This story can be hard to follow at times, but the analysis of characters is always an important element to thouroughly understanding the directio of the plot. The three main characters within this story are Mary Jane, Eloise, and Ramona. Eloise and Mary Jane being close college friends, and Ramona the daughter of Eloise.
Mary Jane- Mary Jane is a college dropout who was married and divorced after a three month period. There were a few idiosyncrasies of Mary Jane that were noticed, inlcuding her tendency to use the word marvelous. Within the contex it seems as if her usage of this term results in a fakeness, meaning she isn't completely engaged in her response but replies "How Marvelous!" becuase it is the proper reply from any decent woman. This as well indicates the phoniness of the time period. As the context indicates it is around 1950, it is clear that this era is a large influence on the manner of the characters, especially Mary Jane. During this time it was routine for a woman to find a man, get married, and have children, while sparing a career. There was this idea that all shuold be perfect, and every family should be absolutely functional, which is clearly a farse. This false reality results to the phoniness of individuals within the adult world, which is represented by Mary Jane through her less than genuine responses.
She remains rather static throughout the story, and is mannerly and cooperative. She does make attempts to leave due to practicality concerns as Eloise insists on additinoal drinks, but she is eventually convinced to stay. Overall, Mary Jane is if anything a representation of the theme, the hypocrasy of the adult world.
Eloise- Eloise is the hostess of the gathering between her and Mary Jane. She is the mother of Ramona, and is married to a man named Lew. she seems to have a dysfunctional marriage, as Lew is absent in the story and when Mary Jane asks Eloise reason behind their relatinoship she replies, "Oh God! I don't know. He told me he loved Jane Austen. He told me her books meant a great deal to him. That's exactly what he said. I found out after we were married that he hadn't even read one of her books" (Salinger). This quote displays how she has little common interest with Lew, and clear trust honesty issues for she uses his love for an auther as the only reason they got married and it didn't even turn out to be true. Eloise also tells Mary Jane that if you get married, you shouldn't tell your husband anything and remain dishonest, becuase they will just be jealous and upset. This as well demonstrates her trust issues and marriage dysfunction, probably a result of the death of her long lost love Walt, who died in the war. At one point Eloise gets very emotional about him and begins to cry. This being after most likely eight years it is clear that she is still in love with him, and hasn't properly let go of his death if at all.
In addition to Walt's death, Eloise's depressed might be caused by Ramona's probable psychological issues. It seems normal that a child would have an imaginary friend, but when she has him killed by a vehicle and then makes up a new one within the same night it seems questionable whether she has borderline troubles. If so, this would furthermore create stress in Eloise's life, causing her to improperly care for Ramona. She has already displayed through her poor supervision and insensative nature that she clearly lacks true motherly attributes, but a possible disability especially in this time period would not be treated correctly. Based on Eloise's manner, she seems dissatisfied, most likely induced by her dysfunctinoal home life.
She as well is very assertive as she tells Mary Jane to call in dead as an excused absense from work. This morbid and demanding request hints to the overall persona of Eloise. She speaks her mind and lectures Mary Jane with her philosophy on men and the married life, and how you must restrict information to maintain a decent relationship. This secretive and dishonest behavior is a probable indication that she has trust issues that could result as a post tramatic defense mechanism caused by the death of Walt.
Eloise as well insists drinks on Mary Jane, as well as herself, slightly unusual for this being around lunch time. By the end of the night Eloise seems rather intoxicated. She may very well be an alcoholic, or a frequent drinker who uses alcohol to surpress the pain in her loss and unsatisfying life.
She is not a responsible parent as she allows her daughter to wonder outside unsupervised. She also drinks heavily around Ramona, creating a dangerous and uncomfortable enviornment for her. The way she acts while intoxicated frightens and upsets Ramona, as in the ending of the story Eloise enters her room and causes Ramona to cry. She does not comfort her, and instead picks up Ramona's glasses on her night stand, grasping them tightly while crying herself, clearly engrossed in her own issues before her daughter's.
Ramona- Ramona is the daughter of Eloise and Lew, and is most likely about six yearas old. It also seems as if she is slightly troubled and or lonely as she has several imaginary friends, one of which is killed in a car accident. Because of these make believe relationships, she may have little to no friends and creates fake figures as substitutes to suffice for her loneliness. She is clearly not properly cared for by her mother, and based on the story she experiences negligence possibly included by her father who is absent during the story. She as well has poor etiquette as she greets Mary Jane while scratching herself repulsively and picks her nose.
When Eloise enters her room and demands Ramona to sleep centered in her bed it becomes clear that Ramona has a troubled life as she begins to cry. Her mother in the process is crying herself leaving Ramona scared and neglected, with no proper adult figure for comfort and guidance.
Mary Jane- Mary Jane is a college dropout who was married and divorced after a three month period. There were a few idiosyncrasies of Mary Jane that were noticed, inlcuding her tendency to use the word marvelous. Within the contex it seems as if her usage of this term results in a fakeness, meaning she isn't completely engaged in her response but replies "How Marvelous!" becuase it is the proper reply from any decent woman. This as well indicates the phoniness of the time period. As the context indicates it is around 1950, it is clear that this era is a large influence on the manner of the characters, especially Mary Jane. During this time it was routine for a woman to find a man, get married, and have children, while sparing a career. There was this idea that all shuold be perfect, and every family should be absolutely functional, which is clearly a farse. This false reality results to the phoniness of individuals within the adult world, which is represented by Mary Jane through her less than genuine responses.
She remains rather static throughout the story, and is mannerly and cooperative. She does make attempts to leave due to practicality concerns as Eloise insists on additinoal drinks, but she is eventually convinced to stay. Overall, Mary Jane is if anything a representation of the theme, the hypocrasy of the adult world.
Eloise- Eloise is the hostess of the gathering between her and Mary Jane. She is the mother of Ramona, and is married to a man named Lew. she seems to have a dysfunctional marriage, as Lew is absent in the story and when Mary Jane asks Eloise reason behind their relatinoship she replies, "Oh God! I don't know. He told me he loved Jane Austen. He told me her books meant a great deal to him. That's exactly what he said. I found out after we were married that he hadn't even read one of her books" (Salinger). This quote displays how she has little common interest with Lew, and clear trust honesty issues for she uses his love for an auther as the only reason they got married and it didn't even turn out to be true. Eloise also tells Mary Jane that if you get married, you shouldn't tell your husband anything and remain dishonest, becuase they will just be jealous and upset. This as well demonstrates her trust issues and marriage dysfunction, probably a result of the death of her long lost love Walt, who died in the war. At one point Eloise gets very emotional about him and begins to cry. This being after most likely eight years it is clear that she is still in love with him, and hasn't properly let go of his death if at all.
In addition to Walt's death, Eloise's depressed might be caused by Ramona's probable psychological issues. It seems normal that a child would have an imaginary friend, but when she has him killed by a vehicle and then makes up a new one within the same night it seems questionable whether she has borderline troubles. If so, this would furthermore create stress in Eloise's life, causing her to improperly care for Ramona. She has already displayed through her poor supervision and insensative nature that she clearly lacks true motherly attributes, but a possible disability especially in this time period would not be treated correctly. Based on Eloise's manner, she seems dissatisfied, most likely induced by her dysfunctinoal home life.
She as well is very assertive as she tells Mary Jane to call in dead as an excused absense from work. This morbid and demanding request hints to the overall persona of Eloise. She speaks her mind and lectures Mary Jane with her philosophy on men and the married life, and how you must restrict information to maintain a decent relationship. This secretive and dishonest behavior is a probable indication that she has trust issues that could result as a post tramatic defense mechanism caused by the death of Walt.
Eloise as well insists drinks on Mary Jane, as well as herself, slightly unusual for this being around lunch time. By the end of the night Eloise seems rather intoxicated. She may very well be an alcoholic, or a frequent drinker who uses alcohol to surpress the pain in her loss and unsatisfying life.
She is not a responsible parent as she allows her daughter to wonder outside unsupervised. She also drinks heavily around Ramona, creating a dangerous and uncomfortable enviornment for her. The way she acts while intoxicated frightens and upsets Ramona, as in the ending of the story Eloise enters her room and causes Ramona to cry. She does not comfort her, and instead picks up Ramona's glasses on her night stand, grasping them tightly while crying herself, clearly engrossed in her own issues before her daughter's.
Ramona- Ramona is the daughter of Eloise and Lew, and is most likely about six yearas old. It also seems as if she is slightly troubled and or lonely as she has several imaginary friends, one of which is killed in a car accident. Because of these make believe relationships, she may have little to no friends and creates fake figures as substitutes to suffice for her loneliness. She is clearly not properly cared for by her mother, and based on the story she experiences negligence possibly included by her father who is absent during the story. She as well has poor etiquette as she greets Mary Jane while scratching herself repulsively and picks her nose.
When Eloise enters her room and demands Ramona to sleep centered in her bed it becomes clear that Ramona has a troubled life as she begins to cry. Her mother in the process is crying herself leaving Ramona scared and neglected, with no proper adult figure for comfort and guidance.