Ms. Jarrard
Eng. 101
14 June. 2014
The Life Changes of Pivotal Moments Pivotal moments can sometimes be created to help people learn from a mistake, or to keep a great memory going. Some pivotal moments can be a great burden, if you allow it. Other pivotal moments can make a person stronger, healthier, or become a motivation to be a better person. It is those sentimental, heart wrenching, crucial, or maybe life threating moments that change a person for the good or for the worse. This essay challenges those pivotal moments of another person’s story.
In the story Shame, Gregory Dick was faced with a moment that made him into a stronger man by facing things that he felt ashamed of. Dick had a very difficult childhood. He grew up very poor. With matted hair and only one outfit that he washed daily with melted ice, he would make his way to school only because he wanted to see a little girl named Helene Tucker. Dick had a crush on little Helene, who was an upper class from dick. She always dressed nice with her pretty pig tails. Dick felt ashamed that Helene had a father, and he didn’t, and decided on Community Chest day he would pretend he had a daddy. (Dick) …show more content…
Dick and his family was on relief, so the school was taking up money to help Dick’s family. As the teacher called out every student’s name and recorded their amount, she skipped Dick. He was eager to top Helene’s $2.50. He stood up and argued with the teacher that his daddy was going to give $15.00! The teacher shamed him by saying, “We know you don’t have a daddy.” (Dick). Dick was extremely embarrassed not only because he knew he had lied about having a daddy and giving $15, but because Helene heard it all. He could tell Helene felt sorry for him when she turned around to look at him crying. He was so embarrassed he did not go back to