Essay - The Character Development of Squeaky in 'Raymond's Run' by Toni...

The Character Development of Squeaky in "Raymond's Run" by Toni Cade Bambara

Paying attention to what happens in the sidel*****es can often changes our lives as we learn in the short story "Raymond's *****" by ***** Cade Bambara. In this *****, ***** protagonist, Squeaky, *****s a valuable lesson about the worth of others by noticing something that her brot*****, Raymond, does. While ***** is simply running to imitate his sister, a seemingly insignificant thing, ***** action changes ***** in a significant way. Seeing her brot***** run causes her to realize that everyone, no matter how different they are, h***** some***** to offer the world.

The characters of Gretchen and Mary Louise are pivotal to Squeaky's development because of how ***** feelings change at the end ***** the s*****ry. When she encounters ***** on the street, we are told that Gretchen talks about Squeaky "like a dog" (Bambara 22), a completely disrespectful thing to do. Likewise, Squeaky also exhibits disrespect for ***** and ***** Louise ***** telling us that Mary Louise is fat and from "Raggedy Town Baltimore" (23). These statements demonstrate how Squeaky is not quite self-confident or grown up enough to stop calling people names. She also tells us that Gretchen smiles at her "but it's not a smile, and I'm thinking th***** girls never really smile at each o*****er beca*****e they don't know ***** and don't want to know how" (*****). The scene with these girls illustrates ***** Squeaky ***** still quite immature when it comes ***** dealing ***** people.

Raymond is also significant to Squeaky's development in that by the end of the st*****y, her attitude about him *****s almost *****. Early ***** ***** story, we read that Raymond "needs looking after" (21) and ***** "***** quite right" (21). Squeaky is aware that it ***** her responsibility to look after him and this is a responsibility ***** ***** does not t*****ke lightly. When people say bad ********** ***** him, they have to answer to Squeaky. ***** ***** is a noble ********** Squeaky has toward her brother, it ***** not include much, if any, respect for Raymond as a person who is capable of much ***** anything on h***** own. Squeaky sees def*****ing Raymond ***** an act to prove herself to others.

***** May Day race is also ***** because it is at th***** event ***** Squeaky starts growing up. While Squeaky is running *****e *****, she catches a glimpse of her brother who is also ***** along with his ***** on the other side of the fence. She states, "it's the first time I ever saw that *****d I almost stop to watch my br***** ***** on ***** very first run" (26). Her statement suggests that for the first *****, she *****s that her *****other is a human being ***** consists of ********** much more than being someone that is ***** quite right. She understands, perhaps ***** the first time, that she and her brother ***** ***** in common than she realized. For one thing, they both