Leslie Fischman
WRTG 3020
PART 1:“White Angel”
10/16/07
Bobby’s Quest for Flight and Freedom
In the short story “White Angel” flight functions as a parallel to Bobby’s quest for freedom and desire to live up to the expectations of his older brother, who takes him under his wing and exposes him to lifestyle that differs from the ordinary day-to-day routine his parents live. Bobby knows that he wants a different life than the ones his parents live, however at the same time he requires constant reassurance from his older brother Carlton, to justify his rebellion and motivations for “going places” (90) associated with flight. As a result Bobby is willing to take risks and make sacrifices, in exchange for his brother’s acceptance, making “no move without his [brother’s] counsel” (90). All doubts aside, Bobby feels as though “any direction feels like progress” (94), and is easily manipulated by “Carlton’s certainty” (92) that if he does everything he’s told, he will fly away to a “bright, perfect simplicity” (92). However no matter how hard Bobby tries to disassociate from his parents, he never becomes completely independent of them or his brother to fulfill his basic needs.
Although Bobby engages in risky behavior similar to his brother, Bobby opts to take “a more conservative” (92) approach by comparison. Bobby remains consciously aware of the risks he takes and their potential consequences, especially while under the watchful eye of his mother who questions his whereabouts and punishes him for lying. What stimulates Bobby’s heightened awareness of flight and its risks, is the fact that he is punished for his brothers misbehaving and reprimanded for lying to protect his brothers innocence. Unlike Carlton carefree demeanor, Bobby acts less impulsively and takes the time to reflect on his experiences and make-sense of “everything around him” (91) in order to decide for himself whether its “the drug or just because everything truly is strange” (91). Bobby relies on Carlton’s reassurance to keep him going and stay convinced that engaging in recreational drug use at the breakfast table, will help provide him with the “clarity of vision” (91) he needs to see the future. However, ultimately it is the “sanctity of the back yard” (95) and the home-cooked meals provided by his mother, that provide Bobby with the comfort and reassurance he needs to stay grounded.
To Bobby and Carlton, flight represents their potential to defy the laws of gravity and that of nature, to live a life unrestrained and unrestricted by the authority of their parents that threatens their sense of freedom. Bobby associates flight with “going places” (90) his brother Carlton describes as free from “jobs and schooling” (92), and freedom from responsibility all together. Flying under his brother’s wing Bobby engages in a life full of lies, drugs, and rebellion, sacrificing his own innocence, while at the same time lying to protect the innocence of his brother and keep him out of trouble. Bobby attempts to disassociate from the life his parents live, because he cannot relate to his father who he describes as “flightless” and a mother who is jaded by the loss of first husband in a plane crash and the loss of her unborn fetuses. Bobby prefers to be entertained by the life his brother lives, attracted to the excitement it brings him, but only until he finds out that that the sacrifices he has made for his brother have been unappreciated. Bobby is torn between living a life full of risk and adventure associated with going places, or stop taking risks and never leave home and life as he knows it. Bobby is fearful that if he stops taking risks than he will be left with no other choice but to succumb to the authority of his parents and be destined to the follow the path in life chosen for him by his parents
Carlton, unlike Bobby, is more impulsive and manipulative, pulling Bobby under his wing, only to act as his accomplice and co-pilot, while Carlton takes full control over the direction he takes him along in. Bobby instead remains skeptical of Carlton’s advice that “fear will screw you right up. [And that] Drugs can’t hurt you if you feel no fear.” The one time Bobby and Carlton do fly is on drugs, believing that “the secret of flight is . . .to do it immediately, before you body realizes it defying the laws.”
However, only until Bobby stops in his tracks, and stops following someone else’s dreams, does he foresee the ill-fated future in store for his brother. Bobby no longer sees his brother as invincible and flawless, rather as an unappreciative and disloyal companion, who betrays him and fails to stick up for him at the party, against their own parents. As Carlton proves to be less and less dependable as time goes on, Bobby slowly detaches himself and stops taking risks. With death looming overhead and “the smell of the cemetery” too close for comfort, Bobby backs out and grounds himself before its too late.
The difference between Bobby’s parents and his older brother, is that Bobby parents are aware of the preciousness of their existence, and show an appreciation for the simple things in life, such as setting the table and building grandfather clocks as a keepsake to pass on to their children. Because Bobby thinks he “knows every single thing that goes on” (93) he in turn devalues what his parents do, because they do not share interests similar to his own personal goals in life. However Bobby fails to see that what his parents do are more important than they seem and essential to creating the save-haven they call home and run back to each day. If they wanted to get away so badly, why keep running back home for food? If they can’t make it one day away from home, how do they expect to survive a lifetime away from their parents and life as they know it?
No matter how hard Bobby tries to disassociate himself from his parents, he is unable to escape his dependency on their support to help him thrive and fuel his flight. What Bobby sees, and what Carlton fails to see, is that their parents are not the ones stopping them from flying, but instead have given the freedom to explore within limits. But it is Carlton who pushes beyond those limits, that allow Bobby see the lethal consequences of flight and begins to appreciate the safety he feels within the boundaries set for him by his parents. He learns to accept the lives his parents live, and respects them at the same time, even if he wants something different out of live than his parents want for him. All along Bobby yearned for more out of life than what he was getting, however the death of his brother marked the death of his dreams of “going away.” Instead, Bobby was forced to accept that even though things “turned out differently” (107) than he had planned, he would just have to live with the fact that it just wasn’t meant to be for him to fly among those living “live[s] full of risk and invention” (106).
WRTG 3020
PART 1:“White Angel”
10/16/07
Bobby’s Quest for Flight and Freedom
In the short story “White Angel” flight functions as a parallel to Bobby’s quest for freedom and desire to live up to the expectations of his older brother, who takes him under his wing and exposes him to lifestyle that differs from the ordinary day-to-day routine his parents live. Bobby knows that he wants a different life than the ones his parents live, however at the same time he requires constant reassurance from his older brother Carlton, to justify his rebellion and motivations for “going places” (90) associated with flight. As a result Bobby is willing to take risks and make sacrifices, in exchange for his brother’s acceptance, making “no move without his [brother’s] counsel” (90). All doubts aside, Bobby feels as though “any direction feels like progress” (94), and is easily manipulated by “Carlton’s certainty” (92) that if he does everything he’s told, he will fly away to a “bright, perfect simplicity” (92). However no matter how hard Bobby tries to disassociate from his parents, he never becomes completely independent of them or his brother to fulfill his basic needs.
Although Bobby engages in risky behavior similar to his brother, Bobby opts to take “a more conservative” (92) approach by comparison. Bobby remains consciously aware of the risks he takes and their potential consequences, especially while under the watchful eye of his mother who questions his whereabouts and punishes him for lying. What stimulates Bobby’s heightened awareness of flight and its risks, is the fact that he is punished for his brothers misbehaving and reprimanded for lying to protect his brothers innocence. Unlike Carlton carefree demeanor, Bobby acts less impulsively and takes the time to reflect on his experiences and make-sense of “everything around him” (91) in order to decide for himself whether its “the drug or just because everything truly is strange” (91). Bobby relies on Carlton’s reassurance to keep him going and stay convinced that engaging in recreational drug use at the breakfast table, will help provide him with the “clarity of vision” (91) he needs to see the future. However, ultimately it is the “sanctity of the back yard” (95) and the home-cooked meals provided by his mother, that provide Bobby with the comfort and reassurance he needs to stay grounded.
To Bobby and Carlton, flight represents their potential to defy the laws of gravity and that of nature, to live a life unrestrained and unrestricted by the authority of their parents that threatens their sense of freedom. Bobby associates flight with “going places” (90) his brother Carlton describes as free from “jobs and schooling” (92), and freedom from responsibility all together. Flying under his brother’s wing Bobby engages in a life full of lies, drugs, and rebellion, sacrificing his own innocence, while at the same time lying to protect the innocence of his brother and keep him out of trouble. Bobby attempts to disassociate from the life his parents live, because he cannot relate to his father who he describes as “flightless” and a mother who is jaded by the loss of first husband in a plane crash and the loss of her unborn fetuses. Bobby prefers to be entertained by the life his brother lives, attracted to the excitement it brings him, but only until he finds out that that the sacrifices he has made for his brother have been unappreciated. Bobby is torn between living a life full of risk and adventure associated with going places, or stop taking risks and never leave home and life as he knows it. Bobby is fearful that if he stops taking risks than he will be left with no other choice but to succumb to the authority of his parents and be destined to the follow the path in life chosen for him by his parents
Carlton, unlike Bobby, is more impulsive and manipulative, pulling Bobby under his wing, only to act as his accomplice and co-pilot, while Carlton takes full control over the direction he takes him along in. Bobby instead remains skeptical of Carlton’s advice that “fear will screw you right up. [And that] Drugs can’t hurt you if you feel no fear.” The one time Bobby and Carlton do fly is on drugs, believing that “the secret of flight is . . .to do it immediately, before you body realizes it defying the laws.”
However, only until Bobby stops in his tracks, and stops following someone else’s dreams, does he foresee the ill-fated future in store for his brother. Bobby no longer sees his brother as invincible and flawless, rather as an unappreciative and disloyal companion, who betrays him and fails to stick up for him at the party, against their own parents. As Carlton proves to be less and less dependable as time goes on, Bobby slowly detaches himself and stops taking risks. With death looming overhead and “the smell of the cemetery” too close for comfort, Bobby backs out and grounds himself before its too late.
The difference between Bobby’s parents and his older brother, is that Bobby parents are aware of the preciousness of their existence, and show an appreciation for the simple things in life, such as setting the table and building grandfather clocks as a keepsake to pass on to their children. Because Bobby thinks he “knows every single thing that goes on” (93) he in turn devalues what his parents do, because they do not share interests similar to his own personal goals in life. However Bobby fails to see that what his parents do are more important than they seem and essential to creating the save-haven they call home and run back to each day. If they wanted to get away so badly, why keep running back home for food? If they can’t make it one day away from home, how do they expect to survive a lifetime away from their parents and life as they know it?
No matter how hard Bobby tries to disassociate himself from his parents, he is unable to escape his dependency on their support to help him thrive and fuel his flight. What Bobby sees, and what Carlton fails to see, is that their parents are not the ones stopping them from flying, but instead have given the freedom to explore within limits. But it is Carlton who pushes beyond those limits, that allow Bobby see the lethal consequences of flight and begins to appreciate the safety he feels within the boundaries set for him by his parents. He learns to accept the lives his parents live, and respects them at the same time, even if he wants something different out of live than his parents want for him. All along Bobby yearned for more out of life than what he was getting, however the death of his brother marked the death of his dreams of “going away.” Instead, Bobby was forced to accept that even though things “turned out differently” (107) than he had planned, he would just have to live with the fact that it just wasn’t meant to be for him to fly among those living “live[s] full of risk and invention” (106).
