Relationship between children and adults

Résumé du document

Literature has always been a weapon to denounce with a stark and pure vision of the world the weaknesses of society. Literature has already explored the relationship between adults and children and its possible destructiveness. Indeed interpersonal interactions are mostly significant in the developmental stage of life with peers, parents and teachers and are greatly influenced by the environment such as the people you interact with and the education you receive. The purpose of this essay is to analyse the main relationship between adults and children and its impact on adult life described in three famous Anglo-Irish stories: The Poteen Maker by Michael McLaverty, The Visitor by Maeve Brennan and How Many Miles to Babylon by Jennifer Jonhston.

Extraits

[...] Those stories show us the complexity of every relationship in our lives and the great danger of being alone, bringing fear. In addition they demonstrate that human beings are in fact all vulnerable towards the uncontrollable life. Finally, for both adults and children, they emphasize the need for love and attention and the importance of a good environment. Bibliography o Brennan The Visitor New Island o Johnston How Many Miles to Babylon? [...]

[...] A personal connection is created between the little boy and the teacher when the latter gives him some money to buy sweets. Master Craig is acting like a kind of tutor for the little boy. We also know that Master Craig is greatly appreciated by his class: smiled because he smiled”. The children do not get the whole situation by contrast to the population of the village. The fact that our narrator “could never understand” why the village is gossiping about Master Craig is probably touching us more because it is coming from the innocent eyes of a little boy. [...]

[...] There is also the notion of authority and respect towards the oldest saw the miserable gate of her defeat already opened ahead”. Regarding education she only went one year at the convent and she hardly had any friends. The real tragedy in Babylon is about parents who do not get along at all and the effects on the life of the child. Besides, the relationship linking him with his parents is even harder because they are from a high rank in society and the child has to respect certain norms like not hang out with people from inferior rank like Jerry. [...]

[...] Alexander lives a lonely childhood. He does not go to school but receives some private courses at home strengthening his loneliness. The first very short sentence about his childhood is powerful: a child I was alone.” It really stimulates the reader to continue reading. As the narrator says several times during the story, he always been alone” and even worse, in presence of his parents, he feels alone and transparent. Hence those three stories present three different perspectives of childhood at different points of time but they all refer to the change of perception when you get older. [...]

[...] The tension is increasing all along the book. On the one hand, Alexander can see his father clearly getting old and sick, and also drinking too much alcohol for his own good health. The boy is increasingly involved between the two while his father confides himself about his feelings, which deeply embarrassed Alex. On the other hand, the narrator understands his mother is getting more and more upset about him and his relationship with his father. In fact she is thin shell covering some black burning rage”. [...]