The Good Deed Analysis

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Have you ever done a true good deed? If so, think was it really a truly good thing that you have done for someone else? In “The Good Deed” by Marion Dane Bauer demonstrates that a good deed is only a true good deed when it is done with the right intentions. “The Good Deed” is about a girl named Heather who is in the girl scouts, and in order to get a badge they had to do a good deed, and she had gotten Miss. Benson to do a good deed for. She had also ran into a little girl who right off the bat didn't like her, but she went up to Miss. Benson’s apartment with her anyways. They both had their different talents, and Heather was worried that Miss. Benson would like Risa better, cause she had started something called an “eye bouquet” which she …show more content…

In the story Bauer explains how when she had gone to her apartment, she wasn’t there. So Heather waited there to find out that she went to go help her little brother cause he was sick. It was then when she saw Risa in a different way, maybe with respect or understanding. Also, in the end, she had done a true good deed, and this was helping Risa with her reading. No reward, or recognition or doing this. It was out of doing what it right. I know this because Bauer states “And that’s why I knew she was telling the truth. Never in a thousand years would she have admitted that she needed help with reading except as a way of letting me know she hadn’t stolen the book. “I’m going to read to her sometimes too,” she added” (125). So when she had stated this, she realized that she was telling the truth about the book that was “stolen” or given to her. It was at this moment that she knew that Risa had to right intentions and that she wasn’t all that bad. Another example that Bauer states are "’Risa,’ one of the boys interrupted, the one I thought could talk, ‘would you read to us some more?’ She looks sideways at me, and I knew that it was me — snotty me – who’d kept her from reading out loud before. ‘Why don’t we take turns reading to them?’ I said. ‘That would be fun.’ Risa considered my offer long and carefully. ‘Okay,’ she said at last. ‘Just so it doesn’t count as a good deed.’ ’It doesn’t,’ I said. ‘I promise’ ” (125-126). So, in the end, she helps Risa read to her brother, and the best part is, it didn’t count as a “good deed.” Though it did. It was Heather’s true good deed, not what she did for Miss. Benson. It was this, cause she didn’t do it just to earn a badge, and she did it cause she wanted to. Overall, in the end, Heather had actually done a true good deed. She did someone good for someone, and not just cause she would get something out of it, but because it was the

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