Canadian Novelist, Ernest Buckler, is a much better writer than British writer Mary McCluskey. I believe this can be proven when one compares the short stories "Penny in the Dust," by Buckler, and "Gifts to the Dark Gods, " written by McCluskey. "Penny in the Dust" is about a man 's memories of his father when he was child, and how he learned that his father loved him. "Gifts to the Dark Gods" is about a psychotic woman who believes she has to steal two items from stores by Friday every week. You tell me which story sounds deeper! Of these two, "Penny in the Dust" is a much better story in the sense that its characters are more relatable, the theme is more important, and, lastly, the plot is more realistic and deep. Adding all these parts of
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In "Gifts to the Dark Gods" the main character is Helen, a mentally unstable woman who thinks she has to steal "two items a week by Friday at three in the afternoon" (McCluskey 2), and believes in "the dark gods who turn the wheels of a tricycle and send the toddler screaming into traffic" (McCluskey 2). In no manner can I or many other readers, connect deeply with this character. The author created a character without much thorough thought in the sense that we can only look at this character from the outside and aren’t able to completely understand her. "Penny in the Dust" on the other hand, showcases characters who are much more realistic and easy to relate to. An interesting figure in this story would have to be the father. He is described by the son as a very complex man. He is neither smart nor stupid, neither funny nor severe, and neither close nor distant (Buckler 207). He is also very skilled with his hands (Buckler 209), yet he is “a little at sea with [his] imaginative child” (207). The father and the son, Pete, share an awkward father-son relationship as a result, which is described by the son. In this story, Buckler has created a character with great and flawed values that we can certainly connect to. Most readers can relate to Pete, and we can relate our own dads to the father character. The complexity of these characters is one main reason that “Penny in the Dust” is so much …show more content…
All stories that I have read in the past have included a theme of some sort. These two are no exception. The only matter at hand is which is more important and effective. "Gifts to the Dark Gods" offered a theme that paled when compared to that of the other story. The theme was, ‘always seek aid for your problems as soon as possible.’ Helen clearly waits too long to get help when she is at the point of stealing a vase full of flowers from a restaurant: "She puts the whole thing in her bag. Vase, water, flowers, everything....It is then Helen notices that her skirt is damp" (McClusky 4). Helen wouldn 't have been this desperate if she had looked for help at the beginning. She wouldn 't have been "one f***ing item short" (McClusky 4) if she had sought out aid as soon as possible. This theme is very simplistic and obvious. "Penny in the Dust," on the other hand, offered a theme that swelled with meaning: ‘People aren 't always what they seem to be.’ Prior to finding the penny, there was never a need or opportunity for Peter to express his real love for his father. The chance came open when the father found Pete’s lost penny for him. Pete’s father, opening up to his son for the first time, wonders if Pete was afraid to say he lost the penny because he feared he’d get a beating. Pete can’t bear to have his father thinking this: "Beat me? Oh, Father! You didn 't think that was the reason...? I felt almost
In "Gifts to the Dark Gods" the main character is Helen, a mentally unstable woman who thinks she has to steal "two items a week by Friday at three in the afternoon" (McCluskey 2), and believes in "the dark gods who turn the wheels of a tricycle and send the toddler screaming into traffic" (McCluskey 2). In no manner can I or many other readers, connect deeply with this character. The author created a character without much thorough thought in the sense that we can only look at this character from the outside and aren’t able to completely understand her. "Penny in the Dust" on the other hand, showcases characters who are much more realistic and easy to relate to. An interesting figure in this story would have to be the father. He is described by the son as a very complex man. He is neither smart nor stupid, neither funny nor severe, and neither close nor distant (Buckler 207). He is also very skilled with his hands (Buckler 209), yet he is “a little at sea with [his] imaginative child” (207). The father and the son, Pete, share an awkward father-son relationship as a result, which is described by the son. In this story, Buckler has created a character with great and flawed values that we can certainly connect to. Most readers can relate to Pete, and we can relate our own dads to the father character. The complexity of these characters is one main reason that “Penny in the Dust” is so much …show more content…
All stories that I have read in the past have included a theme of some sort. These two are no exception. The only matter at hand is which is more important and effective. "Gifts to the Dark Gods" offered a theme that paled when compared to that of the other story. The theme was, ‘always seek aid for your problems as soon as possible.’ Helen clearly waits too long to get help when she is at the point of stealing a vase full of flowers from a restaurant: "She puts the whole thing in her bag. Vase, water, flowers, everything....It is then Helen notices that her skirt is damp" (McClusky 4). Helen wouldn 't have been this desperate if she had looked for help at the beginning. She wouldn 't have been "one f***ing item short" (McClusky 4) if she had sought out aid as soon as possible. This theme is very simplistic and obvious. "Penny in the Dust," on the other hand, offered a theme that swelled with meaning: ‘People aren 't always what they seem to be.’ Prior to finding the penny, there was never a need or opportunity for Peter to express his real love for his father. The chance came open when the father found Pete’s lost penny for him. Pete’s father, opening up to his son for the first time, wonders if Pete was afraid to say he lost the penny because he feared he’d get a beating. Pete can’t bear to have his father thinking this: "Beat me? Oh, Father! You didn 't think that was the reason...? I felt almost