The false moon Essays

The false moon Essays The false moon Paper The false moon Paper The False Moon Any child needs stability and love from their parents while growing up. If this Is not the case the child will go out and find safe places elsewhere. The main character In the short story The False Moon, by Shirley Golden from 201 1 Is not met with stability and love. He Is almost forced out on his own trying to fit Into society. The main character is the first person narrator in the story. His name is Matt and describes himself in a rather bad way; People dont run from me; Im lanky and skinny Im told (lines 14-15, page 1). Matt tells the story of his teenage life. How his mother works all the time and is never there for him, and how he has trouble in school. The subjects are too difficult, and he doesnt like any of his classmates. When he gets the chance Matt always skips school and goes on adventures in town. He doesnt communicate with his mother or his teachers. When he is told to give his mother letters from school; he Just hides them away Instead. Because of the mothers behavior this Is not so difficult. She Is not Involved In her sons life. The mother Is described as a loud and messy woman. She comes home late, has bleached hair and bad nails. Some symbols also indicate that the mother has a problem with heavy drinking and are treated violently. This affects the relationship between the mother and Matt. He doesnt trust her, probably because of several years of disappointments and letdowns: Its probably bullwhip, with her you can never tell (line 12, page 1). Furthermore she is embarrassing, selfish and doesnt understand appropriate social behavior. It shows in the story when she hits on Mats best friend Mark, which results in Matt losing his friend who was his only safe haven. When Matt calls her a where she hits him with a bottle. She Is powerless, desperate and certainly not a good role model for Matt. Matt hides his problems, Just Like when his mother covers up her bruises. That Is why she Is unaware of her own sons difficulties, until she goes through his things one day. The signs of love or affection between the mother and the main character are very few. The main character takes care of his mother. He cleans up after her and makes tea. But she doesnt return the love and he notices it. For example when he helps her up from the floor and puts her to bed. He thinks, She doesnt reach for me (line 125, page 4). The sketch that Matt makes is a symbol of him wanting love from his mother. It shows the boys inner feelings of being trapped. The bottle is a hint at the mothers heavy drinking. He has a mother who doesnt pay attention to him and is busy looking for other men. The mall character wants and needs boundaries and he Is so desperate that he even tries to kid himself, l like to kid myself she would stop me If I didnt sneak out of the house (line 6, page 1). In the streets he finds a new safe place. The nightly ritual where he draws the lines and numbers and the girl fills in gaps he can actually count on. As he says: l didnt trust words. But lines were reliable. (lines 42-44, page 2). The lines are a symbol of the stability and the boundaries Matt is longing for. You can say that the girl isnt Just filling in the gaps in Mats drawings, but also the gaps inside of him. As the title of the short story, the nightly ritual becomes his false moon, like insects flocking around street lamps because they think it is the moon. Suddenly Matt has found something to navigate after and rely on. At the end he decides to end the disappointing life he has with his mother. From now on he will find the way on his own. He realizes that even though the guide may be wrong (the moon is false), it is better than no guide at all. The main theme in the short story The False Moon is about growing up, and finding your own guidelines in your life. In the darkest night, Matt finds his light. It gives him the courage to break free from his mother and find his own way. Shirley Golden is trying to tell us, that it is important to have guidelines and role models in your life especially as a child. It is the parents responsibility to give the child these guidelines, or else the child detaches itself from the family and is forced to grow up faster.