The Theme of Sacrifice In "Marita's Bargain" and "A Walk To The Jetty" - Critical Essay

Introduction

A sacrifice is when someone gives up or destroys something that is important to them. Marita and Annie, the main characters in "Marita's Bargain", by Malcolm Gladwell, had to make sacrifices for their loved ones, friends, and lives. Marita was able to understand the reasons for Annie's sacrifices, but Annie seemed confused about hers. Both stories showed that the lives of the girls were aligned in certain aspects, such as their social status and their relationships with other people. But when they discuss the reasons behind these sacrifices, however, their paths diverge.

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Marita, the main character in Marita's Bargain won a lottery to attend KIPP Academy in New York City. Marita decides to attend KIPP and must forgo her relationship with her mother in order to get a better education. The story gives the reader a glimpse into Marita's poor family when Gladwell states that the two share a one-bedroom apartment in the Bronx. (Gladwell 11). Reading the story will show that Marita is pushed to succeed at her new school and to go to college by living below the poverty line. Marita's desire to be great in life is causing her to have a more difficult relationship with her mother. Marita sneaks in dinner between homework hours. She says "...sometimes after that, her mom wants to hear more about school. But I have to get it done quickly. Marita is so focused on finishing her schoolwork and achieving KIPP that she doesn't have the time to take a break and tell her mom about her day.

Annie, the main character in A Walk to the Jetty is moving to England to get ahead and ignoring her roots in Antigua. Annie's relationship with her parents is also sacrificed in the opposite story. Like Marita, Annie also came from a poor area. Her mother and father made everything for her by hand. "The house that we now live in was built by my father. My father made the bed in which I lie, and it is his work. My mother made the sheets for my bed with her own hands." (Kincaid 33). Annie was always grateful to her parents for providing for her. This is what drove her to want to leave home and provide for herself. Several sections of the story show that Annie's parents are not sure what she wants in her life. Annie's mother tells her daughter at the dinner table that she is a young woman now and will not be surprised if one day soon she writes to announce that she is going to marry her. (Kincaid 35). She has been so far away from her home and was preparing to move to England that it seems almost as if she is an outsider in her own world.

Both characters can relate to having weak family relationships. They can also relate to being independent and having a difficult time with their own families. I get up at 5:45 a.m. to get started. I wash my hair, brush my teeth and shower. If I'm running late, I have breakfast at school." (Gladwell 12). Marita is a middle school student from the Bronx who just wants to make it in life. She must get up at 5 o'clock in morning to be a middle school student. She must make her own breakfast as a middle school student. She must also get to school on time as a middle-school student.

Many middle school students have to rely on their parents to get them up each morning and make breakfast for them. But Marita is giving up being a child to help her realize her dreams. Annie doesn't have as many responsibilities than Marita. However, in her story, Marita opens her own bank account and uses her money to save money, get a job and build a foundation for her life in England. Although both of these characters have made sacrifices for their futures, the reasons behind them may seem to be contradictory. Parents have to make sacrifices for their children and ensure that their lives are better than theirs.

Annie's mother, Annie, was told three times by the doctor that she didn't need glasses. However, Annie's mother would still bring her a "...glass from her mother at recess every day. The juice was made from grated carrots and then squeezed ...". (Kincaid 38). Annie's vision was fine after the professional said so. Annie's mother still went out of her way to bring Annie what she needed every day. Annie knew her mother would juice her, and she said that "I knew there wasn't anything wrong with my eyes Kincaid 38". It seems Annie's parents do love her and are concerned for her well-being. But, from an outsider's perspective, Annie still sees them with "...a smile in her face and disgust in the heart. (Kincaid 35). Annie stated that Annie wanted to "sacrifice her family" so she could move on and start over. It is easy to forget about Antigua and the people she loved the most.

Marita was more mature than Annie and was keen to see the sacrifices that her mother made for her. Marita and her mom were starting to drift apart from Marita's constant focus on her homework. She was willing to put up with that if it meant a better future for her child. Marita understood how crucial it was to her to enroll at KIPP and to give up any life she had. Her mother was there to sign it "... she signed it. Marita will be remunerating her mother for all she did by moving up in her life and getting a better education. Both girls had parents who sacrificed time and resources for their children.

Conclusion

It is because of their life stages that Annie and Marita seem to be diverging when it comes down to making sacrifices. Annie, a teenager, is leaving for England to begin a new life and to become the person she has always wanted to be. Marita, a middle-schooler, is willing to sacrifice all of her friends and her maternal bond to her mother in order to make a better future. It is obvious that people in different age groups will have different views and priorities.