Emily's Character Traits in Bad Characters
Jean Stafford's Bad Characters, is a story of the loneliness of EmilyVanderpool, a young girl experiencing extreme growing pains-growing painsthat are illustrated by three detailed character traits. Emily's first and most important character trait in the storyis unquestionably her loneliness. It is this loneliness that underscoresthe effect "peer pressure" has on her, and it is a loneliness that she
Emily's second character trait is her gullibility. Further, herbelief that she had "already alienated everyone she knew," clearly showshow complete her loneliness is. Finally, Emily's third character trait is her willingness to bemanipulative. This fact is shown in her dealings with Lottie, the fact that she liked hersimply because she referred to her in a friendly way as "kid," and in herwillingness to "lift" items from a store in order to be her friend. It is under these pressures that Emily's specific charactertraits come to the surface-traits of loneliness, gullibility, andwillingness to manipulate others-and it is these traits that form the basisof the story. She is not onlyextremely impressionable (as a result of her immaturity and herloneliness), but is almost completely blind to the motivation of others. In the story, the reader gets to know Emily as a very troubled person,one who is disturbed by the pressures of "fitting in" and finding her placein the world. This trait is clearly illustrated in her willingness to makeher mother feel guilty for complaining about the stolen cake, saying, "Isuppose you wish I had gone out in the kitchen and let the robber cut me upinto a million little tiny pieces," by threatening to kill herself (to stopher parents from arguing), and by throwing tantrums.
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