what was new. I felt no desire to do anything at all but sit there,” (91-2). As Beth thinks back on the scarring experience, it is revealed that she no longer feels desire to do the things that make her happy, such as reading her mother’s scrapbook. Through her sexual awakening, Beth feels that she is too emotionally scarred to reach out to things that may comfort her. Ultimately, as she is launched into maturity, her sexual awakening acts as a huge obstacle in Beth’s search for happiness, as she is deprived of the desire to do what makes her happy. Beth is also forced into maturity when she is given adult responsibilities. This is seen after she is raped by Parker, where her parents, more specifically her mother, expects her to carry out tasks
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Understand? You’re too young for mothering. Too young for any of it.’ I felt dirtied by my mother’s talk, confused by what she was telling me. The sting of embarrassment reddened my face and churned in my stomach,” (155). In this quote, Beth’s mother essentially launches her into maturity when she tells her that she should be able to defend herself against pregnancy. In doing so, Beth feels confused by what her mother asks of her, thus proving that she is too young to be given these responsibilities. Ultimately, these responsibilities are a huge obstacle in Beth’s happiness as she feels that these are things that she cannot handle at her age. Moreover, as the act of sex launches Mick into early adulthood, it is from sexual awakening that Beth no longer feels desire for happiness. Additionally, Mick is forced into maturity when she gives up her music to provide for her family, whereas Beth is forced into an early maturity when her family expects her to take on adult responsibilities. Ultimately, it is clear that as they are launched into an early adulthood, Mick and Beth are hindered from achieving their …show more content…
Mick goes to the inside room as a means to feel comfort and escape the harshness of reality. This is seen when Mick compares the inside room to the outside room. Mick says:
With her it was like there was two places -- the inside room and the outside room. School and the family and the things that happened every day were in the outside room. Mister Singer was in both rooms. Foreign countries and plans and music were in the inside room. The songs she thought about were there. … The inside room was a very private place. She could be in the middle of a house full of people and still feel like she was locked up by herself. (163)
Mick describes how the inside room offers an escape from the things that may distract her from happiness. For Mick, the inside room is where she goes to seek out the things that make her happy, such as music, foreign countries, and John Singer. Ultimately, as Mick goes to the inside room, it offers her an escape from the harshness of reality and the outside room, thus allowing her to find happiness in
Understand? You’re too young for mothering. Too young for any of it.’ I felt dirtied by my mother’s talk, confused by what she was telling me. The sting of embarrassment reddened my face and churned in my stomach,” (155). In this quote, Beth’s mother essentially launches her into maturity when she tells her that she should be able to defend herself against pregnancy. In doing so, Beth feels confused by what her mother asks of her, thus proving that she is too young to be given these responsibilities. Ultimately, these responsibilities are a huge obstacle in Beth’s happiness as she feels that these are things that she cannot handle at her age. Moreover, as the act of sex launches Mick into early adulthood, it is from sexual awakening that Beth no longer feels desire for happiness. Additionally, Mick is forced into maturity when she gives up her music to provide for her family, whereas Beth is forced into an early maturity when her family expects her to take on adult responsibilities. Ultimately, it is clear that as they are launched into an early adulthood, Mick and Beth are hindered from achieving their …show more content…
Mick goes to the inside room as a means to feel comfort and escape the harshness of reality. This is seen when Mick compares the inside room to the outside room. Mick says:
With her it was like there was two places -- the inside room and the outside room. School and the family and the things that happened every day were in the outside room. Mister Singer was in both rooms. Foreign countries and plans and music were in the inside room. The songs she thought about were there. … The inside room was a very private place. She could be in the middle of a house full of people and still feel like she was locked up by herself. (163)
Mick describes how the inside room offers an escape from the things that may distract her from happiness. For Mick, the inside room is where she goes to seek out the things that make her happy, such as music, foreign countries, and John Singer. Ultimately, as Mick goes to the inside room, it offers her an escape from the harshness of reality and the outside room, thus allowing her to find happiness in