FRESh PAIN(t)

     This short story was very interesting to say the least. To be honest, I thought the storyline was quite random. I just found it compelling that the author wrote a story about a girl who becomes fascinated in breaking down a mental patients mental wall to learn about her. It makes me curious how the author came up with this plot because it just seemed so specific like it happened to her or someone they knew. I just do not understand why a high school class assignment would be to preform a story to people in a mental institution. It made the story baffling and unrealistic in my opinion.

I was so intrigued by the character Mamie. The desire to find out the connection between Susie and Mamie really encouraged me to read the entire thing. It made me wish I could read faster because I just needed to know. Then when I found out that they were connected by Susie’s great-grandmother being in the mental institution with Mamie I was really surprised. I just did not really think that was how it was going to be. For some reason I thought that Mamie was going to be related to Susie in some way.

This text portrays adolescence as very curious. Adolescences are always searching for answers for things, so I think it was relatable and would appeal to them in that way. It also position adolescents as rebellious and secretive because Susie’s mother was not comfortable with her being at the mental hospital. It is also relatable because adolescents are usually doing things that their parents do not know and would not want them to know. I think that this story would appeal to adolescents and any one really because of the aspiration to find out who this Mamie character is.

I would give this short story a B because it seemed a little impractical and it made me mad that Susie just ditched Mamie. Susie spent a lot of time trying to get to know Mamie and be there for her and when she found out the connection she only focused on herself. It was like Susie’s curiosity about her disappeared and so did her interest for visiting her. I understand that she went away to college but I think she could have visited once a month or so. Mamie seemed to be hurt a lot in her life and then Susie just was another disappointment to her. It was just really frustrating to me. However, I did think she did the right thing by not saying hi at the end and just letting Mamie mend and move on with her life. As much as I wanted Susie to surprise Mamie at the end and make her happy, I am glad she did not so that Mamie didn’t have to hurt all over again.