Question

How does Maria’s changing attitude emphasize the theme of the short story? Use details from the text to support your answer.

Answer 1

One of the most important themes of the story is that there is no need to grow up so quickly. Maria feels the need to grow up quickly, as she feels that she is too old to enjoy the things that she enjoyed before. This is particularly true when it comes to family vacations. At the beginning of the story, Maria feels she is too grown up to go on holidays with her family. She is not emotionally mature to understand that there is no need for her to be so grown up right away, and that spending time with her family is not a sign of immaturity, but only a sign of love. However, her changing attitude emphasizes the theme of the story. As the story progresses, Maria changes her attitude. Towards the end she realizes that although she is growing up, the break with her family does not have to be so complete.