We know what the story is about on the surface. What do you feel the story is about in its “interior?”
On a surface level, the story is about the unfortunate murder of a family on a road trip to their final destination of Florida. Ironically, this trip did indeed end up being their “final destination”.
The story seems to explore a family dynamic, and the clashing personalities of generations. The grandmother, who has more “traditional” values honestly annoyed me. However, she being brought up in a different era, her actions were understandable.
Underneath the words written, the picture behind this piece is one of a woman, remembering her past, exploring her maternal instincts while also seeming to be in her own way, caring of her family but disregarded by them. Bailey, ignores his mother’s words completely. Bailey’s wife, seems to treat her mother-in-law in the same respects as her husband – perhaps because she sees it as “that’s just how the grandmother is”. The children are rude and downright disrespectful to their parents and moreover their grandmother. My view of a woman who cares deeply but is ignored, and maybe a little hurt by it, comes from what I have previously stated – the ignoring by her own son and daughter-in-law, but John Wesley and June Star’s snide remarks and comments about their grandmother coming along on all trips they take. June Star seems to always have a smart remark (even in the face of death with her comment of not wanting to hold Bobby’s hand because he looks like a pig). The grandmother, in all of her annoyance, just seems to want to enjoy her family and “the good ol’ days”. Although her constant chatter gets under everyone’s skin – remove Red Sammy – nothing she says is ill-mannered, rude or disrespectful intentionally. Even her comments on the black child(ren) in the story, can be accounted for her ignorance towards prejudice and racism.
Under the surface, this piece spoke to an old woman who loved her family, but didn’t know how to express it in the “right” ways.
One thought on “Tracey Mainer Discussion 8”
I agree with you. I also believe that she was an old woman who did not know how to express it the right way. She tried to show her love by wanting everyone to be interested in something she was, just like the sights around her and the house that she wanted everyone to visit. This, in my opinion, was a way for her to bond and try to get her family to love/appreciate something just as much as she did.