Growing Up By Gary Soto Summary

Yet, Orenstein claims that they have focused largely on the princess culture and also that these princesses have advanced from being simple storybook characters to now representing a negative influence on a female’s expectations in life. She suggests this idea in her article with the notion that other women, especially mothers, would agree with her opinion. Although, what she fails to acknowledge is that Disney isn't trying to sell messages of the “nice and pretty” girl or the perpetual “happily ever after” ending to young children. Instead, they are only marketing their products to a specific, easily influenced audience. Orenstein places blame on Disney, shaming them for taking advantage of the pre-existing princesses for their own profit.

Both authors indicate parental and business opinions of princesses in pursuance of appealing to many readers. Orenstein expresses her dislike towards Disney princesses by proposing that young girls learn incorrect values from the original princess movies, since they teach women unrealistic love and beauty standards. However, Poniewozik believes that recent live action princess movies demonstrate women achieving their personal goals before seeking true love in order to teach independence and convey his supporting views of modern princesses. While Poniewozik and Orenstein want to see the next generations of females become strong, self-sufficient women that do not need a fairytale lifestyle they disagree with how princess movies in general teach these lessons to young

In Gary Soto’s short story ‘Growing Up,” the main character, Maria, says, “‘I know, I know. You’ve said that a hundred times,’ she snapped.” Maria is acting ungrateful because she doesn’t want to go on vacation with her family and she is arguing with her father about it instead of being grateful for what she has. Being grateful is feeling or showing an appreciation of kindness and being thankful. In the story Maria argues with her father about not wanting to go on vacation with her family and claims that she is old enough to stay home by herself. Maria is trying to grow up too fast and she put her family to the side instead of being grateful.

Furthermore, Orenstein continues to complain about how even in the shows where the girls are supposed to be more of a tomboy, they find ways to bring in the princess culture. She says that they undermine the girls and how they will grow up. Then Orenstein goes on to point out some other facts like how, “girls can embrace their predilection for pink without compromising strength or ambition.” (Orenstein 328). After this realization she begins to believe differently contradicting her former belief that pink and princess culture is all bad. Although she doesn’t confirm her change until the very end.

Though when she discovers that new girl Erin Hewitt and outsider Ivy Proctor are on the nomination list she isn’t happy. She and her partner Samantha go to work on digging up information about Erin. They discover that she is related to their principal who already hates Alexandra for some unknown reason as well as that Erin was homecoming queen at her old school. in order to take them both down she decides to drop out of the race temporarily and to fully indorse Ivy. She buys ivy new clothes and gives her a false sense of security by acting like she is her only friend.

At first Devi can come off as selfish, demanding and even boring but later on it's revealed that she is persistent and determined to change her life for better. In the book Devi struggles to connect with her freshman self to change events in her life. The main goal was to avoid Bryan Sanderson so that she can focus on what's more important in her life. But Devi has to be extra cautious about what she wants to change

And how Nea deals with this events. This story is written with the immature and unreliable 12-year old perspective. These two sisters have grown together all through their life’s, creating a strong bound, and the fact that her family and a “old guy” is taking away her sister is something she can’t stand. In the end Nea believes that she is saving Sourdi from Mr.Chhay and her mother. However what Nea does not understand in all her youth and idealism , is that sourdi does not want to be saved: She willfully accepts her fate and her marriage to Mr.Chhay because she finds financial stability and a secure future.

In the play, “How I Learned to Drive” written by Paula Vogel a young woman nicknamed Li’l Bit has a sexual relationship with her uncle Peck. When Li’l Bit was eleven years old, her uncle Peck showed her how to drive which is how it all started. Throughout the play an extreme deal of growth of maturity occurs with forgiveness and love. Li’l Bit is the innocent in the play. First, the relationship she has with her uncle, and the way her other family members treat her, relating to the fact that her family calls her by the nickname Li’l Bit is harsh, considering the fact that she’s getting older and it relates to an inappropriate part on her body.

As Charlotte moves, and goes into a new school, she realizes that “[she] was anonymous”(76); she could blend in with her peers to hide her drawbacks. As a result, she starts to dress according to a 10th grade girl: “hair curled, makeup intact”(75). Additionally, she was easily influenced by peer pressure. Although she loved Miss Hancock and was shocked when people started making fun of her style, she nonetheless joins in, “[snickering] fiercely”(76). It takes courage and confidence to act against the majority.

“Two Kinds,” by Amy Tan, essentially revolves around the struggle of Jing Mei and her constant conflict with her mother. Throughout her life, she is forced into living a life that is not hers, but rather her mom’s vision of a perfect child; because her mother lost everything, which included her parents and kids, so her only hope was through Jing Mei. Jing Mei’s mom watches TV shows such as the Ed Sullivan Show, which gives her inspiration that her daughter should be like the people and actors. First her mom saw how on the television a three-year-old boy can name all the capitals of the states and foreign countries and would even pronounce it correctly. Her mom would quiz Jing Mei on capitals of certain places, only to discover that she would