Vanessa Approaches Piquette example essay topic

All players sit in a round table gleaming at one another. Each player studies the others motion, from the scratches they make to their body to the tempo of their breaths. But players in the game of poker realize any revealed feelings could cost them the game. Players try to obtain the perfect face trying to reveal nothing but conceal everything. They realize by expressing the slightest feelings the value of their cards could be revealed to the other players. Thus talented poker players create a mask known as a poker face.

An ideal poker face expresses nothing but studies everything. But the world of masks are not just limited to the game of poker but is all around us in our everyday lives from a child telling a lie or when a mother tells her child he will not receive a birthday party when in fact a group of his closest friends wait for him in his room. In the novel A Bird In The House, characters are often not pleased with the path of their lifestyle and they use emotional masks to hide this. Characters masks take form of denial, confinement and avoidance. In the Chapter the Loons, Piquette a half Indian comfiness herself because she is not pleased with her life. Piquette creates a mask confining herself from the outside world.

Piquette "had failed several grades, perhaps because her attendance has always been sporadic and her interest in school-work negligible. ' (pg. 97) At a young age Piquette was forced in to a early parental role, she took the duties of looking over her family conducting such chores as cooking meals and cleaning the house. To add to the Piquette's discomfort she "had tuberculosis of the bone' (pg. 97) and was despised by the community because she was half Indian. When Piquette visits Vanessa's cottage she attempts she tries to avoid contact with Vanessa revealing Piquette's loner nature. As Vanessa approaches Piquette she is full of excuses to avoid Vanessa.

Piquette refuses to play with Vanessa because she argues she is not a child when in fact she is only a few years older than Vanessa. She also avoids to go on walks or see the looms with Vanessa. As time progresses Piquette breaks free from the life style she despised. Piquette no longer lead the life of a house wife and was healthier "for her limp was almost gone' (pg. 104). Piquette could also gain acceptance from the community by marrying an English man.

Unfortunately Piquette marriage falls apart and she is forced to move back to Mana waka with two children. She now realizes her life is actually in the same state of her childhood. She becomes a drunken alcoholic and dies in a fire with her children symbolizing how we have left no room for the Indians to grow within our society. Although Ewen is successful as a doctor and has a family he loves and cares for there is an alternate lifestyle Ewen longs for. Ewen had initially wanted to join the marines and have a life exploring the world. He would also feel a sense of?? goodness?? because he was able to provide service to his community.

Although Ewen doesn't regret his current lifestyle he cant help but ponder what prosper ities would a life in the Marines offer. Thus Ewen decides to pick an occupation very similar to an? naval officer? As a doctor Ewen is forced to travel a lot spending little time at home. Ewen would leave a very similar life in the marines. As a doctor Ewen directly works for the government much like an navel officer. As Grandfather Connor is uncomfortable with the frequent dates Edna has with men he creates an avoidance mask.

Grandfather Connor handles the situation by avoiding it entirely. When it si time for Edna to go on a date instead of confronting the situation Grandfather Connor prowls down to the basement and paces like an bear. Grandfather Connor going underground symbolizes how he has no jurisdiction over Edna's personal relationships. Just as Grandfather Connor goes underground he is under Edna when it comes to whom she may have an relationship with.

Grandfather Connor runs to the basement to hide because he is insecure, he feels powerless. Edna is trapped in the set lifestyle of living at home with her family and having little freedom because of the heavy constraints Grandfather Connor tries to apply on Edna. Fortunately in the story Edna is introduced with the opportunity of breaking free from home but she avoids the situation. As Jimmy asks Edna she simply laughs at the opportunities Jimmy offers.

We are actually quit aware of Edna's need to break live away. At night when Vanessa approaches her room she weeps because she mourns to break free from the Brick House. Interestingly enough Edna becomes the trapped bird in the house. As she tries to break free the house acts as a magnet pulling her back in.

Grandmother Macloud a widow creates a fantasy world for self on in which she believed she is wealthy and is not threatened financially by the depression. She refuses to believe she is poor and creates a mask of denial to help her believe she is in fact wealthy. Grandmother Macloud sees financial wealth as a form of security because she fears because her life has been filled with notorious disappointments. Grandmother Macloud has already had a son and husband pass away and tries to use money as a method of controlling her destiny. Although Ewen is in financial jepordy she urges Ewen to hire a maid. She also tries to recollect on the past to remember how she was once in a wealthy state, "find quote of her having maid and frequent parties'.

She tries to get a maid because it reminds her of how she once was financially wealthy. Grandmother Macloud attempts to find these things Which represent wealth because it allows her to deny her financial problems. The characters in A Bird In The House use masks to conceal there feelings towards things they may feel uncomfortable with. These masks take form of denial, confinement and avoidance.

Margaret Atwood uses these masks to provide extra depth to characters. It allows the readers to look deeper into the characters exposing their true personality. It also allows readers to interpret each mask differently adding to the enjoyment of reading A Bird In The House.