The story is set in Cleveland, where Booby introduces his family of four. His father is a high school music teacher, his mother teaches exceptional children, and his brother Carlton
In the memoir Year of Impossible Goodbyes, Sookan changes from a scared girl who isn't willing to stand up for herself, to a brave and self sufficient one. When the story begins, she is in a bad position, but doesn't know how to change her situation. As the story goes on, she slowly learns to be more brave. It starts when Sookan becomes angry after the Japanese take the sock girls, the silverware, and Grandfather's tree. Then, while she is at school, she decides to dull the glass and bricks instead of sharpening them By the end of the book she helps get herself and Inchun to safety in South Korea. The Japanese have once again taken everything. They ruined Haiwon's party, and took the silverware along with Grandfather's pride and pine tree.
The socioeconomic status of a man determines his eligibility in eighteenth century English society rather than his character. In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, the protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet, searches for love in a society concerned solely on the financial and social aspects of marriage. Conflicts arise when Elizabeth encounters the proud, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy as she develops strong complex emotions towards him. When Lydia, Elizabeth’s youngest sister, weds the captivating Mr. Wickham, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth 's relationship further complicates. Through comparing the second eldest and the youngest Bennet daughters, Lydia’s childish qualities foil Elizabeth 's mature sensibility.