Caught in the Vicious Circle

February 8, 2008 Solveig :)

Question 1: Write a list of all the characters in this story and describe what type of person they are.

Cordelia – is a new girl and tries to be the leader and decide everything. I really don’t like her because she’s evil and fake. She’s commanding everyone and decides what’s cool and not. I think Cordelia is treating her friends like «slaves». Especially Elaine when her mother called her parents. Cordelia meant that Elaine should be punished because Cordelia thinks Elaine told her mother.

Grace - is 14 years old and the leader of the two girls, Carol and Elaine, until Cordelia came. Since Cordelia is the new leader, Grace doesn’t say something against Cordelia because she’s afraid of losing the status in the friendship.
I think she wouldn’t be so mean if Cordelia wasn’t not that manipulating.

Carol – is also 14 years old. I think she’s a good girl, but frightened to tell what she means. If she’s not that weak I think Elaine and Carol still would be friends, but she’s not strong enough to walk away from Grace and Cordelia like Elaine. That’s not good, because she must feel horrible inside.

Elaine – is at the same age at the two other girls, Carol and Grace. She’s the I-person in the story. Elaine was an afraid of Cordelia at the beginning, but after a while she understands that the three girls isn’t something to hold on to. At the end of the story she gathered herself and walks away from Carol, Grace and Cordelia. It wasn’t easy for her, but she realises that she don’t have to do like they’re telling her to, she’s a free human being.

Virgin Mary – I’ll describe her like a saving angel. She walks on air, have glowing heart and saves Elaines life.

Elaines parents (mother) - are caring and loving people. They care about their daughter very much and took the case in their hands and called the girls parents. 

Jill – is Elaines new friend. I think she’s accept Elaines meanings and supports her because Elaine’s keep her as a friend.

Question 2: What is the theme of this story?  What is the author trying to get across to the reader?

The theme of the story is friendship, who’s your real friend and not. That can be a hard choice and hard to figure out of. This is a very important theme and I think that’s why the author wrote about it. The authors have always a meaning of what their writing.I think the author, Margaret Atwood, wants to say that we should make our own choices and stand for what we mean, even if everyone else says it’s right/wrong. This is a really important theme to me because I don’t like people who don’t tell their meanings and agrees with mine. 

Question 3: What did you like/dislike about this story?

I like: the theme because it’s (as a mentioned above) very important to me and Margaret Atwood writing’s good. This is also a pressing theme for youth today in spite of that she wrote it in the 1940 ages. I like to read texts about problems that I experiences now like love and friendship, so this was a text for me.

I dislike: that some people are that evil like Carol, Grace and Cordelia! It’s fact!

My conclusion: «It’s not a right or wrong answer in the world until you decide what’s right or wrong to you! Remember that!» 

Entry Filed under: Homework, english

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