Punishment, at Peters Elementary, meant going to the school library during lunch break and reflecting on your behavior. Danielle had her habits at the library, a favorite spot. At this point, she knew where everything was, so she went straight to the wildlife section and picked out a book about sharks. She wanted to know if they build houses, like she'd told her mother they did. She was pretty sure they didn't, but maybe they did something else that was impressive.
COMMENT
In this fictional short story Danielle is nine years old. She is being punished because she brought a cigarette lighter to school. The library establishes Danielle as the kind of friendless kid who prefers the library to the playground. The story centers on withholding information and keeping secrets. Earlier in the story, Danielle's surgeon father has persuaded the wife of a dying man to pull the plug by suggesting that even if the man is "asleep" he might be suffering. "Aren't most of your dreams horrifying?" the father asks, talking about himself, of course.
No comments:
Post a Comment