Eleven
Introduction
The story ‘Eleven’ is written by the author Sandra Cisneros inform of a story, which is the recording of events in the life on an individual through observations. In reading the story, it is revealed that Cisneros has dear knowledge concerning the facts that she writes about Rachel. This is vivid with the logical occurrences that take place in the life of the young girl while back in school. Sandra in place of the eleven-year-old Rachel that is definitely unable to express herself to the teacher and the entire classroom writes the story. In her birthday, which marks eleven years old, Rachel finds herself trapped in an unpleasant situation, which ruins her day. However, Sandra gives the picture that the girl is to nervous to confront the classmate and the teacher in denying the possession of the sweater. In analyzing the story eleven keenly, it is obvious that Rachel the key protagonist in the story is characterized using various literary techniques. In the story, ‘Eleven’ Cisneros uses various literary devices such as the simile, diction and vignette to describe Rachel stubborn character of denying the sweater.
In the story Eleven, Cisneros the author portrays Rachel to be a shy young girl that is not sure to deny the sweater or to accept it since it is the teacher offering. When the teacher places the sweater on Rachel’s desk, she compares the sweater to a mountain placed at the age of the desks. This is indicated in the story when Cisneros writes, “But when the sick feeling goes away and I open my eyes, the red sweater’s still sitting there like a big red mountain” (Cisneros, “n.a”). This indicates that according to Rachel, the teacher forcing her as the owner of the sweater is a big issues that actually pisses her off hence making her shy and feels like three. In comparing the sweater to gigantic onus, is somewhat sarcastic since it real sense a small item like the sweater has no any comparison with the mountain. This implies that although Rachel had grown old age wise, she still though like a child hence the fear to face the teacher. Instead of being in a position to face the teacher and inform her that the sweater is not her personal property, Rachel keeps silent about the issue, which affects her emotions running her eleventh birthday. The use of the simile by Cisneros indicates the capability of Rachel identification of big issues out of nothing.
In a close study of the story, Cisneros also indentifies Rachel to not only be timid but also have other characteristics as foolish and defiant. In almost all the conversations that Cisneros writes between Rachel and the teacher, Rachel repeats almost the same words. Since Rachel has the inborn fear in her, she foolishly becomes defiant because of the fear to make any sober judgment. This is depicted in the story eleven when Rachel replies to almost every question asked by the teacher with the “not mine” response (Cisneros, “n.a”). Instead of changing her mind and even occupying her mind with better knowledge from the mathematics lesson, Rachel spends the entire class thinking about the red piece of cloth and the extend to how it pisses her of from her delighted birthday. In almost all the paragraphs of the story, it is revealed that Rachel offers almost the same response to the questions asked from the teacher”…. Not mine” (Cisneros, “n.a”). In usage of repetition, Cisneros reveals the stubborn nature that is hidden deep within Rachel and the ignorance and resistance to change even though she is that old. The stubborn nature of Rachel does not reveal any form appealing nature of wanting to reveals the truth but rather depicts the stubborn brat that still describes the character of Rachel. Although Rachel is turning eleven, the character indicated by the stubbornness does not show any change to her character. Instead, the Cisneros forces the reader to believe that despite the growth in the number of ages of Rachel, deep within, she is still the stubborn brat that would do anything to get noticed.
The use of the vignettes in the entire ‘eleven’ story makes it well known that Rachel is timid. The sequence of events after the teacher places the sweater in Rachel’s locker is what makes the reader to identify the actual childish behavior. Rachel first uses a ruler from her locker to push the sweater further from her position; she then moves her pencil, followed by the eraser and eventually the book to push the book even further away from her as much as possible. In logically listing the items that are used to move the red piece of cloth, sweater further, it denotes the paranoia and the in-born fear that Rachel had towards the sweater. In accordance to the story, Cisneros makes the reader identify the manner in which Rachel conducts much ado in regards to nothing serious. This in one way or another prompts the reader to think that Cisneros has the same character while a child. Cisneros reveals use of vignettes when he writes that Rachel is pissed off and moves her chair when the mathematics lesson is almost over (Cisneros, “n.a”). She then thinks about the next step she will take in get rid of the sweater from her appearance. In accordance to the story, ‘eleven’ Rachel would not wait to the time to mathematics lesson would be over so that she would throw the sweater the schoolyard fence. Rachel though of leaving the sweater hanging on the parking meters an exposed place so that someone desperate could collect it. In her last though about the sweater, she decided that she would bunch the red piece of cloth into a ball before tossing it in the alley.
Conclusion
In the short story, ‘eleven’ the author, Cisneros identifies Rachel as a defiant and timid eleven years girl that is capable of enchanting silly matters too imprudently and acutely. In the entire story, Cisneros Sandra uses various literary devices such as repetition, similes, colloquial diction and vignette just to prove that although Rachel turned eleven she is still a brat. Rachel is shy to speak and inform Mrs. Price that the raggedy piece of cloth; sweater does not belong to her. The condition of the sweater is described in the story as “An ugly sweater like that all raggedy and old” (Cisneros, “n.a”). Rather, she plans on the appropriate measures to undertake to dispose the piece of cloth. In accordance to Rachel, keeping the sweater or seeking for the right owner of the red piece of cloth was not an option to her. She was definitely focused on the easy way in which she would dispose the sweater and never to see it again in her lifetime. The uncertain future of the sweater still reveals that inside, Rachel is still a young child that cannot make proper judgment on her own. The defiant nature about the sweater also indicates the decisions that Rachel might make when it comes to small and silly matters.
Works cited
Cisneros, S. “Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros. Accessed on September 5, 2012. Retrieved from http://forevafound.tripod.com/eleven.pdf.
