Anjana Johal 11E
“Growing Up” the main character experiences something that changes his view of things. Compare the story with one other from the selection, in which a character experiences a kind of change.
This essay will be a comparison of the story “Growing Up” with the short story “Superman and Paula Brown’s New Snowsuit”. “Growing Up” written by Joyce Cary is a story about the relationship between fathers and their daughters and the way in which it develops and changes. Also this story portrays this change of relationship in a very negative and violent way with the climax being very aggressive. As two young daughters turn against their father and violently attack him. While “Superman and Paula Brown’s New Snowsuit” written by Sylvia Plath is about a child being unjustly punished and the way it psychologically affects her and has an everlasting impression on the rest of her life. This small event of her being falsely accused of pushing a girl, Paula Brown into an oil-slick and ruining her new snowsuit mentally makes an impact on the narrator for the rest of her life.
“Superman and Paula Brown’s New Snowsuit” conveys this idea of this experience having an eternal effect on her from the beginning of the story with its title, as it can be seen as a childish because of the way she refers to the person by her first name and surname which is a very childish and typical thing for a young child to do when they speak of an event. Furthermore it can also represent the fact that this memory is still very vivid because she can remember the full name and uses it, “Paula Brown” instead of just using Paula and the use of the adjective “new” also shows that the memory of this event is still clear to the narrator. When the event occurs Plath uses many language techniques to provide the reader with the same clear image she has. “a strange joy flickering in the back of their eyes” this is a menacing image that shows she feels threatened by the accusation. Also when the narrator tries to deny the accusation the children all come together “chanting in a chorus,” this is a threatening tone towards her and the metaphor “In the well of faces” shows that the children have all merged together and she feels that she is alone with nobody to help her, this also makes her begin to doubt herself “I was not sure. I wasn’t sure at all.” she becomes insecure. “squares of light in the windows that were home.” This is a description of her home and Plath uses light as metaphor for heaven to show how she regards her house as a safe place where she is protected. “a secure web of light,…indestructible brilliance” again this reinforces the idea of her home being significant to her and that she feels nobody can destroy that family security. Therefore, when her mother becomes the accuser “why didn’t you tell me that you pushed Paula in the mud and spoiled her new snowsuit?” and her uncle doesn’t completely believe her either she is hurt and feels betrayed by the one thing which is most important to her. “Growing Up” is quite similar because again an event has a major change and effect on a family relationship, yet it is slightly different when regarding issues of why and how. The climax of this story is when the girls attack the father and this is described as very aggressive and violent “They tore at the man and suddenly he was frightened” this describes the girl’s actions as well as showing that they have the power and authority over the father because he was scared of them. However even though the girls were hurting him he doesn’t react in the same violent way because he doesn’t want to hurt them and is impotent “bend under his hand.” Mr Quick’s real reaction towards what occurs is that he refuses to show his feelings and weakness towards the children so he avoids them and tries to break any contact with them, “He did not utter any reproaches. He avoided even looking” “a primitive, brutal world.” This is a revelation to him and when he actually realises that the relationship he once had with his daughters has changed in a negative but unavoidable way. Consequently he tries to recapture some stability of his life; “He straightened his tie.” this is symbolic of his orderly life.