Character Analysis: A Gate At The Stairs

Most would agree that life is a beautiful thing, but more importantly the process of life even more so. No two people are one in the same; therefore we take many various paths to fulfill what life may have in store. Although we are all different, we do share the commonality of transitioning from a child to an adult. Ultimately, our choices and experiences form us into the man or woman we become. A Gate At The Stairs, by Lorrie Moore, exemplifies prime examples of how people make the transition from adolescence through the main character, Tassie, and her brother Robert. With this in mind, I reminisce on the process of selecting a school with the help of my mother; my own decision to transfer from one institution to another was the pinnacle …show more content…
She to is attending college, trying to figure out her place in the world. When she takes on the duties of a nanny, Tassie is challenged with racial bias involving Sarah’s adopted baby, Mary-Emma. Before there is any confirmation that Sarah will be getting Mary-Emma, Tassie informs her parents of the job she plans to take on in the next school semester. From clues in the text, Tassie’s mother does not seem extremely trilled about her daughter’s future endeavor, saying that Sarah just does not have time for a baby and that is why she needs Tassie. Moore also gives the reader insight to what Robert, Tassie’s brother, is going through and contemplating. Struggling with grades, Robert is counting down the days until he graduates. The military starts to look appealing, considering they would pay his college tuition. On the other hand, their mother again has her own input. She aspires that Robert go to Dellacrosse Diesel Driving school. Tassie and Robert, too, made sacrifices in going against their mother’s opinion in order to find their way through life. Unfortunately for Robert, we later learn that he does lose his life at