Madalyn Dutchuk Mrs. Heller English II 31 January 2023 Different ways to Mature The story “Marigolds” by Eugenia Collier is about a young girl who is trying to figure out who she really is while growing up, struggling in poor society during the Great Depression. The story “Raymond’s Run” by Toni Cade Bambara is about a young girl named Squeaky who is a talented long distance runner and her relationship with her disabled brother Raymond. The two stories involve two young black girls that are both struggling in different ways, they are both very different from each other, but also have a lot in common. Both Squeaky and Lizabeth mature into two very sweet and kind young women. Lizabeth realizes what she does wrong, and loses her childish …show more content…
Lizabeth knew her family could not afford to get her new things, but wasn’t completely aware of her family's financial problems, “we children of course, we’re only vaguely aware of the extent of our poverty” (Collier par.4). Squeaky’s family could buy things that she absolutely needed and used frequently. Squeaky knew her family was poor, and that her family couldn’t afford to buy her new things that weren’t Necessities,“A poor black girl who really can’t afford to buy shoes and a new dress you only wear once a lifetime” (Bambara lines 25-26). Growing up poor impacts children’s health, social and emotional development and behavior …show more content…
Lizabeth was a very immature girl at the beginning of the story who didn’t really care about her childhood. Lizabeth would not think before she would do something, making her destroy other people's property. She only wanted to have fun in life and enjoy as much as she could, “Then I lost my head anxiety, mad with the power of acting such range and ran out of the bushes in the storm of rebel strength towards Miss Lottie chanting loudly” (Collier par. 32). Squeaky cared about her childhood a lot, no matter how much She didn’t like someone she wouldn’t show it, she always kept it to herself. Squeaky had goals with running and to do well in the spelling bee, she also would take care of her brother Raymond, “I stay up all night studying the words for the spelling bee, can see me at any time of day practicing running” (Bambara lines 64-65). Having a lot of stress when growing up will mature people much