Inroduction
In the story 'Paper Parcel' by Owen Marshall, Marshall uses symbolism such as the Paper Parcel to show the idea of sexual preferment, and the difference in understanding between children and adults.
The first idea that Marshall shows us using the paper parcel is the idea of sexual preferment. A good example of this is at the dance. For a long time leading up to this point in the story the author has said how awful his costume is. However when the author arrives at the dance instead of saying how bad the parcel is, he gives us descriptions of how wonderful everyone else looks in their costumes, 'Tommy was a fire-cheif with a crested helmet that glittered' 'Dusty's Captain Marvel insignia was startling on his chest'. After giving us several detailed descriptions of how great his freinds look he says simply, 'And I was a parcel'. By giving such a short description of his parcel it shows that he is upset and ashamed about being a parcel. It also shows his costumes simplicity. When he finally gives us a description it is a negative one, pointing out all the faults of the parcel. 'A brown paper parcel with bare legs and sandshoes. A brown paper parcel that crinckled when I moved.' By contrasting everyone elses amazing costumes with a brown paper bag, and then elaborating on its faults, the author is showing his absolute disgust for his costume. However it gets worse for him when he finds his date Kelly. As soon as she sees him she is dissapointed and embarrassed. When they are dancing she is unenthusiastic and expressionless, 'as if I was doing her a favour by dancing'. This is a huge change from when they were practicing dancing together and Kelly was talking to him about ugly people 'some people are ugly'. This is when he was cool and had sexual status. However whatever sexual status he had before the dance is lost when Kelly and the other girls see his ugly paper parcel. Kelly dances with him for one song and then makes an excuse to get away from him. It is now that the author realizes that he has lost sexual ranking because of his parcel. He has realized the 'transcience of sexual preferment' and now believes that sexual status must be used immediately.
The second thing that the paper pacel symbolizes is the difference in understanding between children and adults. The author has a very different idea and understanding about the school dance than his parents. He believes that his parents don't take him, his costume, or his school dance seriously. His mother thinks that his dance is a silly kids costume party. This view is reflected when she talks about what he is going to wear to the dance 'oh we'll rustle something up don't worry'. His mother is obiously quite casual and unconcerned about the dance. However to the author, the dance is so much more important.'there would be quizzes on tables, or a sprint the legnth of the hall'.It is a time to show his peers and all the girls his talent and use his new sexual preferment to his full advantage. However even after he tells his mother how important the dance is she still thinks it is 'some kids thing'. Her and the authors father make jokes about the whole thing, and his mother dosn't even start the costume until after dinner, 'it wasn't until after tea that my mother even started the parcel'. This rienforces her casual attitude towards the whole thing. She also tells him that nobody goes to a dance ontime. This shows her total lack of understanding about her son's dance. She is relating his dance to her experiences of dances and is getting it completely wrong. She also sees the parcel as an oppourtunity to show her sons creativity and originality, and best of all it's cheap. The authors reaction to his costume is outright disgust, 'A parcel; Jesus'. This repeared use of this phrase shows his absolute hate towards his costume. By using profanity 'Jesus' he is rienforcing his distaste towards the parcel.
In conclusion Owen Marshall uses the paper parcel in his story 'Paper Parcel' to symbolize several things such as the transcience of sexual preferment and the difference in understanding between adults and children. Marshall's parents obiously have no idea about the importance of his school dance, and instead of taking it seriously make jokes and give him a cheap but authentic, shabby looking paper parcel. By the end of the dance Marshall has realized that sexual status is only contemperary, and that by wearing the wrong thing you can lose your placement in the sexual ladder completely. He swears that next time he will use sexual preferment immediately.
In the story 'Paper Parcel' by Owen Marshall, Marshall uses symbolism such as the Paper Parcel to show the idea of sexual preferment, and the difference in understanding between children and adults.
The first idea that Marshall shows us using the paper parcel is the idea of sexual preferment. A good example of this is at the dance. For a long time leading up to this point in the story the author has said how awful his costume is. However when the author arrives at the dance instead of saying how bad the parcel is, he gives us descriptions of how wonderful everyone else looks in their costumes, 'Tommy was a fire-cheif with a crested helmet that glittered' 'Dusty's Captain Marvel insignia was startling on his chest'. After giving us several detailed descriptions of how great his freinds look he says simply, 'And I was a parcel'. By giving such a short description of his parcel it shows that he is upset and ashamed about being a parcel. It also shows his costumes simplicity. When he finally gives us a description it is a negative one, pointing out all the faults of the parcel. 'A brown paper parcel with bare legs and sandshoes. A brown paper parcel that crinckled when I moved.' By contrasting everyone elses amazing costumes with a brown paper bag, and then elaborating on its faults, the author is showing his absolute disgust for his costume. However it gets worse for him when he finds his date Kelly. As soon as she sees him she is dissapointed and embarrassed. When they are dancing she is unenthusiastic and expressionless, 'as if I was doing her a favour by dancing'. This is a huge change from when they were practicing dancing together and Kelly was talking to him about ugly people 'some people are ugly'. This is when he was cool and had sexual status. However whatever sexual status he had before the dance is lost when Kelly and the other girls see his ugly paper parcel. Kelly dances with him for one song and then makes an excuse to get away from him. It is now that the author realizes that he has lost sexual ranking because of his parcel. He has realized the 'transcience of sexual preferment' and now believes that sexual status must be used immediately.
The second thing that the paper pacel symbolizes is the difference in understanding between children and adults. The author has a very different idea and understanding about the school dance than his parents. He believes that his parents don't take him, his costume, or his school dance seriously. His mother thinks that his dance is a silly kids costume party. This view is reflected when she talks about what he is going to wear to the dance 'oh we'll rustle something up don't worry'. His mother is obiously quite casual and unconcerned about the dance. However to the author, the dance is so much more important.'there would be quizzes on tables, or a sprint the legnth of the hall'.It is a time to show his peers and all the girls his talent and use his new sexual preferment to his full advantage. However even after he tells his mother how important the dance is she still thinks it is 'some kids thing'. Her and the authors father make jokes about the whole thing, and his mother dosn't even start the costume until after dinner, 'it wasn't until after tea that my mother even started the parcel'. This rienforces her casual attitude towards the whole thing. She also tells him that nobody goes to a dance ontime. This shows her total lack of understanding about her son's dance. She is relating his dance to her experiences of dances and is getting it completely wrong. She also sees the parcel as an oppourtunity to show her sons creativity and originality, and best of all it's cheap. The authors reaction to his costume is outright disgust, 'A parcel; Jesus'. This repeared use of this phrase shows his absolute hate towards his costume. By using profanity 'Jesus' he is rienforcing his distaste towards the parcel.
In conclusion Owen Marshall uses the paper parcel in his story 'Paper Parcel' to symbolize several things such as the transcience of sexual preferment and the difference in understanding between adults and children. Marshall's parents obiously have no idea about the importance of his school dance, and instead of taking it seriously make jokes and give him a cheap but authentic, shabby looking paper parcel. By the end of the dance Marshall has realized that sexual status is only contemperary, and that by wearing the wrong thing you can lose your placement in the sexual ladder completely. He swears that next time he will use sexual preferment immediately.
