Dave Eggers 'Short Story These Two Cousins'

In the short story “These Two Cousins”, it is not easy to determine what the theme of the story is and what message the author is attempting to deliver to the reader. However, through an analysis of the story it can be determined that the main theme is internal judgment. Dave Eggers short story uses characters, point of view, and symbols to suggest that taboo actions such as using drugs, causes others internal judgment to change because of their morals. At the beginning of the story we are introduced to the two main characters Dennis and Maura. These two cousins are stopped at a café, on their way through Montana, enjoying food and conversing. They begin to talk about drugs and Dennis discovers Maura has tried almost all of them. This greatly changes his perception of her and he quickly regrets going on the trip. These two characters are opposite from each other on the issue of drugs. While one has never tried them the other has tried them all. This creates a difference in internal judgment about Maura from Dennis. The two characters are used to create two opposite ends of the argument and the reader can then see how Dennis begins to look differently towards his cousin. When he finds out all the drugs she has taken he changes his judgment about his cousin and begins to regret his trip due to this …show more content…
One major symbol is drugs, which is a universal symbol because they are viewed by most people in the same light. Drugs are viewed negatively and are seen as something that should never be used. However, in this story Maura has not only done drugs but she has done them all. This shows that she is not the person she was once believed to be and becomes viewed negatively just as drugs are. Dennis knows as soon as he asks what drugs Maura has done that his perception of her will change by her response. It only takes one things to change a person’s opinion of you and this confirms