What is more valuable than gold? It’s a little girl who is willing to beat up anyone who makes fun of her brother. Her being little doesn’t stop her from being the fastest on the track team. No matter what it takes, Squeaky is willing to defend her brother. Squeaky will do anything she possibly can. In Raymond’s Run, Toni Cade Bombara, uses the character of Squeaky to illustrate the meaning of what truly makes one rich. People should look for a potential and others and not seeing their flaws. We theses Raymond as being an obligation. She believes that being kind and standing up for him is her job. In the beginning of the story, Squeaky says I don't have much work to do… All I have to do in life is to mind my brother Raymond, which is enough.
Squeaky is a proud sister, she’s sassy, she is protective and takes care of her brother Raymond in the book Raymond’s Run by Toni Cade Bambara. Squeaky is proud of Raymond because after she finishes the race, he comes running to her, showing he keeps up with his sister and she realizes he is a very fine runner. She takes care of him because she is the one looking after him taking him out and helping him. She does love him and takes care of him because when Mary Louise Williams asks a question to Raymond, Squeaky chimes in to tell her if she has something to tell Raymond, they will have to tell it to Squeaky first. She is also sassy when Mary Louise asks a question.
“Raymond’s Run” is a story by Toni Cade Bambara about an African-American girl known to all as Squeaky who lives in Harlem, New York. Her numerous character traits and values make her very unique and unlike most her age. In the story, Squeaky arrives to the park where the race that she will be participating in will take place. An example of one of her values is, “I squint at him real hard to see if he is seriously thinking that I should lose the race on purpose just to give someone else a break” Bambara (22). This quote shows how much Squeaky values pride and hard work. The example supports the idea of Squeaky’s uniqueness through her values because not many children of that age possess those traits.The character Squeaky from “Raymond’s Run”
Another kid might crumble under the weight of looking after a brother who is “subject to fits of fantasy,” who falls off the curb and dashes into traffic after pigeons. But not Squeaky. She is Raymond’s biggest protector. Squeaky
And above all she wants to be the best at everything. These are all connected to being determined because she wants to do all this and she is dedicated into that. The first reason why Squeaky is determined is because she stands up for her brother Raymond. In the story it says “That’s right fatso.
She prides herself at protecting her brother Raymond from other people and being self-confident. This is when she mentions, “… if anybody has anything to say to Raymond, anything to say about his big head, they have to come by me.”(Bambara 26). She takes dignity in herself, in being a very fast runner when she says, “And as anybody can tell you, I’m the fastest thing on two feet.” (Bambara 26). As you can see, Squeaky describes herself as someone who is genuine. When a specific task is difficult for her, she practices and studies. She is never ashamed of the arduous work she has to put in to be successful. Also, when she says, "Now some people like to act like things come easy to them, won’t let on that they practice. Not me” (Bambara 28). In more explanation, she describes herself who doesn’t take shame in showing who she really
Because she saw Raymond running along the sidelines, something sparks inside of her. “Cause if I’ve lost this race, or if me and Gretchen tied… I can always retire as a runner… and coach with Raymond as my champ” (Bambara 111). Squeaky doesn’t care about her win anymore. She is thinking about Raymond’s potential as a runner. Her heart is growing fond at the thought of her brother following behind her footsteps. “My brother Raymond, a great runner in the family tradition” (Bambara 111). This shows that Squeaky is excited for her brother’s future. He is no longer the annoying ‘little’ brother he always was. Now, he is a person with the ability to run like she can. Finally, even after the man announces that Squeaky won, she looks over at Gretchen. There is no longer venom boiling between them. “And I smile. ‘Cause she’s good, no doubt about it. Maybe she’d like to help me coach Raymond” (Bambara 112). There is a newfound respect between the two girls. Gretchen even smiles back. The walls Squeaky spent so long building up are now crumbling down piece by piece as her mind
Emotions and character traits such as confidence, being hard working... are what define us. Every day we experience millions of emotions. Based on what we say or do, it makes up other's people mind about us. It also shapes how they think about us and treat us. One character who is defined by her social emotions is the protagonist Hazel Elizabeth Deborah Parker, also known as Squeaky, from the story “Raymond’s Run”, by Toni Cade Bambara. Squeaky may be bossy, sassy… but she has to face many problems; one of these is defending and helping her mentally challenged brother, Raymond. Throughout the story, Squeaky feels like Raymond is an obstacle. However, when she competes in the big May Day race (she has a competition for the first time this year against her new rival, Gretchen), she sees some value
By the end of the story, as stated before, Squeaky has learned to appreciate the skills and talents of others. However, there are some people that she simply doesn’t like and doesn’t admire,
In the story Raymond's Run, Squeaky doesn't have many friends because she is always watching her brother and because of her competitive attitude. People make mean spiteful comments like “what grade are you in now, Raymond? ” , and she has to come to his defence and say things like, “ if anyone has to say something about my brother Raymond’s big head they should say it to me.” This kind of tone does not win her many friends. In addition, she states that she would rather knock you down than just talk a problem out.
Also, in the story, “Raymond’s Run”, Squeaky and how she is open about her opinions, serious about running, and does allow other people to tell her what she has to be. One quote from “Raymond’s Run” that demonstrates the theme
Another common theme in this story is gender stereotypes, which Squeaky follows and believes, is that girls don’t necessarily get along with each other. In the story, the stereotype presented is that They fight with each other, sometimes alone, and sometimes in groups. That is why it is surprising that Squeaky learns to get along with the antagonist of the story, Gretchen, at the end of the story, as seen in the following quote. We stand there with this big smile of respect between us. It’s about as
One day when Squeaky and Raymond go for a walk down Broadway, they find Mary Louise, Rosie, and Gretchen. When Mary is trying to talk to Raymond, wanting to know what grade he is in, Squeaky says fiercely “you got anything to say to my brother, you say it to me” (41). This shows that Squeaky does not want anyone saying anything to her brother Raymond. Squeaky is also protective of her brother Raymond when people try to talk to him. For example, it says in the story that “A lot of smart mouths got lots to say about that too, especially when George is minding him.
Squeaky and Raymond are walking down the street when they encounter Gretchen and her friends in which they get into a heated argument that just fuels Squeaky's selfish nature. Some evidence of this is ““I always win because I’m the best,” I say straight at Gretchen who is, as far as I’m concerned, the only one talking in this ventriloquist-dummy routine.” We see that Squeaky refuses to even acknowledge the other girls, and this is because she is talking to Gretchen who is Squeakys rival. We know that Squeaky is bent on winning every race against Gretchin, this again shows that the most important thing to Squeaky is winning and not others. That is the definition of selfishness.
Squeaky cares about her brother, Raymond a lot and she protects him like a mother. Mary Louise comes with her friends to talk with squeaky, and she tells her how she is not fast. Then she tries to ask Raymond something, but Squeaky stops her. “ You got anything to say to my brother you say it to me, Mary Louise Williams of Raggedy Town, Baltimore.”(Bambara 3) This quote explains how much she cares and is very protective. Rosie tries to be mean and asks squeaky, if she was Raymond’s mother. “ Thats right fatso, And the next word out of anybody and I’ll be their mother too.”(Bambara 3) This explains how squeaky could do anything for her brother no matter what.
very highly compared to the other characters. But over the course of the events in the book her opinion slowly begins to change eventually having her view completely flipped around. This was mainly after the race when she almost lost to Gretchen, her rival. From that win she realized that not everyone is what they seem and that she should use that to help herself grow. Squeaky was mainly thinking about Raymond who she had before treated him to how he looked, a boy who wasn't quite right. Nevertheless she had still cared for him by watching Raymond and making she he didn't get into trouble.. But now he saw him and everyone else in a