Eleven By Sandra Cisneros Essay

Sandra Cisneros Analysis

In "Eleven", the author Sandra Cisneros uses word choice, imagery, and style to characterize Rachel. The word choice that the author displays gives the readers an opportunity to understand what she is like and how she is feeling. The imagery that the author conveys through his words allows for readers to visualize this character and the events that are taking place that day. Finally, the style that the author illustrates in hiswriting has a great effect on how readers can understand who Rachel is and her characteristics. (who Rachel is, a shy, agitated, and smart eleven year old girl.) The word choice that the author displays (uses) helps portray Rachel as a ( smart) person who is skeptical about the whole birthday thing (about birthdays)...show more content...

The confrontation with the teacher and how the author put it in her writing is very beneficial to helping us understand who Rachel is, a person who thinks age is just a number. "Im eleven today. I'm eleven, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, and one, but I wish I was one hundred and two." Rachel believes that age has no bearing on how one should be treated( someone appraises someone) and when one does turn a different age it has no effect on that individual and that is is just another day. (X)"You don't feel eleven, not away. It takes a few days, weeks even, sometimes months before you say eleven when they ask." In "Eleven", the author Sandra Cisneros uses word choice, imagery, and style to help convey Rachel as a skeptical, agitated, and dubious person. The literary techniques that the author conveys helps the readers understand Rachel for who she is. Through the literary devices that the author uses he highlights the characteristics of her without specifically stating what type of person she is. This allows for a great short story about a girl and her feelings about

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Throughout the story "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros, Rachel is recalling an event that took place on her eleventh birthday. In the beginning of the story, Rachel looks at birthdays in a negative perspective. "And when you wake up on your eleventh birthday you expect to feel eleven, but you don't." Rachel also mentions how when you are eleven, you are also the ages that lead up to eleven. When saying this, Rachel repeats the word "and." She uses repetition when talking about how all your ages are still living inside you. "When you're eleven, you're also ten, and nine, and eight, and seven, and six, and five, and four, and three, and two, and one." In the beginning of the story, Rachel does not seem excited that it is her birthday. I say this because instead of rejoicing that it is her birthday, she faces the reality of it and...show more content... In the beginning of the story, Rachel says how she wishes she was a hundred and two instead of being eleven. Her reasoning for this was because if she were older she would have known how to handle this situation better; but in the end she wants to be older to have this entire memory behind her. At the end, Cisneros uses a simile when saying "I want it to be far away already, far away like a runaway balloon, like a tiny o in the sky." In conclusion, in the story "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros, Cisneros uses rhetorical devices when describing how Rachel felt on her eleventh birthday. Repetition is used when Rachel talks about the reality of her birthday and when describing the different ages that are also living inside her. Stream of consciousness is used when seeing what Rachel is feeling inside when dealing with the sweater situation. The sweater situation made Rachel look at her birthday as a bad day which leads to Cisneros using a simile to depict when Rachel says she wishes to be one hundred and

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By Sandra Cisneros Essay

The struggles of teenagers and young children currently in school are displayed in the story "Eleven." This problem is so prevalent because of the fixed age difference between students and teachers. Some students may feel like they have no authority or say in a classroom when arguing with their teacher. Sandra Cisneros describes in her writing the feeling of being out–of–place and shy. This relates to many kids today, even myself. When discussed after reading this as a class, we all felt sympathy for the girl and understood where she was coming from. Fixing this issue is something that simply cannot be done. Age difference will always be a fixed factor and will not change anything. However, the attitude coming from a student and a teacher...show more content... However, kids do not just give up like this. Their minds don't work that way. Rachel wanted to put up a fight but never thought ahead of the consequences. She never expected to cry in front of the whole class, especially on her birthday! Maturity is a cure to this issue, but at age eleven not many are that mature. The other kids in the class were quite a factor as well. Although it was not clearly stated, they created a great reason for Rachel to deal with this trauma. To start off with, Sylvia Saldivar was the one who originally pointed out the sweater to be Rachel's. When in reality it wasn't, and Rachel knew this and Sylvia probably did too but was expecting an entertaining reaction out of Rachel with the teacher. This was never stated either, but Sylvia was a troublemaker since the start! She was hoping for this scenario to occur. Kids and teens all over the world will deal with this issue. Teachers are simply too old to relate to us, and we are simply too old to relate to them. Entirely, at least. Some teachers, young and old, do understand where we're coming from. They recognize the problems we're dealing with and understand how we feel because they went through it too. Although it's not common for teachers and students to connect on certain things, it does Get more content

In Sandra Cisneros's short story "Eleven", Rachel's emotions were negatively affected by the events of her birthday. First, Rachel's experience brought her to feel a little less joyful about her eleventh birthday. The text states, "I finally say in a little voice" (Cisneros, 2). This evidence ties back to the question because, Rachel may be scared to confront the teacher. Also, she may be a normally quiet girl. One more way this piece of evidence could be interpreted is that Rachel may be depressed. Another way the events of Rachel's eleventh birthday affect her emotional state is, when she starts to cry over the sweater (Cisneros, 3). Possibly she may be depressed. She also could be self–conscious about what she wears. Most girls

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By Sandra Cisneros

The authors of both pieces of literature demonstrate the concept that change is not instantaneous in a more concrete connotation. In the sample of "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros, the text discusses the concept that as a young child grows, they also retain physical attributes, and may occasionally feel the need to express them. For example, the narrator states that "one day when you're all grown up, maybe you will need to cry like if you're three." This physical action is necessary in humans from a very young age upward. Eventually, someone may learn to control their actions, and will change their personality enough so as not to be so emotional. However, this change takes a very long time. In the poem "Same Song," both children desire to alter,

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By Sandra Cisneros Essay

You can feel like the world can crash down sometimes, it happens to everyone. When you try to shut everything out everything can fall. That is why you need to stand up for yourself. In the book, Eleven by Sandra Cisneros, a girl name Rachel has to learn how to stand up for herself on her 11th birthday she tried to shut everything out. Sometimes rachel is overemotional and sensitive. Thats one reason why she should learn to stand up for herself. She is sometimes lonely. Also, she is negative sometimes. So, Rachel learns to have to stick up for herself.

Do you ever get overemotional and a little sensitive? I think everyone does sometimes. You can see in the story "Eleven" Rachel did get overemotional and a little sensitive. So, she learns to stand up for herself. It all happened when the teacher claimed that a nasty disgusting sweater was Rachel's. Rachel thought "Not mine, Not mine, Not mine!" She felt three years old. Not eleven. Rachel needed to learn how to stand up for herself and tell the teacher that it wasn't her sweater. Additionally, She cries about a sweater. It is just a sweater. She is overreacting a little.Consequently She should learn to stand up for herself so she is not so sensitive....show more content...

Well Rachel did When the teacher said, "Who owns this sweater?", a girl said it was Rachel's. The teacher said "I remember you wearing it Rachel." Rachel felt butterflies in her stomach because she knew it was not hers, and it was disgusting. Also, no one stood up for her.This means, it is just one more reason why Rachel should learn to stand up for herself. Rachel was very lonely on her 11th birthday. This is important to notice because, No one was there to make her feel special. Rachel learns to stand up for herself because sometimes others are afraid to Get

Literary Analysis Of Eleven

By Sandra Cisneros

Eleven

Many people have heard the saying "act your age." When our birthdays come around most people think that they will fill more mature and act older; yet when our birthdays come around do we really feel any older? Sandra Cisneros remonstrates this in her short story "Eleven," About a little girl name Rachel on her eleventh birthday. This short story discusses the events that go on during Rachel's birthday and the emotions that go through her mind during all the experiences that she has on the day of her birthday. In Sandra Cisneros' outstanding short story, "Eleven," Cisneros, using characterization and conflict, shakes up a simple and predictable story to show reality rather than stereotypical ideas. Through these two literary devices, Cisneros demonstrates that even though people grow older they do not always feel older and act their age as viewed through the theme.

Cisneros creates an ironic story by giving characterization the Rachel that would not be found stereotypic in most stories. Immediately in the beginning of this story, the reader is introduced to the character of Rachel and her way of thinking is shown when Cisneros writes, "You do not feel eleven. Not right away. It takes a few days, weeks even, sometimes even months before you say Eleven when they ask you. And you don't feel smart eleven, not until you're almost twelve. That's the way it is" (Cisneros 1). In this text, the reader views how Rachel thinks. The reader see that Rachel is not really feeling

"Parents rarely let go of their children, so children let go of them." This quote from Mitch Albom along with these short stories shows how everyone can be effected by the time period when a child reaches the point in their life when they start understanding how to handle and comprehend some important thig ns and transitions in their lives. One of the symbols shown is from the story Eleven by Sandra Cisneros, the author uses are the red sweater that the teacher gives the girl. The teacher found a red sweater in her classroom closet, and when nobody claimed it as theirs, one of the protagonists classmates shouted that it was hers, and she didn't have the chance to stick up for herself to prevent the humiliation she received. She was mainly bothered by this because it was her eleventh birthday and she wanted it to be special, but the red sweater was making her oblivious to the positive parts of her day, as she was focused on not so much the sweater, but how she was not able to defend herself and how her teacher influenced the situation by not acknowledging anything she had to say. Majority of the story the character is coming up with insults for the red sweater like how she says, "In my head I'm thinking how long till lunchtime, how long till I can take the red sweater and throw it over the school yard fence, or even leave it hanging on a parking meter." This quote shows the time of coming of age in the main character's life when her humiliation is conflicting her views on

By Sandra Cisneros

In this short story "Eleven", Sandra Cisneros tells a story about a little girl named Rachel, who at a young age, understands the irony of when it comes to life and aging. On her eleventh birthday, she wished she had turned one–hundred and two because she would've had the courage and ability to stand up for herself and the knowledge to say what she needed to say to her teacher. Instead, she went through emotions from when she was younger causing her to seem vulnerable and weak because she was suppose to act eleven. In the beginning of the story, Rachel begins saying "What they don't understand about birthdays and what they never tell you is that when you're eleven, you're also ten, and nine, and eight, and seven, and six, and five, and four, and...show more content...

I personally can relate to Rachel in this story. I understand what it feels like to be embarrassed by acting a certain age you are currently not but was once before. Being humiliated in front of your peers, especially by a teacher. Doing everything in your power not to act like a three year old because you are eleven. Yes I can relate to that feeling. I have on many occasions casted out emotions of a younger age, due to obstaclas in life that hit me.

Rachel who had turned eleven, wished she was older because she knows she would be getting the respect she deserved and the courage to have stood up for herself. She responded to her teacher like a four year old child, stuttering trying to defend the fact that the sweater wasn't hers, but nothing was coming out to her defense. The teacher insisted that she remember Rachel wearing the sweater and placed it on her desk. At that point is when the three year old Rachel wanted to come out and cry because she had been humiliated in front of her peers. But she fought back tears because she was eleven, not three. She didn't want to look vulnerable and weak in front of her peers. She thought about how she was going home to a celebration because of

Rhetorical Devices In Eleven

By Sandra Cisneros

Eleven

Sandra Cisneros strong diction in the short Eleven aids to characterized Rachel feeling towards her infamous Eleventh birthday. Along with point view, tone and simile, these numerous rhetorical devices and many more are demonstrated throughout the entire short story. This in turns helps to point out Rachel true feelings. As the course of theshort story Rachel exhibits a number of feeling about coming of age. The first rhetorical device that displayed is point of view, this is demonstrated in the first sentence in the short story. When Rachel states " what they don't understand about birthday and what they never tell you." This introduction takes you into the mindset of Rachel and conveys the reader and makes the reader ponder. Cisneros opens the short story with our narrator's astute observations on aging. Rachel has already noticed that birthdays are symbolic, but this does not literally represent emotional evolution. Rachel has noticed that her mother cries and gently reminds readers that it's okay for adults to cry. She is aware that human beings can feel different levels of vulnerability at all ages. This is clearly stated when Rachel say "When you're eleven you're also ten, and nine, and eight, and seven, and six, and five, and four, and...show more content... This evident when Rachel uttered these word " I wish I didn't have only eleven years of rattling inside me like pennies in a tin Band Aid box. " This camparsion o reveal Rachel real feeling as well of perception of her which is use and point, just like pennies in a tin Band Aid box. Also the pennies represent the emotions that are rattling inside of Rachel, they can represent more than one maturity or age level in a moment. This in turns reflects her anxious tone, as her emotions are bouncing within her as loudly as pennies in a tin

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An Essay On Eleven

By Sandra Cisneros

In the text ''Eleven'' Sandra Cisneros uses many literacy techniques to characterize Rachel. She uses comparison on the line 19 and 20. She compares her growth to that of an opinion or like rings in a tree trunk. She uses more comparison on line 30 and 31 saying she has 11 years rattling in her like pennies in a tin Band–Aid

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By Sandra Cisneros

As individuals grow, they learn new ways to act and speak through actions of another in which they may look up towards. Many young students experience this reoccurring pressure as it can be seen as bullying. Bullying can be noticed in almost any circumstance, whether it is within arguments or even jokes it is shown to have a great toll on individuals' lives as they grow. Clear examples of this are seen greatly throughout the story "Eleven" written by Sandra Cisneros in many actions of the characters. Individuals grow through the observation of older mentors, due to this, forms of bullying such as judgment, peer–pressure, and even genocide has shown to become prevalent throughout many centuries. Judgmental actions can lead to many problems within friendships and groups as well. This form of bullying is seen to become a habit for many, thus leading to a common appearance in many individuals' lives. Although, judgment is seen by many as a form of communication, as a way to inform another if an action is being done incorrectly. After all, this perspective is false due to the harsh tolls in which judgment has on an individual, especially one of young age. For example, in the story the author describes the main character's thought process as she had been...show more content...

Many see jealousy, peer–pressure, and genocide to be ways for individuals to learn and understand. Although, these actions only lead to negative outcomes such as common occurrences in society. These acts are very hard to be avoided by many, indeed, there are ways in which individuals are able to escape these realities and these ways include large amounts of self confidence and even respect for others. To conclude, individuals grow as they learn, thus creating many common attributes in society, although, these prevalent actions are capable of either improving another or destroying as a

Crying, getting mad, and being excited are all parts of being a little kid but also being an adult. Sandra Cisneros talks about always being the age you were the year before. She gives an anecdote about getting embarrassed in school and having a little kid moment, just like everyone does. She also talks about how and why she did not want to be just eleven and what lessons she learned from this experience. In "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros, she uses simile and internal dialogue to reinforce the theme that we never truly leave our past behind. All of the examples she gives tie back to the theme of the story. Cisneros uses similes throughout the story and this is a major part in telling the theme. She uses it especially when talking about her age saying "...the way you grow old is kind of like an onion or like the rings inside a tree trunk or like my little wooden dolls that fit inside each other, each year inside the next one" (1). Another example of simile in the story is also when she describes her age "Only today I wish I didn't have only eleven years rattling inside me like pennies in a tin Band–Aid box" (1). In both of these examples, she uses other things that can fit object inside of them and shows it as age staying inside someone. By doing this, she makes the theme more visible....show more content...

Cisneros shows internal dialogue by starting the story off saying "What they don't understand about birthdays and what they never tell you is that when you're eleven, you're also ten, and nine, and eight, and seven, and six, and five, and four, and three, and two, and one" (1). She also uses her internal dialogue when talking about how she acted like a little kid saying "I'm eleven today and it's my birthday today and I'm crying like I'm three in front of everybody" (3). This is showing her internal thoughts and helps the reader understand the

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By Sandra Cisneros

Often in an author's toolbox, there are tools used to create a vibrant and engaging scene. In the short story ВЁElevenВЁ by Sandra Cisneros the author uses the tools of irony and imagery she used these to portray and place emphasis on a certain message that she wants the reader to learn. With the use of imagery an author uses descriptive writing to paint scenes, characters, emotions, and all other parts of their writing to produce both a living, breathing set of characters and environment. Irony, is along for the ride to compliment the story to emphasize the theme that no matter how old you get you can still have moments of insecurity. "Eleven" begins with a contradictory statement, about turning eleven, that even though you turn eleven one is still really ten underneath and that it takes awhile to really transition from being ten to being eleven. This premise that utilizes subtle irony is the basis of "Eleven"; that even though one is a certain age one can still revert back to another age, in actions and feelings only of course, in moments of insecurity. How the author uses irony in this particular piece is through connection with the reader, using the subtlety of the irony to introduce an exaggerated concept of a normal occurrence, one that anyone of any age can relate to. Usually in a story irony is an active part of the plot, although it usually does not actually interact or change the plot it just exists on a conceptual level to entertain or to point a subject out to the reader. "Eleven" is different in a way however, though the irony does only exist conceptual and is not active in "changing" the plot; but it does create the plot in the first place, which is allowing for the main character Rachel to actively make the feeling of emotion turn into a much more in depth action that doesn't only apply to this certain classroom setting but to anyone of any age, thus proving the theme. For example, in the part of the story where Mrs. Price is investigating who the red sweater belongs too, and Rachel is in question directly by Mrs. Price and she acts in a timid manner as if she was four, when denying that it was hers. Then , when she is forced to put the sweater on and she starts to regress through her ages, and Get

Sandra Cisneros' use of literary elements, such as tone, repetition, and figurative language, causes the reader to that it takes a long time to grow up. Cisneros benefits from her usage of tone to show how Rachel, the main character, struggles with growing up and to help readers relate to her. Rachel describes that "when you wake up you expect to feel eleven, but you don't" (Cisneros 1). Explaining how she doesn't feel a year older on her birthday, she says that she expects to get the sensation of being eleven. This shows how eager she is to grow up, but she's impatient at the thought of it. However, although she wishes to be older, growing up doesn't happen all at once. Rachel also illustrates how she's eleven, but she says "I wish I was one hundred and two" (Cisneros 2). In this part of the story, she is struggling with dealing with an ugly red sweater. She thinks that if she were older, these problems wouldn't be in her life, as shown when she wishes to be one hundred...show more content...

Throughout the text, Rachel frequently repeats "not mine, not mine, not mine" (Cisneros 1). Reiteration makes the fact that the sweater isn't hers stronger and clearer. She isn't bold enough yet to be upfront and say the sweater isn't hers, which is a reason she could want to be older. Finding she wants to be stronger also shows the need to be older, as many people gain confidence with age. Lines similar to "when you're eleven, you're also ten, and nine, and eight, and seven, and six, and five, and four, and three, and two, and one" (Cisneros 1), visits constantly. Counting down the years explains how Rachel feels about aging. She goes back to saying how "you feel like you're still ten. And you are–underneath the year that makes you eleven" (Cisneros 1). When she counts down, she proves a point about how no one feels their current age until they're almost another

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Growing up is something that everyone goes through. As one grows older they feel differently about growing up. A young kid wants to grow up and going out into the real world, then that same kid grows up a bit and faces the reality of life and doesn't want to grow old, but instead wants to go back, the last phase is just accepting the fact that this is happening no matter what. The first stage is wanting to grow up and looking forward to it. The story "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros shows the perspective of an eleven year old going through a tough situation:" I wish I was anything but eleven, because I want today to be far away already, far away like a runaway balloon, like a tiny o in the sky, so tiny you have to close your eyes to see it" (248). This little girl has no idea what growing up is, she believes that being older will fix everything, this shows how differently someone thinks when they're younger and more naive. Cisneros says," Today I wish I was one hundred and two instead of eleven because if I was one hundred and two I'd have known what to say when Mrs. Price put the red sweater on my desk" (247). Furthermore,"

Because she's old and the teacher she's right and I'm not" (Cisneros 247). The little girl says this and it applies to younger kids like herself because they've lived their whole life listening to what adults say that they have a tendency to just think they are right. The poem "On Turning Ten" by Billy Collins says," It seems only yesterday I used to believe, there was nothing under my skin but light/ If you cut me I could shine" (29–32). This ten year old boy explains how he thought he was invincible and nothing was impossible. The picture "Growing Up" by Hannah Galvin shows 7 figures at different stages in their life, the third figure shows a little boy who is excited and running with his face up. This shows how he did everything with his head held high no matter what. This first stage gives someone the innocence that makes them a little kid, and allows them to have an imagination. The second stage is actually going out into the real world and realizing that growing up isn't something to be excited for. Collins further states," But now I am mostly at the window/ watching the late afternoon

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Use of Repetition and Metaphor in Sandra Cisneros' Short Story, Eleven

In the short story "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros, a young girl named Rachel is characterized. Through a specific incident, Cisneros shows how Rachel does not act as old as eleven ideally should. Through repetition and metaphor, Cisneros alludes toRachel?s personality and childish views.

This story basically tells of a girl?s pride being hurt. It was Rachel?s birthday and her teacher embarrassed her by stating a raggedy old sweater was hers. The metaphors Rachel uses to describe this article of clothing and her age throughout the story are indicators that she is still a child and that she lives a simple life. For example, Rachel said ?Because the way you grow old...show more content...

(lines 19–22) By using dolls and trees to explain the concept of age, it can be inferred that these are objects Rachel is often surrounded with. Another reference to her youth is her statement "rattling inside me like pennies in a tin Band–Aid box." (line 30) The extremity that Rachel took the issue of the sweater to shows Rachel's level of maturity. She pushed it to the very top corner of her desk so it was "hanging all over the edge like a waterfall." (line 83) She acted as if the ugly sweater had a disease and would harm her if she was near it.

Cisneros also uses repetition to show that Rachel still has the characteristics of her younger years. ?I am eleven, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, and one.? Rachel claims that sometimes you "cry like if you're three" (line 16) or "say something stupid, and that?s the part of you that's still ten." (lines 11–12) Cisneros is pointing out that Rachel is eleven but still envelops many characteristics of her younger years. Another example of repetition ifs this statement ?Mama is making a cake for me for tonight, and when Papa comes home everybody will sing Happy Birthday.? This makes Rachel's childish excitement about her birthday evident. Also, by repeating this, it shows how important this day is to Rachel and how she thinks it isn?t fair she is ridiculed on such a special day.

Through metaphor and repetition, Sandra Cisneros characterizes Rachel as a young girl stuck in her childish ways. She

Theme Of Eleven

By Sandra Cisneros Analysis

Sometimes people don't have the courage to stand up for themselves when challenged with problems. When in the story Eleven by, Sandra Cisneros there is a girl named Rachel she is a shy insecure and doesn't stand up for self. It's her birday and she is turning 11 years old, but seems that Rachel day is been a bumpy road. Her teacher is giving her a rough time and same with her classmates. All because, shes been put for the balm of how owns the ugly red sweater, These are coulpe Reason. For example, when Rachel loses herself when challenged by the teacher Mrs.Price. For instance when Mrs.Price says " Of course it's yours I remember you wearing it once. "Because she's older and the teacher, she's right and I'm not. This shows how Rachel's

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Often in an authorВґs toolbox, there are tools used to create a vibrant and engaging scene. In the short story ВЁElevenВЁ by Sandra Cisneros the author uses the tools of irony and imagery she used these to portray and place emphasis on a certain message that she wants the reader to learn. With the use of imagery an author uses descriptive writing to paint scenes, characters, emotions, and all other parts of their writing to produce both a living, breathing set of characters and environment. Irony, is along for the ride to compliment the story to emphasize the theme that no matter how old you get you can still have moments of insecurity. "Eleven" begins with a contradictory statement, about turning eleven, that even though you turn eleven one is still really ten underneath and that it takes awhile to really transition from being ten to being eleven. This premise that utilizes subtle irony is the basis of "Eleven"; that even though one is a certain age one can still revert back to another age, in actions and feelings only of course, in moments of insecurity. How the author uses irony in this particular piece is through connection with the reader, using the subtlety of the irony to introduce an exaggerated concept of a normal occurrence, one that anyone of any age can relate to. Usually in a story irony is an active part of the plot, although it usually does not actually interact or change the plot it just exists on a conceptual level to entertain or to point a subject out to the reader. "Eleven" is different in a way however, though the irony does only exist conceptual and is not active in "changing" the plot; but it does create the plot in the first place, which is allowing for the main character Rachel to actively make the feeling of emotion turn into a much more in depth action that doesn't only apply to this certain classroom setting but to anyone of any ag, in any situation. For example, in the part of the story where Mrs. Price is investigating who the red sweater belongs too, and Rachel is in question directly by Mrs. Price and she acts in a timid manner as if she was four, when denying that it was hers. Then , when she is forced to put the sweater on and she starts to regress through her ages, and starts

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Eleven by Sandra Cisneros

Final Essay & Presentation

'Eleven' by Sandra Cisneros and 'Mud' by Maria Irene Fornes

Thesis

Date

2300 words

Temidayo Ajayi

University name

Final Essay & Presentation

A short story 'Eleven' by Sandra Cisneros dwells upon the memories of an eleven–year–old girl that spends her birthday at school and gets into a discomforting situation with her teacher because of her lack of confidence. In spite of the multiple colloquial phrases and childish expressions, this is a very philosophical piece of writing. It touches upon such global and adult issues as experience, freedom, aging, life and death, knowledge and restrictions. The symbolism is very sophisticated here – under the veiled mask...show more content... Although Rachel is very emotional, in the only dialogue between her and Mrs. Pierce she sounds very shy, unsure of herself, not ready to confront and timid.

The most important lesson for Rachel that comes out of this situation is that after wearing the disgusted sweater she has become even older, and

it was tied to the experience instead of the birthday itself. She understands that it is the challenge she needs to grow up faster as she will receive additional benefits of behaving the way she wants and resisting to the outside irritators. As for the literature techniques, the author applies language, diction and symbolism to reveal the issues of experience, aging, knowledge, power, authority and freedom. The discovering is gaining age are conveyed with the help of the memories of eleven–year–old girl on her birthday. Rachel resists her humiliation from Mrs. Pierce, and that is the exact moment when her "smart eleven" comes as well[2].

The play "Mud" written by Maria Irene Fornes also assesses the theme of knowledge and understanding oneself using the example of Mae. This woman is illiterate and cannot make a living without ironing clothes. She lives with Lloyd who is a kind of a stepbrother for her, and with time he also replaces some functions of a husband. Lloyd cannot be called an intelligent or talented person – he is lazy and suffers from some unknown disease that makes him impotent and useless. Mae tries

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