Bone's Mother Anney example essay topic

Life is journey that each individual must take. This journey through life may be pleasant for some and rigorous for others. Dorothy Allison's journey was one that was both. Dorothy Allison's life is what inspired her to write the famous novel, Bastard Out of Carolina. The setting was the same setting as the one that was used in the novel, Greenville, South Carolina. A few of the events mentioned in the novel were real events that unfortunately Allison had to overcome.

Dorothy Allison was molested by her stepfather in the same way that the main character Bone was. Also, like the main character Bone she was a "bastard" as well. This story is one that is packed with numerous themes. Bastard out of Carolina is a novel by Dorothy Allison who through the use of themes of Abuse, Fire and Legitimacy explores the world of a child much like Allison herself.

Abuse is something that can come in various ways. Unfortunately the main character, Bone was subjected to quite a few forms. The first form that Bone was subjected to was sexual abuse. Bone is sexually abused by her stepfather Glen Waddell also known as, Daddy Glen.

Since Daddy Glen is the closest thing to a father that bone has since her father in her eyes is non-existent, she is confused about what he is doing to her. Bone does not know whether she has caused him to do this to her or whether what is being done to her is right at all? Glen's first attempt to molest her was in the hospital parking lot waiting for Bone's mother to give birth. "It made me afraid his big hand between my legs and his eyes glittering in the dim light". (46) He further goes on and all that Bone could think was, "He was hurting me, hurting me!" (47) The first act of deceit had taken place.

All that she could do was sleep. "I didn't know I was falling asleep until I woke up in the bright gray light full of morning". (47) Notice the pun on the word morning. Clearly, it has the double meaning with the same sounding word mourning because that is what the day was like for her and her family since, her mother's baby had died and because she was molested. From then on it was a roller coaster of emotions that Bone had to deal with. There were days she felt it was right for him to have done it and days she knew that it as morally wrong for him to have hurt her in this way.

After the sexual abuse came the physical abuse. As if it was bad enough what she was already going through he now had to beat her till she was black and blue. "When he let me go, there was a bruise, and Mama saw it right away". (70) Poor Bone, there is nothing that she could have done to make her get beat in this way, no child for that matter. As the plot thickens so do the bruises. "What did I tell you?

He shouted, and lifted me high shaking me back and forth till my head rocked on my neck. You bitch, you little bitch. My body slammed the wall, my heels knocking hollowly a foot above the floor". (106) As if that was not enough, Glen was still not finished with poor Bone.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I was so frightened I stuttered. Not as sorry as you " re gonna be. He pulled his belt free from the loops and wrapped the buckle end around his palm.

I've waited a long time to do this, too long". (106) There is no way that man could slightly love this child. His tone almost seems demon-like. As the days passed the bruises healed, the shock did not. Bone knew when she was "safe" and when she wasn't.

"It was when Reese and I were alone that he was dangerous. If I ran from him, he would come after me. He shook me so hard my head wobbled loosely, and he'd joke that the chickens and goats had more starch in them than a Boat wrights, even a half-Boat wright like I was". (111) He is not only physically abusing her but also with his subversive comments emotionally abusing her. Time passed and little did Bone know she was in for the beating of a lifetime. Bone answered back to her stepfather and that is all she had to do to in order to trigger the rage in that man.

"He pinned me between his hip and the sink, lifting me slightly and bending me over. He was raging, spitting, the blows hitting the wall as often as he hit me. The belt went up and came down. After wards I was quiet I could hear my own heartbeat. Sound came back slowly. There were speckles of blood on the washcloth when mama rinsed it".

(234) "He beat her to a pulp", as some would say. How can a man have so much rage that he could expose it all to this one innocent child? For that matter how could Bone's mom stay with a man who beats her child for no apparent reason? He continuously after every beating explains how he loved Bone and did it for her own good. "Bone knows I'd never mean to hurt her. Bone knows I love her.

Goddammit. You know I love you all Anney". (70) Bone began believing that the problem was not with Glen but with her. "It was just me, the fact of my life, who I was in his eyes and mine.

I was evil. Of coarse I was. I admitted it to myself, locked my fingers into fists, and shut my eyes to everything I did not understand". (110) A man that can have such an impact on a child is clearly evil, not the child who suffers from the abuse. Bone's mother Anney, began to show a side of coward ness the times her child was being beaten. "Daddy Glen's reputation for a hot temper made people very careful how they talked to him".

(55) Even his wife could not speak to him about the injustice that was going on in her household. Love can make anyone blind to its surroundings, but when it is hitting someone in the face or rather a child's face, there is just something that should be done. Though Anney later on moves out, it is a step that should have been taken years ago in order to assure safety to her own flesh and blood, her children. Not only is the theme of abuse important in the novel but also the theme of fire is extremely important in this story also.

As the story begins, the theme of fire is already apparent and evident. Allison used the use of fire in the story to exhibit rage and fury in the characters. This fury was used through Anney, Shannon Pearl and through Bone. Through the use of simile's it is shown.

"The stamp on that birth certificate burned her like the stamp she knew they'd try to put on her". (3) The image of fire is detailed by Anney's feeling towards the employee's at the courthouse. Soon after this image is fixed in one's mind it becomes life-like. "The radio announced that the fire downtown had gone out of control, burning the courthouse and half the records to the ground". (15) Anney is joyous of what had just happened. If all the records were burnt, the record of her daughter's illegitimacy was no longer an issue.

Her troubles and rage were over she thought to herself. The use of fire was also used to associate Shannon Pearls' death. Shannon pearl was Bone's friend who was also filled with such fury and rage because she had been cast, the outsider. At one family picnic the unthinkable happened.

"The can exploded, and fire ballooned out in a great rolling ball. She just breathed in the flames. I saw Shannon stagger and stumble from side to side, then fall in a heap. I saw Shannon Pearl disappear from this world". (201) Shannon Pearl's fury from within came bursting out as she caught fire and died.

The use of fire was also used in the "masturbation scenes" in the story. Since Glen molested Bone, she began to envision fire in order to achieve climax while masturbating. "I orgasmed on my hand to the dream of fire". (63) Later on as the story proceeds this happens again but in a more vigorous sense.

"Fire, I whispered. Burn it all. I rolled over, putting both my hands under me. Yes, I said. Yes, I rocked and rocked, and orgasmed on my hand to the dream of fire". (253-254) It was as if the only way that she could achieve pleasure was through the illusion of a fire associated with rage and fury.

Fire was also associated with the image of hell. All throughout the novel fire is an evident theme. Fire associated with hell and its place in the story. Various characters throughout the story refer to fire as an image of hell. "There was fire in those pink eyes, a deep fire recognized, banked and raging". (154) Bone is describing Shannon in this part of the story.

Shannon has demonic features that show in this particular scene in the story. "Shannon whispered back and I saw her hatred burning pink and hot in those eyes". (161) Again, Shannon Pearl is begin described demon-like. She has pink fiery eyes as the devil is said to have. Fire is a very important theme in the Bastard out of Carolina, but there is also the theme of legitimacy that is equally imperative to mention. Legitimacy is a constant battle in the story.

Anney is continuously trying to remove the title of "Illegitimate" to "Legitimate". Right as the story begins the title is already introduced. "There I was-certified a bastard by the state of California". (3) Anney's efforts were barren; every time that she came remotely close to having the title removed it was "stamped" on again. It was as if it was constant reminder of what he had done.

Bone envies her sister because unlike her sister, Reese's dad and family are willing to recognize Reese as theirs. Anney still tries several times to make an attempt at changing that title, but each time is refused brutally. (3) Regardless of the outcome Anney still remains in control and continuously retries again and again. "It was the same, identical to the other one. Across the bottom in oversized red-inked block letters it read, Illegitimate". (4) Poor Anney but most of all poor Bone who is forced to grow up with no father.

Hope opens for Anney when the courthouse burns down. (15) Anney was so excited she did not know what to do except, go home and burn the copies she had so there was no trace of evidence that her child was illegitimate. In the end Anney tries to help Bone cope with her feeling by leaving her with a blank birth certificate. Though Bone will remain "un complete" the rest of her life it is good to know that regardless of her father missing she still has family that cares for her and that is also very important, because they have always been there for her. Though Bone's journey through life was one with ups and downs it great to know that she did not go through this journey alone even if at times she felt like she did. Her mother along with family was always there.

Dorothy Allison went on to be a finalist for the National Book Award for her novel, Bastard out of Carolina. Allison also went on to win a Ferro Grummley Award and not to mention that she was the choice for the Bay Area Book Reviewers Award in fiction. On top of all that her story went on to be created into a movie starring Jennifer Jason Leigh and other famous actors. Her book was clearly popular, but it is a shame that she had to go through so much turmoil just to be popular.

Maybe that is good because it gives fellow readers enough knowledge to know that regardless of your past you can still turn it around and change your life into something powerful and meaningful as Dorothy Allison did with her unbelievable life. sparknotes. com.