Round 7 Review

Ocean Child:  http://www.npr.org/2011/10/23/141622174/ocean-child

In the story "Ocean Child," the author jumps right into the action of the story. The short story is about a young mother with a child that has down syndrome and is stuck with a family that doesn't support her trying to help the baby as much as she can. They believe that since the little girl has down syndrome, she is essentially worthless. The mother then takes her baby to the beach in attempt to follow the directions of the baby books she read; which tell her to treat the child normally and to do things with her that will stimulate her brain. The mother figures that no place could be more stimulating than the beach. The author is very effective in getting across that the family doesn't support the baby, and you almost get the feel that they would rather her not have had it at all. I liked the ending especially, when she finally takes her baby to the beach. The ending line was the one that caught my attention most, it was creative, abstract and described in a way that I could picture what was going on perfectly: "The horizon stretched out like a new beginning exchanged for an ending I never asked for. I whispered in Dooriya's ear, Ocean child, and with tourists lining up below, offered her up to the air she came from." Though this was a short story, it was one that communicated a very powerful message and grabbed the reader's attention from the get-go.