Emotions In Raymond Run By Toni Cade Bambara

Emotions make us, us. They shows our personality they defines us. Most of us go through a huge variety throughout the day, from feeling disappointed to feeling like you're the most joyful person on Earth. The first thing that comes to mind when you are thinking about emotions is the story “Raymond Run” by Toni Cade Bambara and the fighter, tough minded-girl, and sassy main character, Hazel Elizabeth Deborah Parker (Squeaky). Every single day of the week she has to mind her mentally challenged brother, Raymond, and then gets her rest and stress relief by running. Although she may be tough or physical, inside her she has a heart full of gold.

In the start of the story she may seem like a bully. In general she has a lot of confidence in herself,
doesn’t think highly of people, and doesn’t like to be unicorns and rainbows. Her sassiness is a cover for her sadness. Her sadness is showed when she used to come everyday to the May Day dance and saw her parents smiling and clapping. 2 years later her parents no longer come to the May Day Parade because she runs now.“I was once a strawberry in a Hansel and Gretel pageant when I was in nursery school and did not Have no better sense than to dance on tiptoe with my arms in a circle over my head doing umbrella Steps...” pg. 32 line 370. This quote shows that she isn’t like normal girls who like to dress up and have long hair, instead she is proud of what she does, running. All though the interior monologue may seem to you like she is a sassy girl. The monologue is a cover for her sadness. In the book the stereotype that she has is not the one her mother wants so she is sad so she is not happy she is not supporting her.

In the beginning and the middle of the story the author often uses interior monologue to show her anger, sassiness, and sadness about many girls stereotype.
During this time Squeaky is never happy. She goes through a lot getting teased by a bunch of people and then taking care of her brother. But in the end happiness finds its way in. “So I stand there with my new plans, laughing out loud by this time as Raymond jumps down from the fence and runs over with his teeth showing and his arms down to the side, which no one before him has quite mastered as a running style. And by the time he comes over I’m jumping up and down so glad to see him-my brother Raymond, a great runner in the family tradition.” #:pg. 39 line 370. This quote shows that after all those times she disrespected her brother anybody can do anything. This shows after all the tough times she and her brother have gone through there is a way through find happiness through each other. This quote shows that after all those times she disrespected her brother anybody can do anything. This shows after all the tough times she and her brother have gone through there is a way through find happiness through each other.

After getting into arguments, bullying, and pulling her brother around she only has one way around to relax, run. When she runs she gains some confidence. She thinks confidence is key to success. “There is no track meet I don’t win the first-place medal.”#: pg. 26 line 25. This quote shows that confidence is key, she is very passionate about running, and is going to run for the rest of her life. The quote shows that you have to believe in yourself to achieve an goal. When she goes through the teasing, and bullying running is her relax and stress
relief.