Sluggo In The Short Story 'Shells' By Cynthia Rylant
Sluggo
“Shells” by Cynthia Rylant is a realistic short story about a fourteen-year-old boy named Michael who learns to live life with his aunt after his parents die. In the beginning, Michael dislikes living with his aunt Esther because of how he still wants to be at his own house. Soon, he buys a hermit crab and aunt Esther tries to take interest in it to show that she cares about him. In the end, Michael is finally able to come out his own shell. In this story I want to show you how it is possible that Sluggo,the hermit crab,represents Michael. One way Sluggo represents Michael is how they are both lonely. In paragraph 41, for example, Aunt Esther thinks Sluggo is lonely and tells Michael, I think she also knows how Michael has no friends in school. So, they decide to go to the pet store and buy Sluggo a “girlfriend” but when they get there Aunt Esther over-reacts because she wants to pretend to show interest in the …show more content…
things that Michael likes. She decides to buy all the hermit crabs and the tank to go with it. I think that Michael knows that Aunt Esther is only pretending but is still happy that she is trying to show interest. This shows how Aunt Esther also wants to get Michael friends so that he is not as lonely.
Another way Sluggo represents Michael is how in paragraph 55, for example, Aunt Esther marks Sluggo.
They mark Sluggo so that they don't lose him. This represents a little about how Aunt Esther doesn’t want Michael to lose interest in life and fun activities. This also shows how important Michael is to Aunt Esther. She knows how Michael still is going through grieving for his parents and he is slowly just starting to let his mind drift of into an abyss of depression for the rest of his life.
The final way Sluggo represents Michael is how in paragraph 67, how Sluggo is coming out of his shell just like Michael is. This represents how Michael is finally ready to accept his parents’ deaths and to live with Aunt Esther in a new house and area. He is finally ready to just accept that life is unfair and that he has to move on. “No, Aunt Esther.” He shook his head solemnly. “I don’t hate you.” is what he said in paragraph 64 to show he really doesn’t hate her anymore and he finally loves her. Michael came out of his shell and is ready, to face the
world!
That is how Sluggo represents Michael. Michael was lonely just like Sluggo in his small bowl. Then, Sluggo was marked so that they didn’t lose him just like Aunt Esther doesn’t want Michael to lose interest in life. Sluggo even started coming out of his shell just like Michael was coming out of his grieving for his parents. But that is just my theory for this story and I think that it is true because of all the deaths of people and the loss of their families.
“Shells” by Cynthia Rylant is a realistic short story about a fourteen-year-old boy named Michael who learns to live life with his aunt after his parents die. In the beginning, Michael dislikes living with his aunt Esther because of how he still wants to be at his own house. Soon, he buys a hermit crab and aunt Esther tries to take interest in it to show that she cares about him. In the end, Michael is finally able to come out his own shell. In this story I want to show you how it is possible that Sluggo,the hermit crab,represents Michael. One way Sluggo represents Michael is how they are both lonely. In paragraph 41, for example, Aunt Esther thinks Sluggo is lonely and tells Michael, I think she also knows how Michael has no friends in school. So, they decide to go to the pet store and buy Sluggo a “girlfriend” but when they get there Aunt Esther over-reacts because she wants to pretend to show interest in the …show more content…
things that Michael likes. She decides to buy all the hermit crabs and the tank to go with it. I think that Michael knows that Aunt Esther is only pretending but is still happy that she is trying to show interest. This shows how Aunt Esther also wants to get Michael friends so that he is not as lonely.
Another way Sluggo represents Michael is how in paragraph 55, for example, Aunt Esther marks Sluggo.
They mark Sluggo so that they don't lose him. This represents a little about how Aunt Esther doesn’t want Michael to lose interest in life and fun activities. This also shows how important Michael is to Aunt Esther. She knows how Michael still is going through grieving for his parents and he is slowly just starting to let his mind drift of into an abyss of depression for the rest of his life.
The final way Sluggo represents Michael is how in paragraph 67, how Sluggo is coming out of his shell just like Michael is. This represents how Michael is finally ready to accept his parents’ deaths and to live with Aunt Esther in a new house and area. He is finally ready to just accept that life is unfair and that he has to move on. “No, Aunt Esther.” He shook his head solemnly. “I don’t hate you.” is what he said in paragraph 64 to show he really doesn’t hate her anymore and he finally loves her. Michael came out of his shell and is ready, to face the
world!
That is how Sluggo represents Michael. Michael was lonely just like Sluggo in his small bowl. Then, Sluggo was marked so that they didn’t lose him just like Aunt Esther doesn’t want Michael to lose interest in life. Sluggo even started coming out of his shell just like Michael was coming out of his grieving for his parents. But that is just my theory for this story and I think that it is true because of all the deaths of people and the loss of their families.