The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll

Olive believes that Pearl's view of the lay off was a mis-judgement caused by the fact that it "was all different" this year. If she could have seen "just somethin'" of the way it normally was, she would have understood.

Do you agree with Olive? Support your view with evidence from the text, including two quotations.

You might consider the following in making your decision:

•In what ways is this year different?

•Is Olive's view of the lay off supported by anyone else?

•Why did Nancy get married?

•What does Johnny Dowd have to say about the house?

Make sure that you provide an argument with evidence. Post to your blog before Monday's lesson.

Based on the play, I think there is some sense in Olive’s argument that Pearl’s view of the lay off was a misjudgment. Unfortunately, Pearl joined Roo, Barney and Olive in the summer when everything seemed to change from previous years. Perhaps the main reason for these changes is the very presence of Pearl. It would not have been possible for the seventeenth lay-off season to have been anything like the past sixteen as Pearl took the place of Nancy for the first time, disrupting the foursome that enjoyed the past sixteen summers together. With Pearl joining the group, Roo, Barney and Olive were unable to continue on traditions of the past years, in particular, that of going to the Morrises’ for New Years Eve. The foursome is unable to attend the party at the Morrises because ‘the Morrises are cousins of Nancy’s’ (p.43). This is only one of a few changes caused by Nancy’s absence and Pearl’s presence.

Furthermore, the increasing age of the foursome has contributed to the change in tradition in the seventeenth summer. Firstly, Roo is unable to complete a full season of cane cutting, due to his older age hindering him from competing with the younger can cutters, which forced him find a job in the lay-off season. Working all day during the summer has left Roo tired and as a result, the group is not able to go out as much as in previous years. This is highlighted when, on New Year’s Eve, Olive reply’s to Barney’s suggestion of a night out, ‘Oh don’t go on, Barney. Can’t you see no one wants to go out? Roo is tired’ (p. 41).