“Eleven” is a short story written by Sandra Cisneros. It tells the story of a young girl’s eleventh birthday, and how her perspective on the world changes after a series of events.
The protagonist, Rachel, is an eleven-year-old girl who is growing up in a poor neighborhood. She is the eldest of three sisters, and her parents are divorced. Rachel is resentful of her younger sisters, who she feels are favored by their father.
On the day of her eleventh birthday, Rachel’s perspective begins to change. She wakes up to find that her mother has left her a gift – a coat that once belonged to Rachel’s grandmother. This gift makes Rachel feel seen and appreciated, and she begins to see her mother in a new light.
Later that day, Rachel’s father takes her and her sisters out for ice cream. While they are waiting in line, a group of older boys begin to tease Rachel and her sisters. Rachel is embarrassed and angry, but her father steps in and defends them. This act of kindness makes Rachel realize that her father does care for her, even if he doesn’t always show it.
By the end of the day, Rachel has experienced a series of small epiphanies that have changed the way she sees herself, her family, and the world around her. Eleven is a coming-of-age story about finding hope and meaning in everyday moments.
“Eleven” is narrated by a character who has an interesting combination of the maturity and immaturity you would expect from an eleven-year-old, which defines the story through the use of figurative language. For example, although it is certainly childish to cry because someone won’t let you wear a certain sweater, she makes points that adults can relate to. After all, even as adults we can still remember what it felt like to be eleven years old.
Eleven is that age where kids are not quite sure if they are still children or if they are on the cusp of becoming adults. This story captures that feeling perfectly.
Sandra Cisneros does an excellent job of creating a vivid picture of what it was like to be eleven through the use of figurative language. The imagery she uses allows readers to feel as though they are right there with the narrator, experiencing everything she does. One example of this is when the narrator talks about how her teacher, Mrs. Price, smells “like stale bread and Gucci perfume” (Cisneros 3). This description creates a very clear image in the reader’s mind and also helps to establish Mrs. Price as a character.
The use of first person point of view also allows readers to feel close to the narrator and understand her feelings and motivations. Eleven-year-olds are not always the best at communicating what they’re thinking or how they’re feeling, but the reader is able to get a good sense of both through the narrator’s thoughts and actions.
Overall, “Eleven” is a well-written short story that does an excellent job of transporting readers back to their own eleventh year. The use of figurative language, first person point of view, and relatable subject matter all contribute to making this a memorable and enjoyable read.
It may appear that the protagonist has trouble mustering up the courage to disclose the truth about her sweater, however, it could just be an internal conflict she’s experiencing. Feeling embarrassed and ashamed of what happened, all she wants to do is forget that it ever occurred. “I only wish I didn’t have to relive this mortifying experience every time I think about it.”
Eleven is a short story written by Sandra Cisneros. In the story, a young girl named Rachel is celebrating her birthday. Eleven seems to be a big deal for her, and she spent the night before her birthday worrying about it.
When Rachel woke up on the morning of her birthday, she found that her mother had left her a present: a sweater. The sweater was ugly, and Rachel knew that her mother had bought it because it was on sale. She also knew that her mother had bought it in the wrong size, so she would not be able to wear it.
Rachel’s initial reaction to the sweater was one of disappointment and embarrassment. She did not want to wear the sweater because she did not want to be seen in it. However, she did not want to hurt her mother’s feelings by telling her the truth. Instead, she smiled and said thank you.
Throughout the day, Rachel struggled with what to do about the sweater. She knew that she could not wear it, but she also did not want to hurt her mother’s feelings. In the end, she decided to tell her mother the truth. She explained that the sweater was ugly and that she would not be able to wear it.
The story ends with Rachel’s mother taking the sweater back to the store and getting a refund. Rachel is relieved that she does not have to wear the sweater, and her mother is relieved that Rachel was honest with her.
The childlike simile of her years being like pennies in a Band-Aid box belies the narrator’s wisdom, as she is able to show through ideas like “When you’re eleven, you’re also ten, and nine, and eight, and seven, and six, and five. And four. And three. And two. And one.” Older people know what it feels like to feel all those ages because they have lived them; in this case however narrator expresses a desire for things to be different.
She doesn’t want to be Eleven. The Band-Aid box is a good symbol for Eleven because when you’re little, Band-Aids are amazing. They make everything better. But as you get older, you realize that Band-Aids can’t fix everything. The narrator is at the age where she is starting to realize that.
The story Eleven is about a girl who is trying to find her place in the world. She doesn’t feel like she belongs anywhere. She’s too old to be a kid, but she’s not quite a teenager either.
The story Eleven is about growing up and learning that the world isn’t always fair. But it also shows that growing up can be a good thing. The narrator may not be Eleven forever, but she’ll always remember what it was like to be Eleven.