Preview

Susan Pfeffer's Ashes

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
904 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Susan Pfeffer's Ashes
Ashleigh is faced with the decision of taking her mother's money to help her father or not taking it and disappointing him. Ashleigh’s parents are divorced and she is living with her mother. Her dad gave her the nickname of “Ashes” but her mother hated the nickname so they had a fight. Ashleigh did not take her mother’s money because she thinks her dad is irresponsible, she knows her mom would be mad if she stole the money, and she was questioning her dad’s motives for taking the money.
Ashleigh did not take the money because she thinks her dad is irresponsible. In the short story “Ashes” Susan Pfeffer states,”He’s an irresponsible bum”was her way of wording it. I knew he was both.” (Page 1) This quote shows that Ashleigh’s dad is irresponsible
…show more content…
In the short story “Ashes”, Ashleigh states, “With mom, there are a lot of rainy days and she takes a grim sort of pleasure in being ready for them.” (Susan Pfeffer Page 1) This excerpt from “Ashes” shows that Ashleigh’s mom would be angry if she took the money which supports the argument that Ashleigh did not take the money. Ashleigh’s mom likes to be prepared and would be mad if she needed the money and found that Ashleigh took it she would be resentful to Ashleigh so Ashleigh did not take the money because she didn't want her mother to be angry at her. In the short story “Ashes” Ashleigh’s dad states, “She’d never let you go hungry,” (Susan Pfeffer Page 2) This supports the idea that Ashleigh did not take the money by illustrating that Ashleigh’s mom would be mad if she took the money. The quote shows that Ashleigh’s mom always provides for her and would be mad if Ashleigh stole from her so Ashleigh would not take her mom’s money. In the story “Ashes” Ashleigh tells the reader, “She’s the most practical person I know,” (Susan Pfeffer Page 1) This quote from the story supports the point that Ashleigh did not take the money by showing that Ashleigh’s mom is very practical. Ashleigh’s mom is practical and would be able to see other solutions to the problem so she would be mad at Ashleigh for taking the money so Ashleigh did not take the money. Ashleigh did not take her mother's …show more content…
In the story “Ashes” Ashleigh asked her dad if he was waiting for someone at the diner, he said no but continued to watch the door. This piece of evidence shows how Ashleigh’s dad was being suspicious at the diner so she would not give him the money because it could be for something terrible. In “Ashes”, Ashleigh asks, “Why don’t you sell your car?” (Susan Pfeffer Page 4) This quotes supports the argument that Ashleigh did not take her mother's money by showing that her dad wouldn’t sell his car to get the money. Ashleighs dad would not his car so the investment is probably not worth it so Ashleigh did not give her father the money. Ashleigh asks, “You’ll be able to pay her back by friday?” in the story “Ashes”. This quote supports the claim that Ashleigh did not take the money by showing the doubt Ashleigh has about her father being able to pay her mother back. Ashleigh thinks her dad would not be able to pay her mother back so she did not take her mom’s money. Ashleigh did not take her mom’s emergency money because she was questioning her father’s motives for needing the

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Pearl Test Questions

    • 816 Words
    • 4 Pages

    | In the case of saving their only child's life, money is a key issue. Write about a situation you once experienced or learned about, in which lack of money was a decisive factor.…

    • 816 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Bertha Budget Paragraph

    • 292 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Bertha Budget Is an old woman who is seventy-four years old. Bertha is not retired and is still working. Every nickel of Bertha’s money is saved. Bertha does not even have a husband or kids to spend the money on. The house Bertha lives in is in disrepair and she has worn out clothes. She never goes out to eat neither. Bertha has lots of money in her bank account tho and has money just setting under her mattress.…

    • 292 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    obsession with money. The repetition of the value that money holds in her father's mind makes it seem…

    • 1351 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ethan Frome Essay Example

    • 568 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In the Frome household, the economic stress is great due to Zeena’s illness, expensive medical bills, and Ethan Frome’s refusal to except their financial reality. Zeena is extremely ill and her condition worsens by the day. Zeena requires medical treatment from various doctors, but all the treatment puts a hole in the Frome’s income. Knowing the situation at hand, Zeena asks her husband Ethan if their financial situation is okay. Ethan’s response is,” Yes, I’m getting an advance from Mr. Hale” (Ethan Frome). Ethan lies to Zeena so he will not kill his pride. Ethan’s pride is especially essential to him throughout the text. Even when Mr. Hale asks him, “You need the money?” Ethan refuses, even though he is desperately in need extra cash (Ethan Frome). Ethan is stuck between what he thinks is right, and what is best for his family. He knows facing the reality of not having money is upsetting, but at the same time, if he admits to his family they have no money the tension and anxiety will become unbearable. Ethan will not admit to the accruing debt which adds to his resentment for Zeena and Starkfield, New England.…

    • 568 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Susan Pfeffer's Life

    • 219 Words
    • 1 Page

    Life as We Knew It by Susan Pfeffer is a science fiction novel describing what life would be like if a meteor hit the moon. There would be a change in the tides which would cause severe weather all over the world. In the story, tsunamis, tornados, earthquakes, and volcano eruptions were diminishing the world population by an unimaginable amount. This story focuses on Beth and her family. I found it interesting how, at first, no one really believed it was a big deal and figured things would go back to normal soon. Supplies began running out and things quickly became every-man-for-himself, people’s survival instincts kicking in. Towards the beginning of these tragic events, Beth talks about how she never realised how all the little things in…

    • 219 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    It didn’t work though because he found it and took it. Jeanette notices that the money is gone and she tells Lori. They are both upset that their father took the money.…

    • 547 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    At the beginning of this trip she has no idea of what's going on. “As usual, whatever my mother did not like and could not change, she ignored.” (240). She still had her innocence as her mother explained to her making up excuses why they weren't going to go to the dining car to eat. Referring back to this moment in her life she then realizes it wasn't because it cost money or didn't know whose hands had been playing all over that food but because…

    • 957 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Even though her childhood was not very enjoyable, her parents try to make it up by obtaining jobs so they could have the bare essentials. Jeanette’s father, who is extremely intelligent, worked in the barite mine as an electrician trying to bring home a stable income for his family to ensure the best success for his kids. “ The barite mine where Dad worked had a commissary, and the mine owner deducted our bill and the rent for the depot out of Dad’s paycheck every month. At the beginning of each week, we went to the commissary and brought home bags and bags of food” (Walls 56). The effect of getting money to pay for food was huge for this family because when they had no money left, their kids would go through the garbage and trying to find leftover food from others to ensure they don’t get hungry. Jeanette’s parents are the only source of income and if his father lost his…

    • 543 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Three Little Words

    • 592 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The family moved to Florida when Ashley was three. There, Dusty ran into trouble with the law, and the two children were taken. Ashley was too young to understand that she would never live with her mother again, as she and Luke entered a foster home --- the first of 14 she would live in over the next nine years. No one explained to the three-year-old why she couldn't be with her mother. When she did finally see her mother, Lorraine said they would live together after she found a nice home and a good job. Ashley yearned for her mother constantly as she was moved from foster home to foster home, sometimes with Luke and other times alone. Lorraine visited occasionally, always promising that Ashley would live with her "someday."…

    • 592 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Raisin In The Sun Failure

    • 750 Words
    • 3 Pages

    You are a family of 5 living in the same household, you have just received ten grand from an insurance check from a deceased parent. "A Raisin in the Sun" by Lorraine Hansberry is a story about a poor family who is living in the southside of Chicago and has just been given an insurance check from their father and Mrs.Younger's (aka Mama) husband. The check was for $10,000 which they have been trying to figure out what they are going to be doing with it. Mama, Beneatha, and Walter all have a dream of what they want to spend the money on but they can't come to a compromise. I would side with Walter's decision because over time it would help the family make money and get the family above the poverty line. While Beneatha wants to become a doctor which she is going to need to go to school for and get a degree. Which at the moment is what she wants to do but could always change…

    • 750 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    What can be determined from the facts as presented about whether Alice intended to make Bob a gift of $1,000,000?…

    • 453 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Thank You M Am Examples

    • 287 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Another example is when she says “Well ya didn't have to steal my pocka book to get some suede shoes, ya coulda asked me!”(358). This demonstrates how this lady would have given the kid money if he asked, most people won't do this, This is important because it proves that she…

    • 287 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Fla Take Home Exam

    • 907 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Amelia is an engineer and wants to set up her own engineering business. There is a small bank that has just opened up in her area – No Red Tape Bank (‘NRT Bank’). On 31 August she sees the managing director of NRT Bank, Madison, and discusses with Madison the amount of borrowed funds Amelia thinks she will need for her business. They discuss different types of loans and Madison says that a simple loan of $200,000 repayable in 3 years would be the best type of loan for what Amelia wants to do. Amelia says that she doesn’t want to pay high fees for the loan. Madison says ‘I’ll see what we can do’. Later that day Madison telephones Amelia and leaves a message on Amelia’s answering machine. Madison says ‘I just wanted to update you and let you know that I’ve had discussions with our lending team and it seems the bank can provide you with a current account and a loan of $200,000 repayable at the expiration of three years. What do you think about that proposal?’.…

    • 907 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Eleven months after moving into the home, Pat received the half-million dollar installment check. Pat immediately went to Dan with a check for $275,000 and asked Dan to convey the property to her according to their agreement. Dan refused to accept the check and ordered Pat to move out.…

    • 1017 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Then, he looked around the car, and found that it was just a flat tire, but it was bad enough for an old lady. He went on and changed the tire; he even got dirty, and had his hands hurt. She told him that she couldn’t thank him enough for coming to her aid as she could already imagine how awful things would have happened if he didn’t stop. He just smiled. The lady asked him how much she needs to pay him for the help. Any amount would have been all right with her. However, Alex didn’t think twice about being paid since this was helping someone in need, as there were plenty who have given him a hand in the past. He just told her that if she really wants to pay him back, the next…

    • 866 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays