Divergent Path Analysis

In life, everyone is destined to make decisions, whether it is as inconsequential as picking out an outfit or it is as life changing as deciding where to go to college. While making these decisions, the most unexpected influences can help with guidance towards the right direction and make everything seem clear. These influences can be something small, like someone saying a sentence, or something big, like a political crisis in the world. This is shown in the short stories, “Initiation”, “Divergent Paths”, and “Harrison Bergeron”. In “Divergent Paths” and “Harrison Bergeron”, the major influence was a large group of people with authority. However, in “Initiation”, only a stranger on a bus influenced the main character. In the story, “Initiation”,
In this short story, the narrator debates whether or not she should steal like her friend Billy. One side of the narrator’s dilemma is shown by her explaining Peeper sticks as “…eye crayons that’ve always cost dollars I don’t have.” This indicates that one of her justifications for stealing is that she would not be able to afford it anyway. While she is still hesitant, the adults at the store react to President Nixon’s water gate scandal by yelling, “‘Impeach the crook.’” This reaction alludes to the narrator’s new inner conflict, how society would view her. Because the narrator is so concerned about society shaming her like they did Nixon, she decides not to
This was seen in the three short stories “Initiation”, “Divergent Paths”, and “Harrison Bergeron” through several literary devices. In the first short story mentioned, the great influence was something very small, while in the other two stories the major impact was a large group of people. It is important to remember that everyone has to make tough decisions in life and that each time there will be different influences that lead to a final