Mary O Hara Character Analysis

Mary O’Hara is a short, but heart-felt story that introduces a young boy named kennie who does poorly in school and upsets his parents more specifically his father. His father, Rob McLaughlin, scolds Kennie saying, “I’m disgusted with you,” revealing his disappointed in his son (O’Hara 496). Kennie’s mother, Nell McLaughlin, and his father have a discussion about kennie’s recent behavior .Nell persuades Rob to resolve Kennie’s issue by allowing him to choose a colt as a motivation to improve in school. Kennie chooses a colt that is wild but kennie is dedicated to taming and caring for the colt. Kennie decides to call her “Flicka” meaning little girl in Swedish for his horse. Kennie dedication in Flicka, also improves his dedication to his studies and reading. In Coral …show more content…
At this point, Kennie feels honored to be allowed a colt. In “My Friend Flicka,” the narrator describe Kennie new attitude when it says “prestige lifted his head, gave him an inch more of height and a bold stare, and made him feel different all the way through”(O’Hara 499). Nell sees a difference in her son, he is more determined and involve in his studies. Knowing that his parents gave him an opportunity to care for Flicka, Kennie knows that he must in return, do better on his studies. In “Helping Young Children Discover the Joy of Learning,” Michael P Ford and Michael F. Opitz addresses that “children must see the importance behind the task if they are to be motivated to complete it (37). This change in Kennie gave Nell more reassurance and hope in her son. To summarize Ford and Opitz, discuss how “joyful learning” is aim to engage students in tasks that allows them to be committed to what they’re doing rather than seeing “joyful learning” as entertainment. Although Kennie enjoys Flicka, she was not a source of entertainment for Kennie, his parents saw Flicka as an encouragement and privilege to do well in school. In the end, Kennie not only improves in his studies but is also