"Ashes" Essay Response

Many teens face the issue of divorce, and being divided between parents. Susan Beth Pfeffer’s short story, “Ashes” descibes a teenage girl named Ashes who struggles with the complication of divorce. The protagonist is put in a situation where she is forced to choose between her idealistic father and her pragmatic mother. Through Ashes relationship with her parents, the story demonstrates the concept that it’s hard to choose between what you want and what you need.

Ashes’ father fills her with promises, and tells her to dream big. She looks forward to seeing him and describes it as, “the sun cast[ing] off a little more warmth than the day before.” However, she quickly learns her father cannot carry out the commitments he makes. For instance, Ashes’ father tells her he goes to sleep every night wondering, “Is the world a better place because I exist?” He tells her of times he helped someone fix a tire, or helped a lost person find their way. These experiences show how Ashes’ father is a dreamer who wishes to make an impact on the world. But, Ashes explains that the “child support checks don’t always show up on time,” and “no one ever got rich helping blind people cross the street.” Ashes’ father doesn’t factor reality into his dreams. This causes the responsibility to fall onto Ashes’ shoulders. When Ashes gets to her father’s house she folds his laundry as if she’s taking care of him. Ashes does “the mental arithmetic of diner verses pizza,” when her father suggests going somewhere different for their annual dinner, proving she concentrates more on her father’s budget than he does himself. When Ashes is with her father she enjoys being with him, because he focuses on what he wishes to accomplish instead of focusing on what he is likely to accomplish. He avoids his problems, while Ashes’ mom does all she can to stop them.

Ashes’ mother focuses on being ready for anything. Ashes describes her by saying “there are a lot of rainy days and she takes a grim sort pleasure being prepared for them.” Ashes mother would "never be caught without batteries or tissues..." However, being ready for anything leaves little space for dreaming. Ashes continues by saying, "she [Ashes’ mother] never promises me anything".  Ashes mom is a responsible adult who knows how to take care of Ashes. But she isn't the most lively parent, and doesn't encourage Ashes to dream big, like Ashes’ father does.

        When Ashes' father asks her to steal her moms money for him, Ashes is inevitably forced to choose between her parents.  In our own life we deal with smiliar situations to Ashes. Whether it’s choosing between a healthy carrot or a sugary candy bar. Or deciding to watch TV versus starting your homework. Eventually everyone is faced with this complication, choosing between what you want, and what you need. The short story “Ashes” accurately displays how family issues relate to choosing your desires, which is Ashes’ father, or choosing what is best for you, which is Ashes’ mother.