Literary Essay Sample on Sea Oak by George Saunders

Sea Oak is a story about the male stripper narrator who lives with his babies, cousin and an aunt in a subsidized apartment complex in Sea Oak. Aunty Bernie, the narrator's unlucky, ever-optimistic, and sweet aunt die and returns bitterly to terrible advice to the family on how to move out of their home place, which is very dangerous. Aunty Bernie has never had a life even at her age of sixty since she has never been married; she does not have kids and has been working day and night in the city. However, the lady does not feel sorry about her situation as long as she has a roof of her head. The narrator returns home to his job and finds that a stray bullet has hit his nephew Walker, and Auntie Bernie says at least no bullet hit anybody, at least we have a home. . Auntie Bernie passes on two days later when an intruder breaks their house. Once the funeral is done, the family gets a call that her body is missing and two days after the call, she appears in their apartment with new ideas about how to make money for the family. She asks the narrator to start showing cocks the cock for a lady who is willing to pay for it. She says, At twenty bucks a pop, I will get you five bucks in a single day hence in a day a hundred dollar. She asks Jade to find some jobs while Min learns to cook while babysitting. The plan by Auntie Bernie is to have the family change their place of living by moving into a better apartment where later the narrator will do undertake a pre-law course of the community college. At work, an old lady has a glowing thumbprint on her forehead but he then realizes that the lady is a girl he once dated, the narrator leaves her and the behavior angers Auntie Bernie. The narrator realizes Bernie is a pile of parts that later dies again after saying, show your cock. The narrator reburies her by wrapping her pieces in a big bag. The following day, the narrator does not see any thumbprint. However, the narrator eventually has a new apartment that he never imagined living in, and the public school is excellent. There are different observable motifs in Sea Oak "story. A satire takes a closer look at the social class structure by taking a rational observation of the poor in the community and the extent they can go to achieve their dreams . Saunders provide details of the process of elevating one's position in the social ladder but gives a warning that the same has to come for a price that includes selling your body , just like the narrator . Throughout Sea Oak , Saunders commentary on the issue of poverty is authentic with his character what are readily believed making a juxtaposition of elements deemed fantastic more so laughable and profound despite the seriousness of the problem .

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In conclusion, the appearance and resurrection of Auntie Bernie is "Jesus-esque, and such an appearance provides Thomas the stimulant he needs to be more responsible for providing for the family. However, his situation appears docile towards the end. Readers are left to decide on their minds whether Bernie's prophecy on Troy being caught in the crossfire " did eventually occur or as to whether Thomas and company did come out successful . Moreover, there is some sense that is left to the reader indicating Thomas not giving up, but he is left with the unanswered lingering question as to why he gets nothing while people get everything.