Main Themes In Watermelon By Beth E. Janzen

A main theme in "Watermelon" by Beth E. Janzen is that maturation and the transition from childhood to adulthood can be a challenge, and it often involves having to let go of the fun and the carelessness felt as an infant. To represent this theme, the author uses the minor characters to represent the stages of maturation. Janzen also uses the actions of the protagonist to support the theme, and they show how adolescents often act when transitioning from childhood to adulthood. The writer also uses flashbacks in a similar way she used characters, however these describe the emotions adolescents often feel through the process of maturation. Maturation is a process that involves different stages, and in order to show this, Janzen uses each minor …show more content…
However, the thoughts of the main character also play a role in explaining the transition between childhood and adulthood. The author was able to use flashbacks in the mind of the protagonist to show emotions that adolescents often feel in result of maturation. In one of Anna’s flashbacks, she remembers thuds waking her up and she imagined “…a giant with a hammer and wriggled deep under her covers” (Janzen 38). Her mother later reassured her. This flashback represents how children often have the comfort of their parents; they don’t have to worry about scary thoughts since they will always be reassured. However, when adolescents have reached adulthood, they realize comfort from parents are memories, and looking back often comes with the feeling of nostalgia and remorse. This is shown when Anna remembers a trip to the lake, when her family forgot a watermelon on the roof of the car and she watched it fall off and break into pieces. In this flashback, the watermelon represents distant childhood memories and Anna watching the fruit shatter represents the emotions felt by adolescents. Plus, the fact that the watermelon broke to pieces in a violent way describes how the nostalgia adolescents tend to feel is strong as they realize childhood is in the past. In conclusion, transitioning from childhood to adulthood can be emotionally and mentally challenging, and this is one of the main messages that Janzen wanted to portray in "Watermelon". It is important for young adolescents to understand this because they will be prepared for the challenges involved in maturation, and the process will be easier to cope with. I genuinely liked the way the author demonstrated the message concerning maturation in this story because it is not obvious; we have to read in between the lines to capture the essence of the