Book Analysis: My Side of the Matter, by Truman Capote
Truman Capote “My side of the matter”
Do you remember when you were a teenager? How only the grown-ups mattered and your opinion and feelings weren’t important for them? People usually consider the words of the young men and women, almost kids, exaggerations or even sometimes lies, especially if they are not from white rich families but from the working class. The character Sylvester in Truman Capote’s story “My side of the matter” is presented as a confused kid with a lot of troubles in his head, but that doesn’t mean his story is not true. First, let’s start with the fact that he is only sixteen. He has no education and obviously no one supports him. In spite of all those things he had a job as a cashier and took care of himself. (189) Someone might claim that Sylvester doesn’t want to work in Admiral’s Mill, but that is not the case. He explains that the town is very small “(pop, 342)” (195) and the aunt’s opinion has weight. Even though he would like to work there’s no possible jobs he could do in the town. Anyone in that situation with no job or money, at such a young age would feel confused and desperate. On top of that he is being treated like an animal: “Why, this isn’t any sort of a man at all,” says aunt Eunice when she first sees him (191) and proceeds with the same attitude for all of the months he stays at the house. If he had a little support from any side he could be in a better position but, unfortunately, he is left all alone. Another good reason for why the readers should trust Sylvester is because he is honest from the beginning of the story. He admits his too quickly made decisions about his marriage: “… I married Marge. That was the first thing I did wrong.” (189) Sylvester understands very well that they don’t belong together, but once he marries her and she gets pregnant, there is no going back. He accepts the responsibility to take care of a child in spite of the fact that he is still a kid, he says, “Oh, if it wasn’t for
Do you remember when you were a teenager? How only the grown-ups mattered and your opinion and feelings weren’t important for them? People usually consider the words of the young men and women, almost kids, exaggerations or even sometimes lies, especially if they are not from white rich families but from the working class. The character Sylvester in Truman Capote’s story “My side of the matter” is presented as a confused kid with a lot of troubles in his head, but that doesn’t mean his story is not true. First, let’s start with the fact that he is only sixteen. He has no education and obviously no one supports him. In spite of all those things he had a job as a cashier and took care of himself. (189) Someone might claim that Sylvester doesn’t want to work in Admiral’s Mill, but that is not the case. He explains that the town is very small “(pop, 342)” (195) and the aunt’s opinion has weight. Even though he would like to work there’s no possible jobs he could do in the town. Anyone in that situation with no job or money, at such a young age would feel confused and desperate. On top of that he is being treated like an animal: “Why, this isn’t any sort of a man at all,” says aunt Eunice when she first sees him (191) and proceeds with the same attitude for all of the months he stays at the house. If he had a little support from any side he could be in a better position but, unfortunately, he is left all alone. Another good reason for why the readers should trust Sylvester is because he is honest from the beginning of the story. He admits his too quickly made decisions about his marriage: “… I married Marge. That was the first thing I did wrong.” (189) Sylvester understands very well that they don’t belong together, but once he marries her and she gets pregnant, there is no going back. He accepts the responsibility to take care of a child in spite of the fact that he is still a kid, he says, “Oh, if it wasn’t for
Cited: Allmendinger, Blake. "THE ROOM WAS LOCKED, WITH THE KEY ON THE INSIDE: FEMALE INFLUENCE IN TRUMAN CAPOTE 'S 'MY SIDE OF THE MATTER '." Studies in Short Fiction 24.3 (1987): 279. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 7 June 2010. Beckwith, Karen. "Mapping Strategic Engagements: WOMEN 'S MOVEMENTS AND THE STATE." International Feminist Journal of Politics 9.3 (2007): 312-338. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 10 June 2010. Points of view: An Anthology of short Stories. Eds. James Moffett and Kenneth R. McElheny. Capote, Truman. “My Side of the Matter.” New York: Penguin, 1966, 1995.