White Oleander-Thematic Essay
Through adversity and hardship in one's life, one can genuinely begin to have a true understanding of one's self. Through the use of dynamic characters, loose ends, metaphors and point of view, this idea is portrayed in Janet Fitch's White Oleander, through the characters of Astrid and Ingrid Magnussen. The two endure much suffering in their lives, and because of that, develop insight into the true nature of themselves. The author chose these literary techniques to assist in exposing the novel's underlying theme of self-discovery. The author uses a technique called "loose ends" to emphasize the impact of the main character's decision. In White Oleander, the main character, Astrid, is left to live a life of pain and anguish. This pain is brought on by decisions that her mother had made in her state of delusion. Ingrid kills her ex-boyfriend in a fit a jealousy and is arrested, leaving her 12 year-old daughter to explore life on her own. Because of this, Astrid lives a life of trial and misery, and learns to blame that fact on her mother. Yet throughout the book, we see a slight connection between Astrid and her mother. The connection is portrayed in letters between the two and Astrid stopping in the midst of an action,
Astrid says, "no matter where I went, my compass pointed west. As time went on and Ingrid became more and more jealous of Astrid's life out of jail, Ingrid became more abrasive with Astrid - creating new rules and forbidding Astrid to explore new areas in life. Janet Fitch uses many different comparisons and metaphors to help convey a better sense of what she's speaking of. Astrid thought of this and wondered what her future held for her. I would always know what time it was in California"(469). Reading Astrid's story, one feels a true connection with her, one feels the emotion that she does in all of her trials throughout her life. take what you can before it all burns to ash"(372). "[She] refused to see through her eyes any longer"(370). Because she seems so real, the reader begins to reflect upon the fact that perhaps their life is not so bad in comparison to Astrid's. Many different techniques can be used in different instances to convey different ideas. The story begins by introducing the two characters talking atop their apartment building. Astrid couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to go back to her mother, "to be [her] mother's daughter again . Astrid's life becomes shielded behind her mother's; her life is livening somewhat vicariously through her mother's. Living with her foster mothers, Astrid pursued the relationship between her and her mother through mail. Comparisons are used her to emphasize the extent to which Astrid though of her mother as beautiful.
Common topics in this essay:
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White Oleander,
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Rome2 Astrid,
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Janet Fitch,
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astrid mother,
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ruin astrid's life,
ruin astrid's,
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Acceptance Essays
