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Mother's Obstacles In The First Day By Edward Jones

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The short story “The First Day” by Edward Jones depicts an economically challenged mother’s obstacles in taking her daughter to her first day of kindergarten class through the perspective of the young girl. Jones uses repetition and imagery to reveal a mother’s willingness to do anything in order to provide the best quality of life for her children. The author starts by describing the details of both the girl and the day. The girl seems content with her clothing and material possessions. Imagery is used here to describe how comfortable the mother wants her daughter to be, letting her wear a very nice “checkeredlike blue-and-green cotton dress,” making sure her daughter does not go hungry, and providing her with school supplies. It also portrays how her mother wants her to fit in with other children at school in order to learn. The …show more content…

This last paragraph takes on a somber tone as the mother is forced to step away from her child and leave her alone so that she can properly learn with the rest of the children. By not playing the “game” exclusively between them, she indicates to her daughter that changes are going to happen. These changes are scary and the mother does not hide her fright; her lips quiver as she tells her daughter goodbye. The last thing the girl focuses on is her mother walking down the hallway, through the doors and that was the principal sound the author illustrates using imagery. Edward Jones’s short story, “The First Day” displays how the mother constantly prepares to defeat the next obstacle that might keep her daughter from kindergarten. The girl is able to observe her mother’s actions and extrapolate lessons, including how a mother would do anything for the benefit of her child. Although not all sacrifices are equal, an opportunity unseized would be an opportunity

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