Thursday, March 5, 2009

Smokers by Tobias Wolff



I have been reading "Smokers." At first, it was confused because of secret characters and whose the one that speaking. In the class, a teacher explained to us all about the story and I understood completely after I read the Smokers over again. 

It is all about three characters who had a fight triangle, more likely envy. Let me describe those three characters in the Smokers. First, a Narrator who has envy problems. We decided to call him Tobias because the author of the story named Tobias Wolff. Tobias is a bright guy and he likes to hunt animals with his dad, also he is a good writer.  Secondly, Eugene is from Indiana, a skilled swimmer, he is the only one student whose smokes. Third, Talbot is a well-known because his father races car, he and his family donated hockey rink, and very laid-back. Three of them are bright students and all of them receive scholarships from private school named Choate Prep School.

They fought against each other often, to show who is the better. The envy situation becomes worse after Talbot thumbs down when Tobias asked him to be his roommate. Talbot and Eugene decided to be roommates and it led Tobias to be jealous. The point why Tobias has to be jealous, I don't really know. In the moment, Tobias invited Talbot to play tennis but somehow Talbot never show up. It makes Tobias to be upset more. The envy between them develops more because Talbot hangs out with Eugene often and their bond became stronger, Tobias felt rejected. Later on, the emotions in the story became worse. Tobias gave up and made a plan. He planned and reported the dorm supervisor that Eugene smokes in the room and in the building which is illegal. The dorm supervisor found out that Eugene smoked in his closet and decided to kick him out from the school. So therefore, Talbot and Eugene are not the roommates anymore. After Eugene was kicked out from the school. Tobias has his chance to be roommate with Talbot. Perhaps. Actually, Talbot doesn't care if Eugene was kicked out. In the end, are they roommates and did Tobias's plan successful? I don't know, maybe?

2 comments:

  1. Jessica...you are one of the very few who suggest that the Smokers story turns on the point that Tobia has sniched on Eugene. I also came to that idea. I am interested to know how the idea came to you and if others share it. Ellis

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