The only thing I see in common between these two families is that they're both poor. The Ewells live next to the dump which is right next to where the African Americans live. The Cunninghams live in the countryside. Mr. Ewell does not provide for his family but Mr. Cunningham does. Mr. Ewell's children have no respect for anybody. The Cunninghams are kind. The Ewell family does not have a house. The Cunninghams have a house. Mr. Ewell and his family are disgusting just to look at. The Cunninghams are as clean as you'd expect farm kids to be. Mr. Ewell buys stuff for himself. Mr. Cunningham uses the little money he has and puts it into food or tools needed for the farm. The Ewells are not trusted. The Cunninghams are trustworthy.
Monday, February 1, 2010
The Ewells and The Cunninghams
Posted by 4diversecity at 4:16 PM
Labels: Cunningham, Ewell, Harper Lee, TKM
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1 comments:
Steven,
I've been thinking about this post and how to reply most helpfully. I think it was an accurate comparison- I only see one error. The Ewells do have a house - it might not be much of one, but it is a house. It is also a very thorough comparison - you compared obvious things like where they live and insightful things like how the fathers spend their money. You do have a couple of moments of interesting writing style. I love your sentence, "The Cunninghams are as clean as you'd expect farm kids to be."
The weaknesses of this piece of writing is that it has no continuous thread of meaning. It is a string of sentences hung on a clotheline. Accurate sentences. Thoughtful sentences. Some well written sentences, even, but there is nothing that connects them all together. You begin with an idea - the only thing they have in common is that they're both poor. And you go on to tell me all the ways that they are different. I'm interested in what you think it means. Does it add to the meaning or interpretation of the story?
In sincerity,
Mrs. Amber
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