Elsewhere Mona Simpson Summary

Traveling place to place, especially at a young age can be difficult. In “Anywhere” by Mona Simpson, a young girl named Ann is traveling from Green Bay, Wisconsin to California with her mom. The poor girl had to deal with her selfish mom on a long drive to see this guy who her mom is seeing. In the beginning of the trip everything was going fine, but once they got to Scottsdale, Arizona the trip turns south. Her mom begins yelling at her for things that her mother caused and coning people to benefit her selfish needs. Throughout the story her mom shows her greedy and the parenting skills she lacks, but by the end Ann shows that she actually learns from her mom how she should act. Ann shows lack of courage towards her mom, whom I understand …show more content…
The first instance that proves she gets whatever she wants is when Ann was talking about Ted Diamonds credit card they have. “We had taken Ted’s Mobil credit card and we used it whenever we could.”(Simpson 58). The credit card they had been never truly explained where they got it, but I have a feeling that they weren’t suppose to have at some points. I believed this because after this point Ted was only mentioned once and if he was someone to them I’m sure that we would get a little more background. . Her mother was only sweet and loving, when she wanted something for her. At the hotel before the car accident, she was sucking up to her daughter saying, “Well, think, Pooh-bear-cub. It’s up to you. What would you like to do?” (Simpson 59). Then she starts trying to convince her to see her side. She had whined and tried to say there wasn’t the one they stay at with the credit card and stated it, “Okay. I don’t know how we’re going to find out. There’s probably not. In fact, I’m pretty sure. So what do you think? What should we do?” (Simpson 59). Another time when they were staying at that hotel, she decided that she was going to go check out this house. She only checked it out so she feels better about herself and con the realtor.. She was very convincing, that I thought for a while that she wanted her and Ann to move to Scottsdale. “’What about your appointments?’ my mother said, going to a centerpiece on the round kitchen table. It was a painted Mexican candle holder. ‘Are they for sale, too? Because they all go so well, they’re what make the house.’” (Simpson 61). Once her mother was done talking about the house, she had the realtor take them out to dinner and end up buying it. The realtor thought she was actually going to get it the house and stated, “’So tomorrow morning,’ she said. “I’ll bring a contract breakfast. Just a worksheet. So we can start talking terms.”’(Simpson 62). Ann didn’t like what her