Red Plaid Shirt

At the story’s end, the protagonist is reminiscing about her mother’s green quilted satin jacket. It seem that she finally realizes that she has to stop trying to impress people and just be herself. These details are gradually strung together into the sometimes unfortunate memories that form the story line. Perhaps the descriptions are what the various colours mean to the protagonist of the story, or perhaps not. character discloses every detail that she can remember about the shirt, as well as many other articles of clothing. The jacket hanging on the back of a kitchen chair marks a new beginning for the main character, and shows that she has the courage to leave the protective armor of a false front behind.

The colour descriptions at the end of each scenario add an interesting twist. It seems as if she feels weak and out of control, a trait that she is now struggling to change. She goes on to talk about how Dwight does not show up very often, and how she waited around for him every Sunday(the day that he was most likely to show up)with a meal cooked and a bottle of wine chilling.

As I see it, the main character may have been a very easily influenced person during her past. For example, when she heard Dwight, one of the men she was seeing say that he thought grey was a mystical colour, she went out and bought a grey turtleneck the very next day. She speaks about her childhood and how she always pestered her mother to let her wear it. The reader cannot help but become involved in the story, for it is such a personal account of the protagonist’s life. She does end up showing some strength when she breaks things off with Dwight, but once again falls into her submissive pattern in later relationships.