Margaret Atwoods Cats Eye :: essays research papers

Trace the development of the bullying. How convincing atomic number 18 the situation and Elaines feelings argon portrayed.-How it changes and increasesWe are first introduced to Cordelia and prepared for the future conflict amongst the cardinal girls when it is mentioned, "The third girl doesnt wave". This lack of warmth towards Elaine is a premonition of what is to come, and is at the same time believable- new girls are often leery of each other, uncertain of what the other will be bid. This key moment also reveals certain character aspects in both Cordelia and Elaine that continue through pop the bullying period, for example Cordelias judgmental attitude "her eyes are measuring" or " Cordelia is looking past me to where my parents are"      To me, this first meeting seems too lively on detail, too unbelievable because of the amount of detail that the adult Elaine has remembered. I cannot remember so far back as to what another per sons eyes looked like even yesterday, perhaps what they said made a deep impact and I would have remembered it, but surely a conversation between two girls when they were eight years old would not have been remembered in such great accuracy so many years afterwards.     Soon after Cordelias stretch she begins to intimidate Elaine, albeit unintentionally, by leading Elaine to make judgements and comparisons which she had not made before "It occurs to be for the first time that we are not rich." Showing the early signs of instancy and bullying starting to happen. Much of Cordelias character is also related to the audience at this point, her grownup behaviour is revealed "She has a smile like a grown-ups", " merely children dont shake hands like this", "I feel shy with Cordelia", as is her childish nature, "The soft squishy kind, like peanut butter". These extreme swings are shown later when Cordelia appears to be friends wi th Elaine, while really harassing her. This again is typical of children- that they pick up on the behaviour of their parents is quite natural, especially in Cordelias circumstances which are related when Elaine visits her with "I ask Cordelia if she is gifted, but she puts her tongue in the corner of her moth and turns away". The main motive to bully Elaine seems to be the neglect that she has to deal with at home- the older siblings who are gifted and her ordinariness and inability to be more like them.