The theme of 'Growing up' Like several of the authors, Joyce Cary chooses a title that suggests one of the themes of the story - that of growing up. This appears to refer mostly to the two sisters, Kate and Jenny. Later we see that it may also apply in a way to their father, Robert, who has been able to play with them for years, but now sees a time when he will be cut off from them, good only for paying the bills. The author makes this idea clear in the last sentence of the story. In 'Superman and Paula Brown's New Snowsuit', Plath talks about her relationship with her uncle and mother and the loss of her child hood because of what happens with Paula Brown and what is happening around the world during the time of her childhood.
The language in ‘Superman’ Sylvia Plath tries here to show us the thoughts of a nine year old. The structure of sentences – most are simple or compound sentences, but sometimes you find things like the sentence beginning: “The fire bell would ring…”.In ‘Growing up’ Joyce Cary use the exact words that people speak to suggest their character and the situation at various points in the story: "Tiger, tiger" (line 76) "Hi, Jenny - don't do that. Don't do that, Kate..." (line 83) "...Kill him - scalp him. Torture him." (line 91) "Sit down, Daddy - sit down - how dare you get up." (lines 127-8) "No, I'll get on the wall. Put me up." (line 170)
There is symbolism used in 'Superman' but not in ‘Growing up’. In 'Superman' the technique of symbolism is between Plath's uncle in the story and Superman, 'Superman invaded my dreams’ looking remarkably like my uncle Frank. At the beginning of the story she idealised her uncle Frank, because he looked like Superman, she trusted her uncle and felt secure around him, 'Uncle was the strongest man'. There relationship at the beginning was a strong and good relationship. However near the end of the story there relationship is broken due to the lack of trust, when her Uncle doesn't believe her what happened to Paula Brown's new snow suit, 'tell me what really happened'.
