The Parsley Garden Essay

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The Parsley Garden “Al Condraj sat on the bench he had made and smelled the parsley garden and didn’t feel humiliated anymore. But nothing could stop him from hating the two men, even though he knew they hadn’t done anything they shouldn’t have done.” (The Parsley Garden, Junior Great Books, Series 6, pg.42) Introduction Set during the Great Depression in America, The Parsley Garden by William Saroyan, is a thought-provoking short story about how an impulsive decision leads to humiliating and traumatic consequences for the protagonist, eleven-year-old Al Condraj, the stubborn and curious son of a poor Armenian immigrant woman. After attempting to steal a hammer from a store, Al’s strong desire to make things right and seek redemption leads to a transformation in his thinking and a realization of his place in society. This is a society which is quite different from the calm milieu of Al’s mother’s parsley garden. The garden is a sanctuary where Al is able to find peace in …show more content…

He first discussed the incident at Woolworth’s with his mother. She was disappointed with Al and scolded him for trying to steal the hammer. Al’s mother’s poor language skills prevented her from expressing her feelings and helping Al resolve his problem. Instead, she offered Al money to buy the hammer. Frustrated and dissatisfied by his mother’s response, Al told her he didn’t need the hammer and walked away. Al’s obsessive quest to “adjust the matter” made him restless. He was so anxious and disturbed about what had happened to him at Woolworth’s that, at one point, Al felt if he did not resolve the situation, he would become a criminal. Therefore, Al decided to consult Johnny Gale, the boxmaker at Foley’s packing house. Unfortunately, Johnny was too busy and unable to talk to Al. So, Al went home because he didn’t want to disturb Johnny and “invite another

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