Truman Capote's A Christmas Memory
Giving all you have to make other people happy is selfless. Observe as the theme of a “A Christmas Memory” is revealed through love and generosity. In “A Christmas Memory,” Truman Capote’s theme of it’s better to give than to receive is proven through the use of the literary elements setting, characterization, and plot.
The setting of “A Christmas Memory” proves that the older lady and Buddy rather use their money for others and for each other than using their money for housing or things that they like. The setting is during the Great Depression when there is poverty everywhere (Morgan Todd Katie). The author uses the setting during great poverty to show that Buddy, the older lady, and Queenie have very little and use what they do have not
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Truman Capote uses the elderly lady and Buddy to show that it is better to give than to get. The old lady has a long youthful illness that causes her to act like a child. During the time of year the story is set in, the elder lady’s imagination stimulates. Even though she has very little and is old, she saves up all she has to get things for other people. This lady even tries to sell her cameo that her Papa gave to buy buddy a good Christmas present (Capote 348). Instead of buying something for herself, she tries to give all she has to him because it gives her joy. Miss Sook fills with happiness because it is “fruitcake weather.” Although there are many things that need done such as Christmas fixings and shopping list as well as purchases to be made, she devotes her well needed time to making these fruitcakes (Storypath). Miss Sook makes fruit cakes so other people can be delighted even though the elderly lady has much to be done. She gets joy out of giving. The older lady would rather give something, such as a fruit cake, to someone and make them happy than receive something or buy herself something. The older lady and Buddy save up all their other money they have all year long to make fruit cakes (Mary Todd Katie). Buddy does the same as Miss Sook. He tries to save up all his money to buy her something instead of himself. He tries to buy her a pearl-handled knife, a pound of chocolate-dipped …show more content…
During the story the old lady, Miss Sook, and Buddy conserve their money the whole year for Christmas presents for others. To back up the theme, the plot of the story is based on Buddy and the elderly lady giving all they have to other people to have joy at Christmas time. The conflict in this story arises when neither of the main characters have enough money to get each other when they would really like to buy them. Buddy and Miss Sook both do not have money left after making the fruitcakes for other people to buy each other things. Their joy to give each other things rather than to get it for themselves shows the need to give rather than to receive (Mary Todd Katie). Throughout the story the characters go through adventures finding the ingredients for the fruit cakes. All the time they are making a Christmas memory. Further analysis shows that the Christmas memory they are making is their greatest Christmas present of all. While Buddy and the old lady are giving others their time and money, they are also receiving joy themselves, and both of them are receiving the best present of all, the gift of
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