Debbie Spring’s “The Kayak”

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The narrative ‘The Kayak’ interprets the life of a 16 twelvemonth old miss. Theresa. who is still yet a babe. Her desire of going a adult female remains unrealized United Nations till she meets a male child named Jamie. When I read the narrative. so much understanding for Theresa arose inside me. I feel nearest to Theresa in comparing with the other two characters. When I was reading this narrative I was believing about the degree of forbearance Theresa has towards life. after what she has been through. Theresa is really insecure. dependent and helpless.

As you read this narrative. you will come to see why Theresa is insecure. “This is my particular topographic point. Out here. I feel secure” ( Spring. Debbie Language and composing 9 -The Kayak. International1 Thomson Publishing. 1999. 33 ) Theresa’s particular topographic point is in H2O where she feels secure but on land. it is the entire antonym. Another ground that proves my point is “I’m non used to speaking to a cat. I ne’er had a fellow. who would be interested in me? ” ( Spring. Debbie Language and composing 9 -The Kayak. International1 Thomson Publishing. 1999. 36 ) . This shows that Theresa had low self-esteem. caused by the status of life has bestowed upon her by taking away the power from her legs.

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Theresa is so used to her insecurity that no affair what the fortunes are. her insecurity will start up and take control. “Jamie puts his manus on my shoulder ‘Would you like to fall in me and my friends at a campfire tonight? ’ ‘I don’t need pity’ I retort. ” ( Spring. Debbie Language and composing 9 -The Kayak. International1 Thomson Publishing. 1999. 37 ) . Theresa thinks that nil good can go on to her because of her yesteryear. When something is go oning good. she will experience as if it excessively good to be true and therefore disregard or conceal from it. That is why Theresa’s insecurity is one of the most noticed character traits in the narrative.

Along with insecurity. readers besides perceive dependance as one of Theresa’s character traits. She feels incomplete on land and nil is in her control. but yet as she gets closer into the ware pieces of mystifier seem to come into topographic point to finish her. “The bluish boat is an extension of my legs. I can make anything. I can travel anyplace. wholly independent. wholly in control of myself. ” ( Spring. Debbie Language and composing 9 -The Kayak. International1 Thomson Publishing. 1999. 33 ) . In the H2O Theresa is adult female. a heroine who can salvage the life of others. while on land she can hardly take attention of her ain ego. ” ‘Thanks for salvaging my skin’ Jamie says. ‘Next clip. have on a lifejacket. ’

Jamie doesn’t’t wince. ‘You’re right. That was dense. ” ( Spring. Debbie Language and composing 9 -The Kayak. International1 Thomson Publishing. 1999. 36 ) . In assorted parts of the narrative. you can detect that no affair how Theresa wanted to free herself from being dependent on her parents all the clip. the trap doesn’t’t let her free. “My weaponries aching. I don’t want to travel back to shore. Cipher lets me turn up. My parents handle me like a babe. I’m 16 old ages old. to old to featherbed. already a adult female. ” ( Spring. Debbie Language and composing 9 -The Kayak. International1 Thomson Publishing. 1999. 33 ) . Theresa would love nil more than being able to experience land. what she feels on H2O.

Helplessness is another character trait of Theresa. Helplessness is the worst you can experience because you want to make something under any state of affairs whatsoever. but you merely are non able to make so. Theresa does experience helpless in the narrative a batch. “Half the kayak is on land. the remainder in the H2O. I feel trapped. like a beached giant. ” ( Spring. Debbie Language and composing 9 -The Kayak. International1 Thomson Publishing. 1999. 36 ) . After reading this sentence. I felt the deepness of her hurting and how it tortures her mundane. yet being able to make nil to assist her ego.

“I see my parents beckoning from shore. My male parent runs in the ware to assist. Everything happens truly fast. he takes control. ” ( Spring. Debbie Language and composing 9 -The Kayak. International1 Thomson Publishing. 1999. 36 ) . She feels so incapacitated because she is non able to walk. so her male parent has to come funning to assist her. Another topographic point in the narrative she feels helpless is “My eyes H2O. Through cryings. I see two images of me. The incapacitated kid on land and the independent adult female on H2O. ” ( Spring. Debbie Language and composing 9 -The Kayak. International1 Thomson Publishing. 1999. 37 ) . That sentence shows that non merely the readers conceive her helpless but she does besides.

I think that the writer Debbie Spring did a reasonably good occupation in showing Theresa’s features. This narrative ‘The Kayak’ besides sprinkles around most facets of life along with suggesting out a large lesson. It has some many interesting lessons. a individual can gestate such as the relationship between a parent and a kid. how to get the better of you biggest strivings in life. in being able to allow travel and traveling on. to see the bright side of life. seeing the glass half full and etc. I think that Theresa is a truly courageous and emotional character. Debbie Spring made us see everything by Theresa’s position. the manner she feels by utilizing first individual storyteller. I think if she would hold done it otherwise. such as 2nd or 3rd individual storyteller to state the same narrative. it wouldn’t’t have been every bit interesting as this on.

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